Ravel originally conceived of his "choreographic poem" La Valse (The Waltz) as a tribute to Johann Strauss and "a sort of apotheosis of the Viennese waltz." But this is a waltz far removed from the urbane gaiety of old Vienna. A masterpiece of lush and brilliant orchestration, it is a work of considerable emotional depth in which the initial series of elegant waltzes are transformed into what Ravel describes as "a fantastic and fatal whirling" loading to a powerful, turbulent climax. Now musicians, music students, conductors — any music lover — can study La Valse in this high-quality edition, reproduced from the authoritative Durand original.