This waltz is a staple of Russian Romantic piano repertoire, characterized by its sparkling textures and sweeping melodies. It requires a refined touch to balance the dense textures typical of Glazunov's piano style.
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; fine finger independence within the hand; and fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo.
Beyond that, expect chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others, and big chords that need weight without harshness.
At roughly 8 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
Students must focus on voicing the top melody clearly against the complex, rhythmic accompaniment patterns.
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.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Concert Waltz No.2 (Op.51) 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.2 (Op.51) lasts about 8 minutes.
Concert Waltz No.2 (Op.51) 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 Italian Concerto in F major by Johann Sebastian Bach, Waltz in A-flat major by Frédéric Chopin, Bamboula by Louis Moreau Gottschalk — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.