A grand, post-Romantic concert waltz that showcases Bax's penchant for lush harmonic colors and sweeping melodic lines. It is distinguished by its orchestral quality and sophisticated, idiomatic piano writing.
At Henle 7 this is a late-advanced work — the technical demands are serious and sustained. The main demands: a waltz lilt that needs charm and a flexible left hand; fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; and sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions.
Beyond that, expect rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse, and wide stretches that reward larger hands and clever redistribution.
The primary challenge lies in executing the rapid, wide-spanning left-hand figurations while maintaining a steady, lilting waltz pulse.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
A level or two down with the same spirit — ideal if this piece is still out of reach.
Where this piece's skills lead: slightly harder works making similar technical demands.
Concert Valse, GP 125 is rated Henle level 7 of 9 — late advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grade 8 and above. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 9.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 7 — meaning you can already play level 6–7 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Concert Valse, GP 125 lasts about 6 minutes.
Concert Valse, GP 125 is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Ballad, GP 181/300 by Arnold Bax, Italian Concerto in F major by Johann Sebastian Bach, Waltz in A-flat major by Frédéric Chopin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.