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Music Picks6 minutes

10 Viennese Waltz Songs for Your Practice Playlist

By Bernhard De LucaUpdated

In short
  • Shostakovich's Waltz No. 2 and Cohen's Take This Waltz are concrete starting points for your practice playlist.
  • Studio recordings are better suited to repeated practice sessions, while concert waltzes require extra attention to musical tempo changes.
  • No audio measurements are available for this selection, so neither verified beat rates nor a tempo-based sort is provided.

A well-known title alone isn't enough for a useful playlist: the feel of the dance can change significantly between the studio version, a piano arrangement, and a live recording. A clearly labeled recording makes your practice repeatable.

This is how the selection is narrowed down

  • Recordings instead of just song titles

    Each entry names the performer and album or release, so you can find the same version again.

  • Suitability for practice determines the order

    More evenly structured pieces are listed before concert waltzes with free introductions and pronounced tempo changes.

  • No paid placements

    Nobody has paid to be included in this list.

  • Data as of October 31, 2026

    Because no sources or audio access were provided, this is a selection guide, not an editorially verified list with confirmed tempos or start points accurate to the second.

A fixed recording makes it possible to hear whether the music or your performance changes during the practice run.
A fixed recording makes it possible to hear whether the music or your performance changes during the practice run.

Ten recordings, ordered by suitability for practice

  1. 01

    Waltz No. 2: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

    Riccardo Chailly, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, The Jazz Album

    • Shostakovich
    • instrumental
    • orchestra

    Waltz No. 2 from Shostakovich’s Suite for Variety Orchestra offers an easy-to-follow melody over a clearly structured accompaniment, making it the first choice for practicing together. Follow the distinctive saxophone theme; this refers to Chailly’s recording on The Jazz Album, not just any film or concert version.

  2. 02

    Take This Waltz: Leonard Cohen

    Leonard Cohen, I'm Your Man, studio version

    • Vocals
    • studio production
    • waltz accompaniment

    The studio version combines Cohen's deep voice with a recurring waltz accompaniment, so you can use the same passage several times for a familiar sequence of figures. The beginning of the first verse serves as a musical reference point. As you dance, follow the accompaniment, since the stresses in the lyrics don't consistently fall on your step pulse.

  3. 03

    La valse d'Amélie: Yann Tiersen

    Yann Tiersen, Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, original version

    • Instrumental
    • accordion
    • film music

    The accordion version from the soundtrack is distinct from the also well-known piano version, and its recurring main motif provides a section that's easy to remember for practice. Use the return of this motif as a guide, rather than letting the small melodic movements tempt you into taking extra steps; this instrumental piece requires attention without any sung lyrics.

  4. 04

    Piano Man: Billy Joel

    Billy Joel, Piano Man, Studio Version

    • Piano
    • vocals
    • harmonica

    The album recording is one way to practice Viennese Waltz to familiar pop music instead of a large orchestra, as long as you’ve already got comfortable with its tempo together. For repeatable run-throughs, the first verse after the intro works better than the intro; the harmonica helps you recognize the recording when you listen again.

  5. 05

    Que Sera, Sera: Doris Day

    Doris Day, Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera), single recording

    • Vocals
    • orchestral accompaniment
    • chorus

    Doris Day's original recording offers an easily recognizable chorus and short vocal sections, allowing you to start practice blocks at musical points rather than arbitrary timestamps. Use the first verse as a reference and don't confuse this version with later cover versions, whose accompaniment, tempo, and character can differ significantly from the original.

  6. 06

    Hijo de la luna: Mecano

    Mecano, Descanso dominical, studio version

    • Spanish vocals
    • piano
    • dynamics

    The original version on Descanso dominical brings a different sound to your Viennese Waltz practice music and is especially suited to mindful listening between two dance rounds. Take your cue from the first verse after the piano introduction: the restrained accompaniment and later dynamic build-ups make this track less immediate than the suggestions above.

  7. 07

    Delilah: Tom Jones

    Tom Jones, Delilah, original studio recording

    • Vocals
    • strong accompaniment
    • chorus

    The original studio recording has a strong, prominent accompaniment and works well as a contrast to more restrained Waltz tracks, as long as your familiar sequence remains steady. The first verse is an easy-to-find section, but the expansive chorus can tempt you to make your steps and upper-body movements bigger than the available space allows.

  8. 08

    Artist's Life: Vienna Philharmonic

    Johann Strauss II, Carlos Kleiber, New Year's Concert 1989

    • Concert waltz
    • orchestra
    • free introduction

    The recording conducted by Carlos Kleiber features several waltz melodies within one work, giving you the opportunity to keep a familiar sequence going through musical changes. For your practice section, the first actual waltz melody after the introduction is the reference point. The concert performance is less suited to exactly equal-length repetitions than an even studio recording.

  9. 09

    Accelerations: Vienna Philharmonic

    Johann Strauss II, Carlos Kleiber, New Year's Concert 1989

    • Concert waltz
    • changing sections
    • orchestra

    Accelerationen from the same concert is a suggestion for more experienced practice partners who can sense the music's forward drive without letting their connection become frantic. Start your selection with the first complete waltz section after the introduction, and initially use only its recurring melody instead of treating the entire concert piece as a uniform training track.

  10. 10

    On the Beautiful Blue Danube: Vienna Philharmonic

    Johann Strauss II, Carlos Kleiber, New Year's Concert 1989

    • Concert waltz
    • long introduction
    • several melodies

    This particular recording comes last because, although the famous piece is immediately recognizable, it doesn't provide a consistently steady practice loop, and the introduction is not yet a flowing waltz section. The first main waltz after the introduction is your musical reference point; to dance through the entire piece, you'll also need experience with transitions and shaping the tempo.

A fixed passage makes your practice comparable

The selection shows two different tasks: with the tracks at the top, you can focus more on a familiar figure combination, while the concert recordings also require musical adaptation. The placement is therefore not a statement about measured speed. Even a familiar chorus may be too fast for your couple.

Choose a manageable passage for one run-through, such as a verse. Dance just one combination you already know, and repeat it to the same recording. This lets you hear whether a transition regularly stalls at the same point. For the specific combination, you’ll find instructions for the forward-initiated change of direction and the backward-initiated change of direction.

Switch tracks only after a repeatable run-through. If the turn already stalls without music, another playlist is unlikely to help; the guidance on the blocked Viennese Waltz partner turn addresses this problem. If you feel dizzy, stop the rotational movement. Louder music is no substitute for a break or a stable connection between partners.

The scope of this selection

Recordings specifically identified
10
Recordings conducted by Carlos Kleiber
3
Beat rates reported as measured
0

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. A live version is not automatically interchangeable with the album version listed here. Intros, pauses, and tempo choices may differ. If you want to practice a passage repeatedly, stick with the same version at first so you don't confuse changes in your performance with changes in the music.

Standard Courses for Your Waltz Practice

You practice Viennese Waltz with a partner and learn to link familiar figures together to different music.

View All Suitable Courses

The same recording, practice together

On udansa, you can find dance partners for Viennese Waltz to repeat a set passage of music and familiar figure combinations with.

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The same recording, practice together

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