"If one could waltz down a street forever it may become a cautious process of inevitable predictability, if it is to a Brahms waltz however, one may for the better never stop." - Daniel Barenboim

I believe Daniel Barenboim is credited with the above quote, but couldn't confirm it as I can't find a source. What I do know is that it is in reference to the Sixteen waltzes, Op.39 by Brahms. A work originally wrote for four-handed piano in 1856, later arranged for solo piano. The work was dedicated to Eduard Hanslick and surprised the composer with its unforeseeable popularity, including the fifteenth waltz in a-flat major which has deservedly earned musical immortality.

Soheil Nasseri performs all sixteen waltzes in the videos below from a Feb 27, 2008 concert in the famous Berlin Philharmonie.

Part One: Waltzes 1-5


Brahms was an avid fan of dance, enjoying all forms and music in relation to such and especially the waltz. Ironically enough though it was the waltz that received the least recognition by Brahms in the aspect of his compositional output. Reasons for this could be plentiful but perhaps a more substantial one was that Brahms felt intimidated by what came naturally for the Strauss Family, and their inherent ability to write waltz after waltz.

Part Two: Waltzes 6-11


Nonetheless, Brahms admired the dance form so admirably he often was seen lamenting and crying over what he called "a beautiful mosaic of such possibility," especially the Strauss Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz where once Brahms was particularly sad that he himself had not written this beloved work.

Part Three: Waltzes 12-16


As with his Intermezzos for solo piano, the Sixteen waltzes presented are a tender representation of a deep emotion hidden within Brahms. The waltzes are purely romantic and many, including No.15, have such a nostalgic character it is hard to see past what they simply are.