Glazunov's first concert waltz is a grand, virtuosic work that echoes the spirit of Tchaikovsky's ballet music. It is distinctive for its lush orchestration-style piano writing and sophisticated harmonic shifts.
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 chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others, and precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece.
At roughly 9 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
The primary challenge is maintaining a light, graceful waltz rhythm while executing rapid, wide-ranging arpeggiated figures.
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 Waltz No. 1 (Op.47) 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 10.
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 Waltz No. 1 (Op.47) lasts about 9 minutes.
Concert Waltz No. 1 (Op.47) 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 Concert Waltz No.2 by Alexander Glazunov, 'The King of the Jews' - Incidental Music by Alexander Glazunov, Ballade by Alexander Glazunov — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.