Franz Schubert's '17 Valses Sentimentales' Op.50a are delightful and varied waltzes, showcasing his characteristic melodic charm and harmonic richness. They capture a range of emotions from playful to poignant.
Developing a nuanced sense of rubato and a clear, singing melodic line within the waltz rhythm is essential.
17 Valses Sentimentales (Op.50a) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
17 Valses Sentimentales (Op.50a) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.