The “Valses oubliées” belong to Liszt's late work, characterized by themes such as memory, sorry and grief. They do not form a cycle but were written as separate pieces between 1881 and 1884. The title “Forgotten Waltzes” alludes to the fact that certain forms and genres were no longer fashionable. These four pieces are reminiscent of Liszt's waltzes for piano from the 1830s, but embed typical melodic and rhythmic clichés from salon waltzes in new harmonic progressions. Up to now only the first of the “Valses oubliées” has found its way into concert repertoire. This Henle edition affords pianists an opportunity to discover all four waltzes and their characteristic idiosyncrasies.
