How hard is Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 to play?

Its passages grade from level 9 on Real Sight Reader's ten-level reading scale, so the full piece is intermediate to advanced reading. The hardest stretch is bars 1–4 at level 9.

Is there an easy part of Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 for beginners?

Its easiest passage is level 9, so it suits a reader past the beginner stage. Start with bars 1–12 for both hands together, the level-9 passage in the reader at the top of this page; it is level 9 because a hand covers more than one position and it leaps a minor seventh plus an octave.

What key and time signature is Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 in?

Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 is in G major, 1 sharp. The engraving on this page is in 3/4 time.

Who composed Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10?

Johannes Brahms, German romantic (1833–1897). Brahms composed his Sixteen Waltzes, Op.

Can I practice Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 online for free?

Yes. The reader on this page plays any of the 6 graded passages from Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 in your browser, with an on-screen keyboard or a MIDI keyboard, and marks every note as you play. No signup.

Who was Brahms's Op. 39 waltz set dedicated to?

It was dedicated to the music critic Eduard Hanslick.

Were Brahms's Sixteen Waltzes written for solo piano?

They were written for piano four hands. Brahms then made two solo versions, one easier and one harder.

How long does it take to learn Brahms's Waltz Op. 39 No. 10?

It is only about half a minute long, so the notes take less time than most pieces at this level. The wide hand movements and the lilting rhythm are what need patient practice.

Is Brahms's Op. 39 in the public domain?

Yes. Brahms died in 1897, so the music is in the public domain, though modern editions may carry their own copyright.

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Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) · sheet music

Key G major
Time 3/4
Levels 9
Passages 6

Your turn · both hands

Preparing your passage…

Johannes Brahms, German romantic (1833–1897). The reading release has 6 passages from this piece at level 9; the reader above opens on the easiest, bars 1–12 for both hands together.

Practice the hard bars →

The hardest stretch is bars 1–4 at level 9.

Your practice path

Learn it the way teachers do: each hand on its own, then together, then the hard bars. Each step is a real graded passage of Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10.

Hands together · bars 1–4 level 9

How to play Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10

Tempo:Play it as a dance, with a gentle swing on beat one of each bar. If you can sway to it with a waltz step, you are at the right speed.
Left hand:The left hand covers wide distances in this waltz. Practice each jump on its own, moving the hand early and landing lightly, so the bass note on beat one never arrives late.
Right hand:Let the melody sing above the accompaniment. Lean slightly into the first beat of each bar, then relax through the remaining two beats.
Hands together:Practice each hand separately with its dance feel, then combine them slowly, checking that the left hand does not cover the tune.
Dynamics:Because the piece is brief, shape it like one long breath: start gently, grow a little in the middle, and close softly.
Pedal:Use a quick pedal change on each bar, or leave the pedal out for a drier, clearer sound that suits the waltz style.
Practice:Since the piece is so short, loop the whole dance several times in a row to build a steady waltz feel, and then play it with the repeats.

Common mistakes

Playing all three beats of the bar with equal weight. Fix: Lean on beat one and keep beats two and three lighter, as if you were stepping a waltz.
Letting the left hand sound heavier than the tune. Fix: Play the left hand alone with a relaxed wrist at half volume, then add the melody on top.
Rushing because the piece is short. Fix: Count a slow three and settle into the lilt before you begin.
Arriving late after a big left-hand jump. Fix: Look ahead to the next bass note and start moving the hand as soon as the previous beat is played.

Structure: binary dance

Almost all the waltzes in Op. 39 are small binary dances, built from two short strains, often with the opening idea coming back near the end. Number 10 works on a tiny scale, so every phrase counts and small changes in volume carry a lot of meaning.

A · First strain (G major): A graceful waltz melody in G major. The challenge is making it lilt without rushing.
B · Second strain: A contrasting phrase that answers the first and rounds off the dance.

About Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10

Brahms composed his Sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39, in 1865 and published them in 1866. They were written for piano four hands, meaning two players at one piano, and are dedicated to the Viennese music critic Eduard Hanslick.

Brahms also arranged the waltzes for a single pianist in two versions, a more difficult one and a simplified one, and all three versions were published together. They sold better than Brahms expected, and the short dances are still popular for playing at home.

Number 10 in G major is one of the shortest of the set. In one recording it lasts only about half a minute, a quick flash between the longer waltzes around it. The best-known waltz of the set is No. 15, in A major, which has taken on a life of its own as the most popular piece in the collection.

Brahms wrote the Sixteen Waltzes for four hands and dedicated them to the critic Eduard Hanslick.
He made two solo versions, one easier and one more difficult, and published them with the four-hand original.
The three versions sold better than Brahms himself had expected.
Hanslick wrote about the waltzes in an article titled Waffenruhe am Klavier, published in a Vienna newspaper in August 1866.

Why the first passage is level 9

That passage is level 9 rather than 8 because a hand covers more than one position, it leaps a minor seventh plus an octave.

The waltz pattern in the left hand and a compact melody in the right make this an efficient reading piece. Keep the key signature of one sharp in mind and watch for accidentals in the melody.

Questions about Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10

How hard is Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 to play?: Its passages grade from level 9 on Real Sight Reader's ten-level reading scale, so the full piece is intermediate to advanced reading. The hardest stretch is bars 1–4 at level 9.
Is there an easy part of Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 for beginners?: Its easiest passage is level 9, so it suits a reader past the beginner stage. Start with bars 1–12 for both hands together, the level-9 passage in the reader at the top of this page; it is level 9 because a hand covers more than one position and it leaps a minor seventh plus an octave.
What key and time signature is Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 in?: Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 is in G major, 1 sharp. The engraving on this page is in 3/4 time.
Who composed Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10?: Johannes Brahms, German romantic (1833–1897). Brahms composed his Sixteen Waltzes, Op.
Can I practice Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 online for free?: Yes. The reader on this page plays any of the 6 graded passages from Waltz in G Major, Op. 39 No. 10 in your browser, with an on-screen keyboard or a MIDI keyboard, and marks every note as you play. No signup.
Who was Brahms's Op. 39 waltz set dedicated to?: It was dedicated to the music critic Eduard Hanslick.
Were Brahms's Sixteen Waltzes written for solo piano?: They were written for piano four hands. Brahms then made two solo versions, one easier and one harder.
How long does it take to learn Brahms's Waltz Op. 39 No. 10?: It is only about half a minute long, so the notes take less time than most pieces at this level. The wide hand movements and the lilting rhythm are what need patient practice.
Is Brahms's Op. 39 in the public domain?: Yes. Brahms died in 1897, so the music is in the public domain, though modern editions may carry their own copyright.

Every passage, easiest first

The reading release grades 6 distinct passages of this piece. Open any of them in the reader:

Level 9: bars 1–4 both hands · bars 1–8 both hands · bars 1–12 both hands · bars 5–8 both hands · bars 9–16 both hands · bars 13–16 both hands

More pieces to sight-read

Score: public-domain engraving from the corpus (pdmx), graded by the piano-reading-v2-20261023-identity-audit reading release.

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