Johannes Brahms ： Sixteen Waltzes No.15 in A-Dur Op.39

No. 15 from Brahms’s Sixteen Waltzes is a miniature that allows the performers to savor a calm, songful melody while making the most of the interwoven sonority of piano four hands. The flowing triple meter characteristic of the waltz and the repetition of short phrases give the music an inviting shape, while the melodic expression shifts subtly within its concise design. In performance, the accompaniment should not weigh down the beat, allowing the melody to move forward naturally. Coordinating the two players’ dynamics and breathing, and leaving a carefully shaped resonance at the ends of phrases, brings out the music’s lightness and warmth.