Chopin, Frederic : Ballade no.3 As-Dur Op.47
Work Overview
Publication Year:1841
First Publisher:Schlesinger
Dedicated to:Pauline de Noailles
Instrumentation:Piano Solo
Genre:ballade
Total Playing Time:6 min 30 sec
Copyright:Public Domain
Commentary (3)
Author : Oshima, Kazumi
Last Updated: July 5, 2022
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Author : Oshima, Kazumi
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 vocal works. In Chopin's time, while Schubert (1797-1828)'s Lieder gained popularity, vocal works 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 apply the term 'ballade' to an instrumental work, thus positioning him as the pioneer of the ballade genre in piano music.
Etymology and Origin
While the French 'ballade' and English 'ballad' originally belonged 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 form's status as poetry was elevated by troubadours in France. In England, ballads were sung as dance songs in the 14th century, and from the 18th century onward, they developed into narrative poems with strong melodic elements.
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. The key figures in this development were Goethe and Schiller. Goethe's and Schiller's ballades 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, psychic phenomena, and mystical experiences, often based on folklore and mythology. Such literary works led to the development of Lieder, with many ballades (vocal works) being created by Zelter (1758-1832), Loewe, and others.
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, adopting the characteristics of these foreign narrative poems, featured depictions of the humiliating national situation under foreign rule and expressions of patriotism. It was due to the nature of these works that the secret police of the Russian Empire viewed Mickiewicz's ballades as dangerous.
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, it is believed that Ballade No. 1, Op. 23, was 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 Polish spirit, are thought to have been an aspiration and an ideal. Departing for Vienna in 1830 with dreams of musical success, Chopin moved away from popular historical operas and works using popular song melodies, stepping onto the main path of Romanticism, where 'sincere emotional expression' was the 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 crafting of unique structures and forms, incorporating the essence of the ballade as previously described, thereby completing a musical narrative poem. Another feature is the presence of elements that evoke literary connections, such as melodic inflections that suggest narrative, and clear structures of light and shadow.
Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47
Composed in 1841 and dedicated to Mademoiselle de Noailles, Ballade No. 3 is one of the works Chopin himself most enjoyed performing.
Schumann remarked on this work: "This Ballade is Chopin's third, and it differs remarkably in form and character from his earlier works. It is one of Chopin's most original compositions."
Indeed, as Schumann noted, when compared to the two earlier ballades and the fourth ballade completed in 1842, which were deeply tragic in character, this light and graceful work appears almost anomalous. Some even held the opinion that this work, filled with cheerfulness, fortitude, and lightness, was far removed from 'the image of Chopin himself as a composer.' In this regard, the anonymous writer Israfil, published in the periodical 'The Dome,' stated:
"Under what strange influence did Chopin write this Ballade in A-flat major? In its boyish vigor and spirited lightness, it is entirely unlike Chopin himself. It is very youthful, exceedingly bold, and highly successful. Instead of concluding with a commonplace melancholic ending, it progresses logically towards a happy finale."
In 1841, while working on Ballade No. 3, Chopin was leading a fulfilling life both personally and professionally. Freed from the illness he contracted in Majorca, Chopin, enjoying fulfilling days in Nohant and Paris, composed a ballade with a joyful character, suggestive of a happy ending. This is likely due to the composer's inner state being deeply linked to the work.
There is a theory that this work was inspired by Mickiewicz's narrative poem 'Świtezianka.' While some views consider this theory highly plausible, the truth remains uncertain.
Willeby points out a similarity between the opening phrase of Ballade No. 3 and the introduction to Scherzo No. 3, Op. 54. Here, a musical figure suggesting 'question and answer' is presented, simultaneously introducing the main theme (first subject) of the piece. The subsequent syncopation is a pervasive characteristic of this work, sometimes described as a 'horse-kick rhythm' (Leichtentritt). Set to this light rhythm, a charming second subject in F major is presented. This theme modulates as if to indicate fluctuating emotions, evoking intensity and bravery, before returning to its original form. In the development section, a continuous stream of sixteenth notes plays a graceful melody, while the left-hand arpeggios lead the piece to its climax. After the second subject modulates and is played in a form different from its original, the first subject is fragmentarily recalled amidst a fluctuating, unsettling atmosphere in C-sharp minor. In the coda, the first subject is brilliantly recapitulated, and the piece concludes amidst a radiant and magnificent sound.
References (All citations in the text are based on these sources.)
- Chopin Ballades: New Edition with Commentary (Commentary by Kazumichi Oshima), 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.
Author : Asayama, Natsuko
Last Updated: July 1, 2008
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Author : Asayama, Natsuko
There are several ways to observe the styles Chopin employed in his piano works, but one possible classification is into lyrical and narrative. Representative examples of the former are the Nocturnes and Mazurkas, while typical examples of the latter are the Ballades and Scherzos.
In lyrical compositions, 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 “kishōtenketsu” (introduction, development, turn, conclusion) within a single piece. The reason for the emergence of clear dramatic qualities is, firstly, the distinct harmonic progression, particularly the well-adhered-to dominant-tonic pattern (the section moving from “turn” to “conclusion”). Furthermore, individual motives may develop through techniques such as variation, inversion, repetition, and expansion; even without the elaborate structures found in Viennese Classical sonatas, multiple themes are intricately combined to form 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 serve as 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 lingers while subtly transforming, with no clear sense of return or progression.)
Now, where lies the difference 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 rather, the content of their “narratives,” differs somewhat.
Scherzo means “joke” in Italian, and traditionally referred to a bright, light, small-scale piece in a simple form.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 motive appears, interjecting at various points. Furthermore, contrasts in dynamics, alternating in short cycles, are specified in each section.
Such techniques are almost 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 resolve this kind of stress with light-hearted 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 most of the Scherzos form one phrase every two measures throughout, they still contain the strong driving force of duple meter.
Ballade No. 3
Ballade No. 3 possesses qualities generally closer to a Scherzo. Particularly in the opening section, it is full of lightness and ease, with phrases repeated in different registers, motives transforming through a “spinning out” technique, and short motives suddenly appearing in unexpected registers.
Formally, it is a rondo with an introduction. The rondo theme begins at measure 52. The first reprise (from measure 66) varies the rondo theme, and the second reprise (from measure 116) is filled with brilliant passage work. The third reprise (from measure 157) takes on a somewhat different character, adding sixteenth notes to the motive found in the first reprise—that is, a variation of the rondo theme—and gradually increasing the volume. This also affects the fourth appearance of the rondo theme (measure 194). The theme no longer possesses the lightness of cascading from the high register; it repeatedly attempts to rise from the low register but is thwarted. However, at measure 213, it finally breaks free, and as the opening melody reappears, it is adorned with brilliant runs, bringing the piece to a close.
The term “Ballade” was first used by Chopin 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 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 a work that blossomed with such rich musicality 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 spiritual 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.
Author : Ooi, Kazurou
Last Updated: March 12, 2018
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Author : Ooi, Kazurou
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