BALLADE Morceau de Caractère

This Ballade, employing the key of E-flat minor and imbued with dark passion, can be considered an unusual work among Ravina's compositions, which are characterized by clear and lively pianism. It is a dramatic and structurally masterful work.

Published by Meissonnier in 1859. (Author unknown)

While the commentary on the composer describes Ravina's music as “brimming with light and vital energy,” this major work from his middle period, the Ballade, is a notable exception, characterized by extensive use of chromaticism and a somber atmosphere. In that sense, this piece can be considered a Chopinesque work, uncharacteristic of Ravina's Apollonian temperament, yet his characteristic structural integrity and taut pianism are clearly discernible in it. The opening, beginning with octave unisons, follows Chopin's series of Ballades. On the other hand, the technique of emphasizing the bass and filling inner voices with repeated chords to create a weighty, symphonic sound is a characteristic often seen in works by other composers of the same period. For example, the accompaniment of the theme that appears after the introduction closely resembles the first movement of Alkan's Symphony (No. 4 from Douze études dans tous les tons mineurs, Op. 39), published in 1857. The piece is broadly divided into three sections:

• A (E-flat minor - G-flat major - E-flat minor)
• B (E-flat major)
• Transition (E major - E-flat major, etc.)
• A’ (E-flat minor)
• Coda

In the middle section B, the opening bass theme is presented in the high register in the parallel major, and this dramatic tonal contrast creates an impression of light emerging from the preceding darkness. This kind of dramatic narrative, created through contrasts in tonality, dynamics, and texture, is a distinctive merit of Ravina.