Ballade No.3, Op.47
Ballade · in A♭ major · Op. 47
Frédéric Chopin 1810–1849
A♭ major
Key
Ballade
Form
Allegretto
Tempo
Op. 47
Catalogue
Score
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Themes & character
Lyrical warmth·Dance-like grace·Conversational themes·Sunlit optimism
At a glance
- Catalogue
- Op. 47
- Key
- A♭ major
- Tempo / character
- Allegretto
- Form
- Ballade
About the piece
The third of Chopin's ballades, composed in 1841 and dedicated to Mademoiselle Pauline de Noailles, one of his students. It is the sunniest and most openly lyrical of the four, growing from graceful, conversational, dance-like themes into passages of real brilliance and warmth.
Some early listeners connected it to Adam Mickiewicz's poem Switezianka, though Chopin left no note confirming any story. Where the other ballades court tragedy, this one stays largely radiant, which has made it a favorite of both audiences and pianists.
The composer
Frédéric Chopin
1810–1849
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the early Romantic period who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leading composer of his era whose "poetic genius was based on a professional technique that was without equal in his generation".
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