The Wonderful Waltz, Part 1

The latest stories from www.wqxr.org · Aug 9, 2026

The waltz first took root in Vienna and soon spread across Europe, becoming the dance craze of the 19th century. Waltzing was more energetic and intimate than other social dances and caused its fair share of consternation — even Lord Byron wrote a poem against the new fad. But the joy and motion of the waltz won the day, and it remains an infectiously happy corner of the classical repertoire. On this week’s episode of Reflections from the Keyboard, David Dubal begins a four-part exploration of the waltz as it twirled across piano keys from country to country. You’ll hear Russian waltzes from…