The term "ballade" was associated with French poetry until the mid-19th century, when Chopin was among the first to pioneer it as a musical form. Structurally, his ballades follow a form that is similar to the sonata, but with some variations, mainly regarding the position of the themes during the recapitulation. The Ballade no. 2, Op. 38, was composed from 1836 to 1839 and dedicated to Schumann, in return for his dedication of the Kreisleriana. Schumann, however, agreed with contemporary critics in noting the less inspired nature of this piece compared to the first Ballade.
- Category
- Classical
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