Chopin: Ballade No. 3, Op. 47 [Horowitz 1949]

May 9, 1949: Town Hall, New York City, New York (Studio)

All Horowitz Chopin Ballades:
   • Chopin Ballades 1, 3&4 (Horowitz)  
Horowitz plays Chopin:    • Horowitz plays Chopin  

Frédéric Chopin's four ballades are single-movement pieces for solo piano. They are considered to be some of the most challenging pieces in the standard piano repertoire. There are dramatic and dance-like elements in Chopin's ballades, and he may be said to be a pioneer of the ballade as an abstract musical form.

Ballade No. 3 in A♭ major, Op. 47 was composed 1841. The inspiration for this Ballade is usually claimed to be Adam Mickiewicz's poem Undine(a.k.a. Świtezianka).There are structural similarities with the "Raindrop Prelude" which was inspired by the weather in Majorca during Chopin's disastrous vacation with George Sand. The form is an arch: ABCBA and coda. The first A theme is in two parts; the first part is song-like and the second is dance-like. These include a repetitive A♭ which modulates into a G♯ during the C♯ minor section. This Ballade also uses development procedures that are successful at heightening the tension.

In this performance, the mood is overall soft and the climax is confidently powerful. It's becoming to Chopin, still there is very clear voicing.