Description
Published in 1835, the First Ballade is the first piece for which Chopin used the title "ballade" — a name that properly belongs to narrative poetry. A connection with the narrative poems of his contemporary Mickiewicz is often claimed, but there is no evidence that the piece follows any particular poem, and Chopin left no programme of any kind.
In G minor, it opens with an introduction that seems to speak, then presents a waltz-like first subject and a second that sings in E-flat major. The two return and transform in turn, and in the later stages the second subject is recapitulated in splendour. A Presto con fuoco coda then cuts the whole thing off. The span reaches seven octaves and there are over 5,000 notes.
Even among advanced works this is a large piece. The difficulties are concentrated in the coda, so whether it can be played through depends on how much is held in reserve before then. Play the quiet passages genuinely quietly, and do not hit at the climaxes. Deciding in advance where the tempo will bend is what makes ten minutes read as a structure.
A genre Chopin pioneered — large-scale solo piano works with a narrative, epic quality.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Frederic Chopin was born in Poland and made his career in Paris, remaining unusual among great composers for writing almost exclusively for piano. He poured his longing for his homeland into mazurkas and polonaises, while his ballades and etudes combine poetic melody with harmonic innovation. This site includes the "Revolutionary" and other etudes, Ballades No. 1 and No. 4, nocturnes, and the Preludes, Op. 28.
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