The World’s Greatest Waltzes

On April 3, the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory resounded with some of the most famous waltzes ever written by the great composers.

There was no dancing on the programme, although it was certainly difficult to resist the temptation. After all, the waltz originated from traditional Czech, French, and Austrian dances based on the graceful swirling movement of couples. It soon became firmly established across all levels of European society. Over time, the waltz evolved into an independent concert genre, capturing the imagination of many talented composers. The evening’s programme brought together some of the most celebrated examples of the genre.

The programme featured brilliant works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who gave the waltz an entirely new dimension, transforming it from merely an accompaniment to dance into an expressive musical form in its own right. They were joined by famous waltzes and symphonic works by Glinka, Gounod, Liszt, Lehár, Berlioz, and Brahms.

The lyricism, elegance, fluidity, and expressive character of the waltz have made it extraordinarily popular throughout the world. There is no need to know a single dance step to appreciate the romance, energy, and lightness of waltz music and simply enjoy its timeless beauty.

The world’s greatest waltzes were performed by the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra. Music critics highly praise the ensemble’s artistry, musical culture, stylistic sensitivity, outstanding ensemble playing, and the artistic excellence of its interpretations. The orchestra regularly tours throughout Russia and internationally, is a permanent participant in the annual ArsLonga International Music Festival and the Golden Talents Grand Prix International Competition, and regularly presents concert series featuring young soloists.

The conductor for the evening was Mikhail Astafiev. He studied voice and conducting at the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg Conservatory. In 2023, he graduated from the P. I. Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory with a degree in symphonic conducting.

In 2019, he served as assistant conductor of the P. Slobodkin Centre Orchestra. From 2020, he collaborated with the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra as assistant conductor, and since 2022 has served as a conductor with the orchestra.

As a conductor, Astafiev has performed with the Moscow Conservatory Concert Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow Conservatory Opera Theatre Orchestra, and the Studio for New Music soloists’ ensemble. He has also taken part in the Moscow Conservatory’s programmes for young audiences.

He has participated in the Con-temporary Gnessin Week contemporary music festival, the Diaghilev Festival, the ArsLonga Festival, and the Zaryadye Summer Music Festival. He has attended masterclasses led by Mikhail Jurowski, Teodor Currentzis, Leonid Yampolsky, Terje Mikkelsen, and other distinguished musicians.