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Chopin, Frederic : Ballade no.4 f-moll Op.52

Work Overview

Music ID : 465
Composition Year:1842 
Publication Year:1843
First Publisher:Breitkopf und Härtel
Dedicated to:la Baronne C. de Rothschild
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:ballade
Total Playing Time:9 min 30 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (3)

Author : Oshima, Kazumi

Last Updated: July 5, 2022
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Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) composed four Ballades during his lifetime. The first, Ballade No. 1, Op. 23, composed in 1831, pioneered a new genre of piano music.

From the 18th to the mid-19th century, the term "ballade" in music was exclusively used for lieder (songs). In Chopin's time, while Schubert (1797-1828)'s lieder gained popularity, songs based on poems by Goethe (1749-1832), Schiller (1759-1805), and Lenau (1802-1850) were written by composers such as Schumann (1810-1856) and Loewe (1796-1869). Chopin was the first to use the term "ballade" for an instrumental work, thus positioning him as the pioneer of the ballade genre in piano music.

 

Etymology and Origin

Although the French "ballade" and English "ballad" originally belong to different genres, both derive from the Greek "ballizo" (βαλλίζω) and Latin "ballare," meaning "to dance." As indicated by their shared etymology with "ballet," which developed as a stage dance, ballades are also deeply connected to dance. From the Middle Ages onward, the status of the ballade as a poetic form was elevated by troubadours in France. In England, ballads were sung as dance songs in the 14th century and developed into narrative poems with strong melodic elements from the 18th century onward.

 

As a Precursor to Romantic Literature

In the late 18th century, German poets enthusiastically engaged in the creation of ballades, opening new frontiers in German literary and musical history. Goethe and Schiller were the key figures in this development. The ballades of Goethe and Schiller reflected the social climate around the French Revolution, where freedom from despotism and oppression was advocated, and also promoted the awakening of national consciousness. Their thematic characteristics include realistic depictions of war, crime, supernatural phenomena, and mystical experiences, often based on folklore and mythology. Such literary works led to the development of lieder, with many ballades (songs) being created by composers such as Schubert, Zelter (1758-1832), and Loewe.

In the early 19th century, German ballades were translated into Polish, influencing Polish Romantic writers, including Mickiewicz (1798-1855). English ballads were also introduced around the same time. Polish ballades, following the characteristics of these foreign narrative poems, feature depictions of the humiliating national situation under foreign rule and expressions of patriotism. The fact that the Russian Imperial secret police viewed Mickiewicz's ballades as dangerous was precisely due to the nature of these works.

Chopin's Ballades

Chopin's four Ballades have been associated with Mickiewicz's ballades. While there are differing opinions on the direct connection between the music and the poems, Ballade No. 1, Op. 23, is said to have been inspired by "Konrad Wallenrod"; Ballade No. 2, Op. 38, by "Świteź"; Ballade No. 3, Op. 47, by "Świtezianka"; and Ballade No. 4, Op. 52, by "The Three Budrys." This attribution largely relies on Schumann's testimony, but it cannot be definitively stated that Chopin attempted to set Mickiewicz's works to music.

An overview of Chopin's life as a composer reveals a figure who was reluctant to compose operas, program music, or sacred music, and instead insisted on expressing his unique Romantic worldview through the piano. For such a Chopin, Mickiewicz's narrative poems, which keenly articulated the sentiments of the Polish people, can be considered an aspiration and an ideal. In 1830, Chopin, who departed for Vienna dreaming of success as a musician, moved away from popular historical operas and works using popular song melodies, and instead embarked on the main path of Romanticism, making "sincere emotional expression" his primary concern. The Ballades, composed in this context, represent a new genre of music, "narrative poems for piano," and are monumental works for Chopin, defining his direction as a composer. Their main characteristic lies in their meticulous weaving of the essence of the ballade, as previously described, with original structures and forms, thereby completing the musical narrative poem. Another characteristic is the frequent appearance of elements that evoke literary connections, such as melodic inflections that suggest narrative, and clear structures of light and shadow.

Ballade No. 4, Op. 52 in F minor

 

Ballade No. 4 was composed in Nohant in 1842 and published the following year. It is considered one of Chopin's greatest masterpieces, with Polonaise No. 6, Op. 53, being a work composed around the same time.

At the time, some criticized Chopin's works for their technical difficulty, but such views do not diminish the true value of his compositions. Huneker states: "Just as the Mona Lisa and Madame Bovary are masterpieces of painting and literature, [Ballade No. 4] is a masterpiece of piano literature." Karasowski also points out: "This piece is the most poetic and intellectual, and to fully interpret its diverse beauty, it requires not only excellent mechanical skill but also delicate musical perception."

There is a theory that Ballade No. 4 was inspired by Mickiewicz's ballad "The Three Budrys." Regardless of its veracity, the compositional style, which richly varies the theme over a monotonous rhythm, is narrative, and the understated presentation of the theme suggests a "telling."

This work possesses a subtle darkness, as if shrouded in melancholic shadows. This is in contrast to the vibrant and cheerful Ballade No. 3. Regarding this, Niecks notes that "the prevailing sentiment of this piece is one of sorrow."

 In 1842, Chopin experienced the successive deaths of his esteemed teacher Żywny (1756-1842) and close friend Matuszyński (1809-1842), plunging him into a deep depression. Gradually recovering from the shock of loss, Chopin embarked on composing a major work and completed Ballade No. 4. The contrast between light and shadow presented therein evokes the transience and ultimate beauty of human life, completed by life and death.

F minor, Andante con moto. Formally, it is close to a rondo, but more free, with each theme dynamically changing its shape upon repetition. Led by a quietly unfolding seven-measure introduction, the first theme is presented. This introduction, like the first theme of Ballade No. 2, evokes a pastorale. The shaded first theme, sung over the left hand's persistent 6/8 rhythm, changes its character with each repetition, imbuing the piece with diverse qualities. The left hand continues to maintain an unchanging, dance-like monotonous rhythm. Following a transitional passage of ascending and descending sixteenth notes, the second theme appears. The clear, chorale-like second theme is also played modestly, like the first theme, and then undergoes free development. After melancholic passages are repeated and fantastical musical ideas are brilliantly played, the music returns to the introduction. The subsequent recapitulation of the two developed themes is grander. The modest and introspective themes depart significantly from their original forms, beautifully and dynamically recapitulated over sixteenth notes that move across a wide range. It is no exaggeration to say this is Chopin's supreme recreation of beauty. In the coda, complex figures create an eerie atmosphere, and surging, rapid passages are played fiercely and passionately, bringing the piece to an end.

References (All citations in the text are based on these sources.)

  • Oshima, Kazumichi (commentary). Chopin Ballades: New Edition with Commentary. Tokyo: Ongaku no Tomo Sha, 2014.
  • Barbedette, Hippolyte, Chopin: Essai de critique musicale, Paris: Leiber, éditeur, librairie centrale des sciences, 1861.
  • Huneker, James, Mezzotints in Modern Music: Brahms, Tschaïkowsky, Chopin, Richard Strauss, Liszt and Wagner, New York, Scribner, 1901.
  • Huneker, James, Chopin: The Man and His Music, New York: Dover Publications, 1966.
  • Karasowski, Moritz, Frederic Chopin, Volume 2, New York: Scribner, 1906.
  • Leichtentritt, Hugo, Frédéric Chopin, Berlin: Harmonie, 1905.
  • Niecks, Frederick, Frederick Chopin as a Man and Musician, London, Novello and Co., 1902.
  • Samson, Jim, Chopin: The Four Ballades, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
  • Taruskin, Richard, The Oxford History of Western Music: Music in the Nineteenth Century, vol. 3, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
  • Tomaszewski, Mieczysław, Chopin: Człowiek, Dzieło, Rezonans, Kraków: Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne, 2005.
  • Willeby, Charles, Frederic François Chopin, London: Sampson low, Marston & Company, 1892.
Writer: Oshima, Kazumi

Author : Asayama, Natsuko

Last Updated: July 1, 2008
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Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

Chopin's Piano Styles: Lyrical vs. Narrative

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

In lyrical compositions, individual phrases and melodic figures are often presented in a list-like manner, with very loose connections, whereas in narrative compositions, one can perceive a sense of 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 motives may develop through techniques such as variation, inversion, repetition, and expansion; even without the elaborate workmanship found in Viennese Classical sonatas, multiple themes are intricately combined to construct 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 inevitably propels 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 kind of musical space, where the music subtly transforms yet remains, with no clear sense of return or progression.)

Distinguishing 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 genres from which they might have originated yields no clues. However, even if they cannot be distinguished by their external musical form, their respective musical content, or rather, the content of their "narratives," differs somewhat.

Characteristics of the Scherzo

Scherzo means "joke" in Italian, and traditionally referred to a bright, light, small-scale piece in a simple form. Even when Beethoven incorporated it into the third movement of his sonatas in place of 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 motive appears, interjecting at various points. Furthermore, contrasts in dynamics, alternating in short cycles, are specified in each section.

Characteristics of the Ballade

Such techniques are largely absent in the Ballades. Each motive and each note is bound by its preceding and succeeding context, allowing no deviation. Somber themes appear one after another, accumulating to form a torrent, ultimately leading to a catastrophic conclusion. This is in contrast to the Scherzos, which relieve this kind of stress with lighthearted melodic figures and almost 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 the Scherzos mostly form one phrase every two measures throughout, they still contain the strong driving force of a duple meter.

Origins of the Ballade Genre

The Ballade was the first name Chopin used for a piano work, and it is said to have been directly inspired by the ballads of the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz. While there are various theories about 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, ballads as songs were popular 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 the unique new genre of the Ballade.

Analysis of Ballade No. 4

Ballade No. 4 differs somewhat in tendency from the other three pieces in that it juxtaposes several lyrical sections rather than adhering to a narrative structure of introduction, development, turn, and conclusion, or a driving force that propels towards a conclusion. Particularly the opening eight measures and the subsequent theme give the impression of continuing eternally, with the melody itself blurred as to where it begins and ends, riding on a gentle harmonic rhythm. However, as this theme is eventually varied, increasing in intensity each time, the "story" associated with this theme becomes clearly traceable.

This piece does not clearly embed the straightforward narrative arc, cadences that always resolve as expected, or exhilarating dramatic qualities found in the other three pieces. What is visible on the surface is merely a thematic arrangement that fluctuates and contracts while gradually elevating the mood. While "an extremely lyrical Ballade" may sound like a contradiction in terms, if this work is called the masterpiece of the Ballades, it is surely due to the magnificent fusion of narrative and lyrical qualities.

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: March 12, 2018
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Translation in Progress
Writer: Ooi, Kazurou

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