The Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 is a piano piece written by Frédéric Chopin. It was completed in 1835 and is considered one of Chopin's greatest and most popular works. A typical performance lasts nine to ten minutes.

History

The ballade was first created in sketches Chopin made in 1831 during his eight-month stay in Vienna. It was finished in 1835 after he moved to Paris, where he dedicated it to Baron Nathaniel von Stockhausen, the Hanoverian ambassador to France.

After Chopin visited Robert Schumann in Leipzig in fall 1836, Schumann wrote: "I have a new Ballade by Chopin. It seems to be the piece that best shows Chopin's talent, even though it's not the most brilliant. I even told him that it is my favorite of all his works. After thinking for a long time, Chopin said strongly: 'I am glad, because I too like it the best. It is my dearest work.'"

Structure

The piece begins with the A♭ major chord in its first inversion, known as a Neapolitan chord, which creates a sense of grandeur. It ends with a dissonant left-hand chord containing the notes D, G, and E♭, which remains unresolved until later in the composition. Although Chopin's original manuscript clearly indicates E♭ as the highest note, this chord has sparked some disagreement among musicians. As a result, certain editions, such as the Klindworth version, include an alternative notation (ossia) with the notes D, G, and D instead.

The main section of the ballade is built from two primary themes. A short introduction leads into the first theme in G minor, which begins at measure 8. After a dramatic development, the second theme in E♭ major is introduced softly at measure 68. The exposition is followed by a development section where the two themes are shifted to new tonal centers (A minor and A major) and undergo changes. A reprise then presents the themes again in their original keys, but in the opposite order.

A powerful chord marks the beginning of the coda, which is labeled Presto con fuoco. The initial Neapolitan harmony returns, creating a continuous sense of forward motion. The piece concludes with a rapid, fiery double-octave scale descending across the keyboard.

Overall, the composition is structurally intricate and does not follow a single traditional form, though it incorporates elements from the sonata and variation forms. A notable feature is its time signature. While the other three ballades use strict compound duple time with an 8/8 time signature, Ballade No. 1 differs. Its introduction is written in 4/4 time, and the extended Presto con fuoco coda uses 2/2 time. The rest of the piece is written in 4/4 time, unlike the 8/8 time used in the other ballades. It is regarded as one of Chopin's most technically and musically challenging works.

In popular culture

The ballade has been important in several films. It is played on-screen in Gaslight by the Polish pianist Jakob Gimpel, listed as the Pianist. A performance of the piece is central to the story of the 2002 film The Pianist by Roman Polanski. In this film, the music causes a German officer to help the main character and provides him with food. On the movie’s soundtrack, the piece is performed by Janusz Olejniczak. It also appears in the 1991 film Impromptu, where Chopin is playing this piece when he is interrupted by George Sand and meets her for the first time.

In 2010, the British journalist Alan Rusbridger, who was the editor of The Guardian, spent a year learning Ballade No. 1 and wrote a book about the experience titled Play It Again: An Amateur Against the Impossible.

The piece was also the topic of the 2013 Channel 4 documentary Chopin Saved My Life. It is included in Mieczysław Weinberg’s Symphony No. 21 ("Kaddish").

After Chopin’s death, the Belgian violinist and musician Eugène Ysaÿe created his own version of Ballade No. 1 for violin and piano.

Japanese figure skater and two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu used this piece for his short program in four seasons from 2014 to 2020. This program helped him win four world records and contributed to his second Olympic gold medal, including the achievement of the first career Super Slam in men’s singles. As of December 2021, Hanyu’s performance of Ballade No. 1 holds the five highest short program scores across all judging systems and is the most successful program in that competition segment.

This work is also important in the light novel, manga, and anime Your Lie in April by Naoshi Arakawa. The piece is played in its violin and piano arrangement created by Masaru Yokoyama, who also composed much of the background music for the anime.