There are several ways to observe the styles Chopin employed in his piano works, but one possible classification is into lyrical and narrative. Representatives of the former are the Nocturnes and Mazurkas, while typical examples of the latter are the Ballades and Scherzos.

In lyrical compositions, phrases and motifs are often enumerative, with very loose connections, whereas in narrative compositions, one can perceive a sense of kishōtenketsu (introduction, development, turn, and conclusion) within a single piece. The reason for this clear dramatic quality is, firstly, the distinct harmonic progression, particularly the well-adhered-to dominant-tonic pattern (the part that moves from "turn" to "conclusion"). Furthermore, individual motifs may develop through techniques such as variation, inversion, repetition, and expansion; even without the elaborate workmanship seen in Viennese Classical sonatas, multiple themes are intricately combined to create the piece.

In other words, works with a narrative structure, such as the Ballades, Scherzos, and Bolero, create a dynamic and dramatic musical time that progresses inevitably from beginning to end, and these elements constitute key points for appreciation. (As an aside, in lyrical works, the listener's ear is allowed to wander within a musical space, so to speak, where the music subtly transforms but largely remains, with no clear sense of return or progression.)

Differences between Ballades and Scherzos

Now, where do the differences lie between the Ballades and Scherzos, of which four pieces each remain? It is most evident from the music itself that these genres are closely related within Chopin's oeuvre. Moreover, it seems almost impossible to clearly distinguish between the two genres based on their form. One reason is that these are genres unique to Chopin, and examining the traditions of the genres from which they are thought to originate yields no clues. However, even if they cannot be distinguished by their external musical form, their respective musical content, or the "story" they tell, differs somewhat.

The Scherzo

"Scherzo" means "joke" in Italian, and traditionally referred to short, light, and bright pieces in a simple form. Even when Beethoven incorporated it into the third movement of his sonatas, replacing the minuet, it was still given an extremely rapid and humorous character. Chopin's Scherzos, at first glance, seem to completely contradict this tradition, being dark, serious, and large-scale. However, when compared to the Ballades, it becomes clear how much humor the Scherzos actually contain. In all four Scherzos, more than one extremely rapid and leggiero motif appears, interjecting at various points. Furthermore, intense dynamic contrasts are specified in each section.

The Ballade

Such techniques are largely absent in the Ballades. Each motif and each note is bound by its preceding and succeeding context, allowing no deviation. Melancholy themes appear one after another, accumulating to form a torrent, ultimately leading to a catastrophic conclusion. This is in contrast to the Scherzos, which resolve this kind of stress with lighthearted motifs and even comical contrasts.

Incidentally, all four Ballades are written in compound duple meter, and the Scherzos in triple meter, which could be considered their only external distinguishing feature. However, since most of the Scherzos form one phrase every two measures throughout, they still contain the strong driving force of duple meter.

The Ballade was a name Chopin first used for his piano works, and it is said to have been directly inspired by the ballads of the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz. While there are various theories as to which specific poem corresponds to which piece, none have been definitively confirmed and remain popular beliefs. However, even if Chopin did indeed compose based on a particular poem, it is unlikely that the composer's true intention was to confine such richly musical and accomplished works to a single storyline, thereby limiting the listener's imagination.

Taking a broader view, ballad-like songs were popular in and around Warsaw in the 1820s, and it is conceivable that this literary genre was familiar to Chopin's intellectual life. In addition, Schubert's ballads and ballad-like arias used in Parisian grand operas also greatly impressed Chopin. Therefore, it should be seen that all these experiences converged to give birth to Chopin's unique new genre, the Ballade.

Ballade No. 1

Ballade No. 1 largely adheres to "sonata-allegro form," that is, the form of the first movement of a sonata. After a 7.5-measure introduction, the Moderato section (from m. 8) presents the first theme with a dance-like triple meter rhythm and arpeggiated chords with appoggiaturas; the Meno mosso section (from m. 68) introduces a bright second theme sung broadly across a wide range; the development section begins a tempo (m. 94); and the recapitulation (m. 166) begins with the return of the second theme. The first theme (Meno mosso, m. 194) appears very briefly, serving merely as a bridge to the coda. The coda (from m. 208) is marked Presto con fuoco, and after short motifs are repeated with urgency, the piece concludes with magnificent passage work spanning the full width of the piano keyboard.

Thus, it can be said that in this work, Chopin borrowed the framework of the narrative—rather than from a literary genre—from traditional musical forms.