So I kind of forgot to link this before. Here's an old video of me playing (most of- I think the camera died...) the coda to the first ballade. It's not a recent video, and I'd also ask that you keep in mind that I'm self-taught. But I think it's not bad considering all of that. th-cam.com/video/eptdCHdLE6w/w-d-xo.html
Sometimes we don't even realise how lucky our generation is for being able to listen to the most perfect pieces ever composed/played in history, whenever and wherever we want.
And instead, we complain about how the ad at the end of the video/music is annoying. I mean they are but some of us even bring politic in the conversation.
@@segmentsAndCurves Don't be sorry, your opinion is important as well. I agree with your opinion that people tend to complain a lot about minor inconveniences these days, like what's the hurry? It's not like we're all dying tomorrow.
for some reason some other chopin pieces are also flagged as jurassic park. check out th-cam.com/video/n2S5rCS4Img/w-d-xo.html (zimerman playing minute waltz) and th-cam.com/video/XIKdCTmcTLs/w-d-xo.html (pollini playing torrent etude), they are both flagged by UMG lol edit: and another one, th-cam.com/video/DZTAXk2NOdc/w-d-xo.html (zimerman and BSO rachmaninoff concerto no. 2)
His first ballade is the first one I listened to and learned to play, and it will always have a special place in my heart. That being said, I love the fourth one!
@@jtfay5628 I too thought it was impossible, now I know 3 now (I finished the second one) just put in hella effort into the first one, jump to the 4th one, and learn the other 2, that’s what I did
@hello olleh damn you make it sound super easy lol. Im 14 and working on the 3rd one, it’s almost complete but in my opinion it’s the easiest. The 4th one is my favorite but I can’t imagine doing that for another 10 years lol.
What, you don't remember the coda of the second ballade playing while they were running from the dinosaurs? As a sidenote, I never thought my video would get attention from you. Just wanted to say I love your videos!
Honestly the 4th ballade is something special. The other three are great, but the 4th is just on another level. It isn't everyday that you hear a 9:8 polyrhythm in a piece of music from the common-practice period.
I don't know why I really can't get into it, all the others I love but the third ballade is just... Meh. I mean just from an ignorant listener point of view. First is amazing, Second is powerful, Forth is magical, Third is.... meh :D
@@gianpa the 3rd ballade I find has a more constant appeal to it from start to finish, compared to the other 3 where there are normal points and incredible points; it keeps building from the intro much like the 4th ballade does but splits into two primary themes rather than just focusing on one. Also all codas apart from the 3rd are in minor which I think for most people adds to the gravitas and they are quite unique from how the rest of the ballades sounds leading up to it. With the 3rd ballade's coda, it's in major (I'm not including the f minor section included here as that's much rather a refrain of the first f minor section which more textural colours) and is a return to the intro theme with a lot of ornamentation. To me, the coda of the 3rd ballade might not sound as powerful as the others but when you listen to it along with the rest of the piece it makes a lot of sense to close out in that style as it shows clear resolution in the journey that the piece has taken you.
I don’t know what it is, but Chopin can speak to me like no other. But for example when I listen to Rachmaninoff, for me it’s just as beautiful, sometimes even better or on a higher artistic level. But somehow when I listen to Chopin again I feel at home, like I’m being talked to through music. What can I say.. His music is truly unique.
@@Benjamin-fk2yo Rachmaninoff is expressive, mind you but Chopin feels more realistic, something that speaks to me more….his music has accompanied me through much, through others and through my interpretations. His music is like a friend to me, more loyal than most humans…
@@Populous3Tutorials I don't skip anything :). You can't turn this one on me lmao. For the 131 people that didn't care to listen to everything, I'm only extending the recommendation. I've played 3 of them. Btw, I only added the "imagine skipping" part to add some emotion to my comment, not to actually convey upset feelings that you skipped a few seconds of the piece. I hope you didn't get too defensive.
@@skrutten_ dude i didnt skip a single second of the piece, i only said where the CODAS start. there's a lot of piece before that (which i "skipped"), but the codas start at the times i stated. its not an opinion either, it's a fact
@@Populous3Tutorials My latest response says you "skipped a few seconds of the piece" which wasn't as detailed as it probably should've been. I mean that you provided a timestamp that succeeds a few seconds after parts of importance. Also, I never said anything about the truth of your original comment. My first comment wasn't about the correctness of the timestamps you added.
I feel the same, romantic and something else the other ones doesn’t have. Don’t get me wrong, i love the other 3 ballades, but for me 3 it’s more musical and have a deeper meaning
@@frankeylorenzo I guess its the major tonality, makes it more joyful. Its also the ballade that plays with themes best, recapitulations are so integrative with the piece progress
@@zacksima8333 Impressive :-) I'm halfway through Ballade 1, but my view on it has changed quite a lot. It now seems quite immature to me on listening-it is one of Chopin's relatively early works, after all. I would learn Ballade 4, but I think it's still a bit beyond my ability LOL.
@Duy Duong Hi, how are you? Are you the person who was aiming to learn all of Chopin's Ballades this year? If that is you, how is it going? How did the concert go?
I personally like no. 2's coda the best. Just intense, fiery and I love the "melody" there. It almost sounds scary and devilish when Zimmerman plays those rising-chord-arpeggio things. Probably ballad no. 1 is a close second for me, I feel it gives it a perfect and cohesive ending. Ballad 1 itself is a perfect piece of music. That being said, I love Ballad 4's and 3's codas, in fact, I love how 4 goes into borderline atonality. And no.3's constant perfect cadences at its climax make me lose my mind and rewind to that part on repeat. [EDIT]: Okay, so y'all are considering No.4's coda to start earlier than I considered it. In that case, I freaking love No. 4's surprise cadence in C major (dominant) right before the "atonal" part. Maybe it's overused, doesn't matter to me either way.
@@marcus4403 I'm pretty sure the other guy wasn't talking about this recording either. These aren't the best recordings of the ballades. This video is about the codas, not Cho playing the codas, and people are mentioning Zimmerman because they think Zimmerman has the best rendition of the ballades.
@@segmentsAndCurvesMaybe it’s conveying a “story” on water. ;) It’s doesn’t follow the Ballade meter, but I was more referring to musically speaking and how he develops the piece. One of the last works he wrote and what a masterpiece! Imagine if Chopin had lived another 10 years to compose more music.
@@stephenn77 I think along with the barcarolle, the polonaise-fantasy has a pretty good punt at the title of the “5th ballade”. These pieces are some of chopin’s finest!
The second is my personal favorite. The intense difference between the chorale and presto sections are the most dramatic changes of all the Ballades. The Coda perfectly ends the piece. It starts with fury, but ends in the chorale from the beginning. Ending the chorale in a minor, brings a bitter/sweet conclusion to such a brilliant piece
@@RFL1 My problem with Rubinsteins performance for the nocturnes is that it feels without emotion and I don’t like the pedaling he does. It shows the most in Nocturne no. 18 at 1:45 to 1:55 in the arpeggio which leads into a trill. Both are objectively good but I prefer Maurizios style more. It could also be the quality of the recordings I listen to.
I can't lie, the ballades are SO good that it is impossibly difficult to rank them. Even if we just consider the codas, each one is so intense, unique and remarkable that it is simply impossible to rank them, for me at least. Its just masterful.
I played the first ballade at my school recital, and I’m currently practicing the fourth one. Practicing piano without any lessons as a non-music major student, is hard af, but I think piano itself is just making me happy. It will be a hard journey practicing the fourth ballade, and it actually is, but I’ll do my best.
I'm just learning the first one now, I'm on page 5 now and pushing through to finish by the middle of spring, got any suggestions on how to tackle the coda?
@@connorparrett2490 Garrick Ohlsson has a TH-cam video with great tips on the coda. And there are a few slow recordings of the coda by others that were helpful to me. Practice slowly and enjoyably...
3rd ballade in its integrity is just something else, it’s on an another level. Every single ballade is great and every one of them unleashes a unique colour, however the third one, in my opinion has got something more in terms of feelings. It has this constant theme evolving from the beginning, which explodes during the coda. I’ve been thinking about which one is the best ballades for days, listening on repeat to all 4 ballades, it has been really hard but I think I came to a conclusion: 1) Ballade 3 2) Ballade 4 3) Ballade 1 4) Ballade 2 I genuinely feel bad putting the first one and the second ballade in 3rd and 4th place, however if I had to give an order, this might be it.
@@madsvold5403 i would probably put it like this: 1>3>4>2 ballade 3 has an epic coda but so does ballade no 1, i just prefer the other parts of ballade no 1 over ballade no 3. ballade no 4 has a certain feeling to it which makes it unique, but still for enjoyment i would put it under ballade 1 and 3. and 2 is just kinda boring for me tbh.
If I had to choose 1 piece by Chopin, Ballade 3 will be the one (followed closely by Barcarolle, and Impromptus nos 2 and 3 and Polonaise-Fantaisie). Ballade 3 and Barcarolle have a spiritual authority, confirmation and reassurance that he will be saved at the end no matter the current devastating situation. The rest are too sentimental and a bit hand-wringing (I know I know 😅 I better stop
Really happy to get a comment that isn't viamently criticizing the winner of the 2015 International Chopin Competition. I get that people have opinions, but it feels like the majority of them approach expressing them in a tone that's more gatekeeping than honest.
To me, the coda of the 4th ballade is the best based on complexity, while the 1st is musically the best. I mean I cannot live without anyone of these pieces
The 1st ballade was the first one I discovered, and I adored it, listened to it heaps over a few months, loved the climax and the coda, thought it was the best. I hadn't even touched his other ballades, thinking they were weak and genuine rubbish - one of the worst things i could've done. After some time, I had been searching several interpretations of ballade no.1 when I found Zimerman's. Through him I learned of the other ballades, and In my opinion, they each outshine no1 in their own way. I, of course, recognise that each ballade is unique and no.1 has its own great moments. The 2nd ballade's coda is my favourite by far, simply because of Chopin's use of the descending chromatic octaves, but the trills and double notes beforehand create such an incredible build-up. Not to mention the incredibly epic sequence near the end of the coda, right before the calm conclusion. The 3rd ballade is my favourite overall ballade - I enjoy the heavy climaxes, and the satisfying dance-like feel it gives off. The coda is also quite exciting. The 4th ballade is simply astonishing. I believe Chopin drew the melodies from a chest from another universe - and its so complex and beautiful. The arpeggios before the coda give me chills every time. The entire piece is simply magnificent - Chopin's greatest, in my opinion. The coda is incredibly complex, and I'm still trying to get my head around it. Overall, a wonderful ballade.
I think the coda of the 3rd ballade is the most perfect for many reasons. It's the most versatile and in my opinion, the most ingenius. I just love the entire ballade altogether. Maybe I'm a little biased though, since it's the only one I've learned completely.
Hearing this reminds me how I have neglected my piano playing for far too long. I used to attempt these ballads, slower of course, fluffed loads, but got so much emotional enjoyment out of it. I don't do New Year's Resolutions, but perhaps I should. The Ballades and Scherzi are amongst my favourite Chopin pieces.
It's impossible to separate each coda from the context of the entire work that they come from. They're spectacular because they are the natural, organic result of everything that comes before, and they are innovative because most often in music the coda conveys a diminishment of tension after a climax (similar to the denouement in narrative); with Chopin, the codas are themselves the climaxes. You can't isolate them from each ballade as a whole. All four are monumental. Having said all of that, personally I think that the Fourth Ballade is the greatest of them, and one of the greatest works of music of the 19th century.
To be honest, I personally just recently discoverd chopin ballades thanks to his codas which I saw in another video about the hardest codas and I am so thankful for that video. I then went to check the piece (it was the first ballade), and at first and second listen I didn't like it alot but I still saved it in my classical music playlist. when it came out I didn't skip and kept listening to it and between the 3d to 4th listen I just got in love with the first ballade and realised how awsome it is, so now I checked out all of his ballads and I still like the most the first but the 4th one is also good. I think I just need to give the others a bit more listens to decide but they are just all GREAT and might be even the greatest piano series of pieces ever compsed, they just fit one each other like a puzzle when you hear them together. this is probably the first time I am this greatful to the youtube algorithm edit: Well, i listened to the others a bit more and i have to say now i can't decide which is the best. i mean i still think that its the first ballade but in "second place" its hard to me to decide because everytime i listen to one of the ballades i just love it. i think that at 1st place is chopins first ballade, even chopin himself was proud of her, but second place is every ballade, they are all equal because they are quite different from each other yet all are so great. more than that when speaking of the codas i think that they all serve the same purpouse and they all do such a great job at what they need to be. in conclusion i think that the first ballde is still the best, but they are all great and we just HAVE to thank Chopin for them
@@adamlodge491 I'd actually say that No2 I think is the most dramatic. No3 is the most musical. No1 is the most epic and No4 is the most perfect. However I still think No3 is my favourite overall, although that might be bias because I'm learning it atm.
@@niampatel9115 since my last comment my taste has changed quite a bit and I actually think you have put it perfectly, I must say as of now no2 is my favourite with no3 very close behind. At least we can all agree that they are amazing pieces! I’m learning ballade no2 atm aswell so I might also be bias
@@metodoinstinto I mean the coda in the end kind of sounds atonal in some parts, but it isn't obviously. (I don't really get what you are trying to prove here, just stating my opinion and view???)
It was a joke. I never meant anything by it. I do think it's kinda crazy to imagine Webern being inspired by it, but it was only a joke. Sorry if it offended anybody.
4 ballad without a shadow of a doubt. We are now in the last creative moment, and now his genius produces works of such height as to escape the possibility of understanding by his contemporaries, an immense work, from the most remote and lyrical unconscious, up to the fall into the abyss
Chopin's 1st ballade is to his 4th as Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto is to his 3rd. The 1st ballade has more of a "pop" kind of appeal but the 4th is much deeper in its scope. Same with Rach 2 vs 3. As far as codas, I have to go with 4th being most epic, followed by 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in that order.
They're all gorgeous, but to me the 2nd is the better because it actually uses elements that were already used before in the piece so the coda it's more connected to the rest of the ballade
I'm certainly partial to No. 2 because that was part of my graduation recital from Temple University, Philadelphia PA in 1970! I totally agree with @bigl5343. Good memories... ☺
These 4 ballades are such wonderful music. The genius of Chopin is outstanding. I can’t even say which ballade is my favorite: it proves how great the composer was… I just love the melodies and climaxes of the 1st, the contrasting themes and the intensity of the 2nd, the build-up and the transitions of the 3rd, the emotions and virtuosity of the 4th… Maybe they are ones of the greatest achievements of Chopin, of even the greatest masterpieces of musical literature, but they’re for sure my dream pieces, along with Rach 2. Hope to learn them in the following years !
They are all AMAZING codas! I did number 3 back in my University days. I didn’t find it TOO difficult, but it takes something to bring it off well. I love the first and the 4 th is really staggering
The 3rd ballade would be the absolute masterpiece of ANY lesser composer. Yet it is arguably "underwhelming" compared to other ballades. That is how great Chopin is.
Ballade No. 1. It's probably my favorite Chopin composition and one of my favorite pieces of classical music ever. And kindly ignore my profile picture and name, I assure you I say this freely without a hint of bias. :)
2 and 4 are my favorites. 4 is so intricate and elegant while being tempestuous. 2 is just so intense; probably the most intense and fiery passage of any Chopin piece.
I was a music major in college and one of the piano students played all four ballades just for the second half of his senior recital and played them superbly.
So pretty much just the endings of each Ballade lmao. No but really, my favorite Chopin Ballade is his first overall, however the ending of the fourth is I think the most exceptional piece of music ever written. It's just so damn gorgeous
After many years of listening and playing these pieces I eventually concluded that the 2nd ballade coda is my absolute favorite with the coda of the 3rd ballade being a close second. To me, what makes it so strong is how it is able to tie the whole piece together, which the 3rd ballade coda does successfully as well. The codas of the 1st and 4th ballade, while intense and passionate in their own right, have a disjointed feeling. The 4th does this on purpose with a huge pause before it begins but the coda of the first ballade almost feels like a brand new piece in the hands of an amateur pianist. In other words, the codas of the 2nd and 3rd have a masterful manipulation of the thematic material presented earlier in the piece which 1 and 4 don't have as much.
To me I feel like ballade no 1 was chopins attempt of escaping life, fate and ballade no 2 like his anger, sadness and inspiration for someone or something, ballade no 3 I feel is like a mask of happiness to cover the feelings of sadness and depression which I think is felt in ballade no 4 as well as a bit of anger and happiness amongst it
Thank you Mr. Cho! I am so pleased to hear one of the few recordings where these codas are not played insipidly as some form of finger exercise to show off technique. He approached this music with an imaginative ear and listened and focus intensively on making the instrument produce what he heard already in his heart. Bravo! Now can we have some uploads of the Chopin Winter Winds and other overplayed etudes that have been butchered by pianists who simply want to show off technical bravura and sacrifice the music?
It's interesting how the first three codas have very similar right hand figurations, quick broken chords spanning two octaves. Guess Chopin thought it added an extra bit of flair -- which it certainly does! -- and therefore reserved it for the closing act of his pieces.
4,1,2,3 imo. 1 & 4 may be overplayed but that doesn’t take away from their greatness (and the 2nd theme in no 1 is probably my favourite in all of Chopin’s music). It’s really hard to decide as they’re all so so good Edit: *not based on Codas. If it were ranked by Coda I’d go 2,4,3,1
Of course this is a matter of personal opinion and I like the 1st ballade most as a whole, but the ending of the coda is just some scales. I think the coda of the 3rd ballade is by far musically most versatile and redeeming.
I’m playing the third ballad now. I played the first ballad many years ago about 20 years I would say. It was really hard for me to like the third ballad after being in love with the first one. But once you really listen to it, study it, play it, and understand it… it’s the best ballad without a doubt. And I would even say it is harder than the first one. The coda is the hardest part of the first ballad. But the 3rd ballad is musically challenging the entire time and then you have to maintain that musical rubato and sense of freedom with a super fast and complicated coda. It’s no joke to play in public. You cannot get away with hiding behind noise and crazy intense playing as in ballad 2 and ballad 4 coda. Ballad 3 is musically clear and beautiful the entire way and maintaining that clarity, fast speed, yet a sense of romantic playful rubato, is no joke.
1st ballade coda is so intense and full of a feelimg that i cannot explain 2nd ballade coda the last part when it gets quite again gives me nostalgia of something 3rd ballade coda is something like firework, probably the happiest ending of all four ballades 4t ballade coda is a summary of everything, literally. It has everything inside it Well, those all four codas cannot be explained by words. I live for Chopin's four ballades. His ballades just came from heaven They are all great My personal favorite is 4
Each of them has its own distinction : The first one has the effect of a concerto cadenza as it changes the tempo and has a vibe of an improvisation. The second is the most storming and furious one with a very simple melody, and a great use of contrast, it’s perhaps the most organic. The third is the only one in major, thus it’s the most joyful and triumphant ending. The fourth one is the one with the most complex melody, with a lot of variations in the rhythm and instrumentation. They all have their own characteristics that distinguish them all. If I picked one it would be fourth.
So I kind of forgot to link this before. Here's an old video of me playing (most of- I think the camera died...) the coda to the first ballade. It's not a recent video, and I'd also ask that you keep in mind that I'm self-taught. But I think it's not bad considering all of that.
th-cam.com/video/eptdCHdLE6w/w-d-xo.html
It shows up as private when I try to view it :(
Sometimes we don't even realise how lucky our generation is for being able to listen to the most perfect pieces ever composed/played in history, whenever and wherever we want.
And instead, we complain about how the ad at the end of the video/music is annoying.
I mean they are but some of us even bring politic in the conversation.
@@segmentsAndCurves Hey just because we are privileged enough to have these things doesnt mean we can't complain about ads and that kind of stuff
@@imperialsandwich3695 Sorry! That just my opinion. I didn't tell you to do anything nor intended to do it.
Ikr. And back then, those composers been through a lot to make these pieces😥
@@segmentsAndCurves Don't be sorry, your opinion is important as well. I agree with your opinion that people tend to complain a lot about minor inconveniences these days, like what's the hurry? It's not like we're all dying tomorrow.
Video: Chopin's Ballades
Description: j u r a s s i c p a r k
@CRÖCÖDILE b
for some reason some other chopin pieces are also flagged as jurassic park.
check out th-cam.com/video/n2S5rCS4Img/w-d-xo.html (zimerman playing minute waltz) and th-cam.com/video/XIKdCTmcTLs/w-d-xo.html (pollini playing torrent etude), they are both flagged by UMG lol
edit: and another one, th-cam.com/video/DZTAXk2NOdc/w-d-xo.html (zimerman and BSO rachmaninoff concerto no. 2)
@@pizzacheeto true hahaha its so funny
Like it is a must to mention copyright I suppose
this happens with every single classical piece on TH-cam and I have no idea why
Can we agree that they're all great?
the title has literally explained to you what the meaning of the video is
No
No they're all trash.
@@DanielFahimi Thanks Captain Obvious!!!
@@chopinisacomposerforonerig2970 You're welcome, handsome!
The MAJESTY of the 1st
The MADNESS of the 2nd
The GLORY of the 3rd
The ENIGMA of the 4th.
Huh... A ballade of codas...
Scherzo :)
My favorite kind of ballade 🤘
Four codas do a ballade not make.
@@chopin65 its more in reference to how the video is very much the length of a good romantic ballade
@@chopin65
Well, I’m gonna compose a ballade with 4 codas for the 4 themes.
2nd coda is the most exciting
wow........
Masacra in mexico 😟
It's trash
@@DanielFahimi yes
2 and 4 favourite codas and ballades
His first ballade is the first one I listened to and learned to play, and it will always have a special place in my heart.
That being said, I love the fourth one!
Yeah same
I know both ha
I wish i could play his ballades. How do you get that good? I feel like it's impossible
@@jtfay5628 I too thought it was impossible, now I know 3 now (I finished the second one) just put in hella effort into the first one, jump to the 4th one, and learn the other 2, that’s what I did
@hello olleh damn you make it sound super easy lol. Im 14 and working on the 3rd one, it’s almost complete but in my opinion it’s the easiest. The 4th one is my favorite but I can’t imagine doing that for another 10 years lol.
Computer science friends: Machine learning is getting so advanced
TH-cam Content ID: *THIS IS JURASSIC PARK FOR SURE*
What, you don't remember the coda of the second ballade playing while they were running from the dinosaurs?
As a sidenote, I never thought my video would get attention from you. Just wanted to say I love your videos!
@@vansbyikea4946 Thanks for saying so, buddy! Your vid popped up on my recommended and it's exactly the sort of thing I enjoy :)
@@vansbyikea4946 which jurassic park was that and which scene?
@@ipayman5217 Obviously it was a joke
@@Souls_p_ :(
Which coda is musically best?
Me: Yes
True.
Correct!
0:00 - Ballade No 1
1:44 - Ballade No 2
4:04 - Ballade No 3
6:18 - Ballade No 4
The legend no one asked for, but everyone needed.
Honestly the 4th ballade is something special. The other three are great, but the 4th is just on another level. It isn't everyday that you hear a 9:8 polyrhythm in a piece of music from the common-practice period.
I agree, however much I hate to play the ‘ranking the best...’ game. No 4 seems from another world.
Where is the 9:8 part?
@@tompa3537 it's at around 9:20 th-cam.com/video/UMSwmDK-sTM/w-d-xo.html
@@alexshih3747 It's not saying much. Being the best out of a collection of the most wretched excuses of 'music' sure isn't an accomplishment!
Friendly reminder to not invalidate other’s opinions and to just use your time to listen to the pieces you enjoy.
5:26 the transition is ingenius. 3rd ballade is underrated
True
I don't know why I really can't get into it, all the others I love but the third ballade is just... Meh. I mean just from an ignorant listener point of view.
First is amazing,
Second is powerful,
Forth is magical,
Third is.... meh :D
@@gianpa the 3rd ballade I find has a more constant appeal to it from start to finish, compared to the other 3 where there are normal points and incredible points; it keeps building from the intro much like the 4th ballade does but splits into two primary themes rather than just focusing on one. Also all codas apart from the 3rd are in minor which I think for most people adds to the gravitas and they are quite unique from how the rest of the ballades sounds leading up to it. With the 3rd ballade's coda, it's in major (I'm not including the f minor section included here as that's much rather a refrain of the first f minor section which more textural colours) and is a return to the intro theme with a lot of ornamentation.
To me, the coda of the 3rd ballade might not sound as powerful as the others but when you listen to it along with the rest of the piece it makes a lot of sense to close out in that style as it shows clear resolution in the journey that the piece has taken you.
Eh... F major was better imo
agreed
The fact how almost everyone loves all of these four Ballades codas shows how great Chopin was as a expressive composer.
Yes. Now if we can just have fewer pianists butcher them in service of trying to show off Bravura Technique with mindless listening to the music.
I don’t know what it is, but Chopin can speak to me like no other. But for example when I listen to Rachmaninoff, for me it’s just as beautiful, sometimes even better or on a higher artistic level. But somehow when I listen to Chopin again I feel at home, like I’m being talked to through music. What can I say.. His music is truly unique.
@@Benjamin-fk2yo Rachmaninoff is expressive, mind you but Chopin feels more realistic, something that speaks to me more….his music has accompanied me through much, through others and through my interpretations. His music is like a friend to me, more loyal than most humans…
Nope, the 1st is the best. People are only saying the 4th to be "controversial".
@@debussy843 nobody said one was better than the other nor is your opinion the end all be all.
Why the people don't like a lot the number 3. For me it's one of the best
same 2 and 3 are my favorites
Exactly, 1 and 4 are both good but a little overrated.
yes!
@@jacobansel4290 i dont like nr 2 but now that i only reheard the coda, the coda of 2 is pretty nice
@@vipinbhat6971 oh come on, 4 is by far the best of the set. Its hardly even an opinion
7:11 That harmony is soo relaxing
I agree
Try Liszt Bénédiction de dieu dans la solitude, Chopin étude 12 op 25...
It sucks the breath out of me
@@hjhseo1114 형ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
codas start:
1- 0:14
2- 2:45
3- 5:31
4- 7:58
Imagine skipping 2:05 for the second ballade and 4:27 for the third.
@@skrutten_ never skip anything, in fact listen to the whole thing :D
i just posted the actual timestamps for each ballade coda
@@Populous3Tutorials I don't skip anything :). You can't turn this one on me lmao. For the 131 people that didn't care to listen to everything, I'm only extending the recommendation. I've played 3 of them.
Btw, I only added the "imagine skipping" part to add some emotion to my comment, not to actually convey upset feelings that you skipped a few seconds of the piece. I hope you didn't get too defensive.
@@skrutten_ dude i didnt skip a single second of the piece, i only said where the CODAS start. there's a lot of piece before that (which i "skipped"), but the codas start at the times i stated. its not an opinion either, it's a fact
@@Populous3Tutorials My latest response says you "skipped a few seconds of the piece" which wasn't as detailed as it probably should've been. I mean that you provided a timestamp that succeeds a few seconds after parts of importance.
Also, I never said anything about the truth of your original comment. My first comment wasn't about the correctness of the timestamps you added.
I love all of them, but the 3rd has always spoken to me in a way that the other's don't.
Agreed. It is the most romantic of the ballades.
I feel the same, romantic and something else the other ones doesn’t have. Don’t get me wrong, i love the other 3 ballades, but for me 3 it’s more musical and have a deeper meaning
@@frankeylorenzo I guess its the major tonality, makes it more joyful. Its also the ballade that plays with themes best, recapitulations are so integrative with the piece progress
@@Thiago-px9ev Thats true, the recapitulation feels better
@@frankeylorenzo Its like you never miss a theme from appearing again
Musically: 4, 2, 1, 3
Personal preference: 4, 1, 2, 3
Preference of Ballades in their entirety: 1, 4, 3, 2
(And all of them are very good indeed.)
I honestly can’t rank... I’ve learnt the first 3, and in terms of how I feel during playing it’s 231. Listening, though, probably 1432.
@@zacksima8333 Impressive :-) I'm halfway through Ballade 1, but my view on it has changed quite a lot. It now seems quite immature to me on listening-it is one of Chopin's relatively early works, after all. I would learn Ballade 4, but I think it's still a bit beyond my ability LOL.
My personal preference is the exact same as yours 😂
@@tipyingmistakes4743 You have good taste :-)
@Duy Duong Hi, how are you? Are you the person who was aiming to learn all of Chopin's Ballades this year? If that is you, how is it going? How did the concert go?
I personally like no. 2's coda the best. Just intense, fiery and I love the "melody" there. It almost sounds scary and devilish when Zimmerman plays those rising-chord-arpeggio things.
Probably ballad no. 1 is a close second for me, I feel it gives it a perfect and cohesive ending. Ballad 1 itself is a perfect piece of music.
That being said, I love Ballad 4's and 3's codas, in fact, I love how 4 goes into borderline atonality. And no.3's constant perfect cadences at its climax make me lose my mind and rewind to that part on repeat.
[EDIT]: Okay, so y'all are considering No.4's coda to start earlier than I considered it. In that case, I freaking love No. 4's surprise cadence in C major (dominant) right before the "atonal" part. Maybe it's overused, doesn't matter to me either way.
I also love 2 coda
me too!!!
man! I agree so so much!!
Try listening to Cortot's recording of Ballade 2 (1933 recording), I think you'll enjoy it.
@@marcus4403 I'm pretty sure the other guy wasn't talking about this recording either. These aren't the best recordings of the ballades. This video is about the codas, not Cho playing the codas, and people are mentioning Zimmerman because they think Zimmerman has the best rendition of the ballades.
You know what piece is really underrated by Chopin, the Barcarolle! It’s practically the 5th Ballade and what a coda it has!
It's not a ballade technically. It more like an impressionism piece.
But oh boy does it sound like heaven!
@@segmentsAndCurvesMaybe it’s conveying a “story” on water. ;) It’s doesn’t follow the Ballade meter, but I was more referring to musically speaking and how he develops the piece. One of the last works he wrote and what a masterpiece! Imagine if Chopin had lived another 10 years to compose more music.
@@stephenn77 I think along with the barcarolle, the polonaise-fantasy has a pretty good punt at the title of the “5th ballade”. These pieces are some of chopin’s finest!
Interesting. It's my favorite Chopin work.
I know it doesn’t have the drama of the Ballades, but it’s magnificent! I’m currently hooked on Scherzo #2. I must learn it!
#3 is very underrated.
its my fav for sure
idk, i think its the weakest
still great tho
Ehhhh not quite enough power imo, less emotional
Very underrated, my fav ballade of all
The second is my personal favorite. The intense difference between the chorale and presto sections are the most dramatic changes of all the Ballades. The Coda perfectly ends the piece. It starts with fury, but ends in the chorale from the beginning. Ending the chorale in a minor, brings a bitter/sweet conclusion to such a brilliant piece
People shit on the 3rd way too much it’s the best, criminally underrated
Agreed.
People don't like the 3rd?
I wouldn't say people sh*t on it but ballade 3 is underrated as heck. Its my 2nd favourite after the 4th.
True... My favorite is... I don't know, I love them all equally😅
The 1st and 3rd one used to be my favorite but then I heard the other two... I can't decide since then..... But true, the 3rd is being ignored A LOT
Tell you what, this pianist knows how to play Chopin. Going to check out the full disc by S-J Cho. These are superb versions!
Seong-Jin Chopin.
Yes, I know where the back door is.
For Chopin, seong plays the preludes best. Ballades go to zimmerman and the nocturnes to maurizio pollini.
I didn't like this pianist's interpretation of the coda for#2
@@nafin9063 Try Rubinstein’s nocturnes
@@RFL1 My problem with Rubinsteins performance for the nocturnes is that it feels without emotion and I don’t like the pedaling he does. It shows the most in Nocturne no. 18 at 1:45 to 1:55 in the arpeggio which leads into a trill. Both are objectively good but I prefer Maurizios style more. It could also be the quality of the recordings I listen to.
I almost feel like I haven't done anything to deserve such musical ecstasy
Being a human being is enough to deserve these ballades and more 😇
Do you guys want me to post me playing the coda of the first ballade?
Yes plz
Absolutely
No.
Of course we do!!!
Absolutely
Not
yes.
I can't lie, the ballades are SO good that it is impossibly difficult to rank them. Even if we just consider the codas, each one is so intense, unique and remarkable that it is simply impossible to rank them, for me at least. Its just masterful.
Ballade 4 coda is my personal favorite, so rich in expression and sounds.
2nd is dope
I played the first ballade at my school recital, and I’m currently practicing the fourth one. Practicing piano without any lessons as a non-music major student, is hard af, but I think piano itself is just making me happy. It will be a hard journey practicing the fourth ballade, and it actually is, but I’ll do my best.
I'm just learning the first one now, I'm on page 5 now and pushing through to finish by the middle of spring, got any suggestions on how to tackle the coda?
@@connorparrett2490 what part of the coda necessarily (I have played the 1st ballade as well and am learning the 2nd)
@@connorparrett2490 Garrick Ohlsson has a TH-cam video with great tips on the coda. And there are a few slow recordings of the coda by others that were helpful to me. Practice slowly and enjoyably...
Second is my favorite❤❤❤
3rd ballade in its integrity is just something else, it’s on an another level. Every single ballade is great and every one of them unleashes a unique colour, however the third one, in my opinion has got something more in terms of feelings. It has this constant theme evolving from the beginning, which explodes during the coda. I’ve been thinking about which one is the best ballades for days, listening on repeat to all 4 ballades, it has been really hard but I think I came to a conclusion:
1) Ballade 3
2) Ballade 4
3) Ballade 1
4) Ballade 2
I genuinely feel bad putting the first one and the second ballade in 3rd and 4th place, however if I had to give an order, this might be it.
Same, but I'd switch ballade 1 and 4
Fully agree
@@madsvold5403 i would probably put it like this:
1>3>4>2
ballade 3 has an epic coda but so does ballade no 1, i just prefer the other parts of ballade no 1 over ballade no 3. ballade no 4 has a certain feeling to it which makes it unique, but still for enjoyment i would put it under ballade 1 and 3.
and 2 is just kinda boring for me tbh.
you know theyre incredible pieces when you feel bad ranking them :)
If I had to choose 1 piece by Chopin, Ballade 3 will be the one (followed closely by Barcarolle, and Impromptus nos 2 and 3 and Polonaise-Fantaisie). Ballade 3 and Barcarolle have a spiritual authority, confirmation and reassurance that he will be saved at the end no matter the current devastating situation. The rest are too sentimental and a bit hand-wringing (I know I know 😅 I better stop
Cho's recordings of Chopin's 4 Ballades is one of the best ever been, alongside Zimmerman and Rubinsteins' !
Really happy to get a comment that isn't viamently criticizing the winner of the 2015 International Chopin Competition. I get that people have opinions, but it feels like the majority of them approach expressing them in a tone that's more gatekeeping than honest.
@@vansbyikea4946 You should make timestamps in the video for each ballade
@@vansbyikea4946 viamently is actually spelt vehemently so you know, please don’t take offence.
Rubenstein’s 2nd Ballade coda is the best I’ve heard; sounds like someone writhing in agony... lol
@@vansbyikea4946 lol no cho is terrible
To me, the coda of the 4th ballade is the best based on complexity, while the 1st is musically the best. I mean I cannot live without anyone of these pieces
Thank you so much for this compilation 😭😭😭😭love it
The 1st ballade was the first one I discovered, and I adored it, listened to it heaps over a few months, loved the climax and the coda, thought it was the best. I hadn't even touched his other ballades, thinking they were weak and genuine rubbish - one of the worst things i could've done. After some time, I had been searching several interpretations of ballade no.1 when I found Zimerman's. Through him I learned of the other ballades, and In my opinion, they each outshine no1 in their own way. I, of course, recognise that each ballade is unique and no.1 has its own great moments.
The 2nd ballade's coda is my favourite by far, simply because of Chopin's use of the descending chromatic octaves, but the trills and double notes beforehand create such an incredible build-up. Not to mention the incredibly epic sequence near the end of the coda, right before the calm conclusion.
The 3rd ballade is my favourite overall ballade - I enjoy the heavy climaxes, and the satisfying dance-like feel it gives off. The coda is also quite exciting.
The 4th ballade is simply astonishing. I believe Chopin drew the melodies from a chest from another universe - and its so complex and beautiful. The arpeggios before the coda give me chills every time. The entire piece is simply magnificent - Chopin's greatest, in my opinion. The coda is incredibly complex, and I'm still trying to get my head around it. Overall, a wonderful ballade.
All of these codas are so beautiful and inspiring!
Definitely ballade no.1 it literally goes through ur soul
my favorite video now on! thanks for sharing
I think the coda of the 3rd ballade is the most perfect for many reasons. It's the most versatile and in my opinion, the most ingenius. I just love the entire ballade altogether. Maybe I'm a little biased though, since it's the only one I've learned completely.
That’s how I was too with the 1st ballade so I had to learn them all😂
So do I.
When I practised the Third Ballade, this coda reminded the wavies on the beach. I had to divide into several parts in order to memorize.
Hearing this reminds me how I have neglected my piano playing for far too long. I used to attempt these ballads, slower of course, fluffed loads, but got so much emotional enjoyment out of it. I don't do New Year's Resolutions, but perhaps I should. The Ballades and Scherzi are amongst my favourite Chopin pieces.
It's impossible to separate each coda from the context of the entire work that they come from. They're spectacular because they are the natural, organic result of everything that comes before, and they are innovative because most often in music the coda conveys a diminishment of tension after a climax (similar to the denouement in narrative); with Chopin, the codas are themselves the climaxes. You can't isolate them from each ballade as a whole. All four are monumental. Having said all of that, personally I think that the Fourth Ballade is the greatest of them, and one of the greatest works of music of the 19th century.
To be honest, I personally just recently discoverd chopin ballades thanks to his codas which I saw in another video about the hardest codas and I am so thankful for that video. I then went to check the piece (it was the first ballade), and at first and second listen I didn't like it alot but I still saved it in my classical music playlist. when it came out I didn't skip and kept listening to it and between the 3d to 4th listen I just got in love with the first ballade and realised how awsome it is, so now I checked out all of his ballads and I still like the most the first but the 4th one is also good. I think I just need to give the others a bit more listens to decide but they are just all GREAT and might be even the greatest piano series of pieces ever compsed, they just fit one each other like a puzzle when you hear them together. this is probably the first time I am this greatful to the youtube algorithm
edit: Well, i listened to the others a bit more and i have to say now i can't decide which is the best. i mean i still think that its the first ballade but in "second place" its hard to me to decide because everytime i listen to one of the ballades i just love it. i think that at 1st place is chopins first ballade, even chopin himself was proud of her, but second place is every ballade, they are all equal because they are quite different from each other yet all are so great.
more than that when speaking of the codas i think that they all serve the same purpouse and they all do such a great job at what they need to be. in conclusion i think that the first ballde is still the best, but they are all great and we just HAVE to thank Chopin for them
The most dramatic: Ballade no. 1 ; The most epic:Ballade no.3 and no.2 ; The most musical: Ballade no.4
Ballade no. 3: most romantic
@oliviobertolini I whole heartedly agree with you
@@adamlodge491 I'd actually say that No2 I think is the most dramatic. No3 is the most musical. No1 is the most epic and No4 is the most perfect. However I still think No3 is my favourite overall, although that might be bias because I'm learning it atm.
@@niampatel9115 since my last comment my taste has changed quite a bit and I actually think you have put it perfectly, I must say as of now no2 is my favourite with no3 very close behind.
At least we can all agree that they are amazing pieces! I’m learning ballade no2 atm aswell so I might also be bias
Only Chopin could make highly virtuosic and sometimes brutal music crystal clear and enjoyable.
The 4th one is so dense and complex it almost sounds atonal, perhaps the expressionists and 2nd Viennese School was somewhat inspired by it
Your comment shows that you username is a lie
@@metodoinstinto I mean the coda in the end kind of sounds atonal in some parts, but it isn't obviously. (I don't really get what you are trying to prove here, just stating my opinion and view???)
@@metodoinstinto woah, kinda toxic
@@metodoinstinto I don’t understand the point of harassment? He has an opinion, like everyone else. You shouldn’t hate on it.
It was a joke. I never meant anything by it. I do think it's kinda crazy to imagine Webern being inspired by it, but it was only a joke. Sorry if it offended anybody.
When Chopin gone crazy when he bursts out every stress in his whole life in a coda
Love the sound of that piano. Bravo.
The first ballade is the best thing that I have ever heard.
I love it
I'd argue it has the weakest coda among the 4. Amazing nonetheless
@@prs_81 I agree
I agree, in it's entirety the piece is magical. I'm 15 and learning it now!
@@prs_81 the coda is great. It's just that you've never listened to another recordings than these overrated zimerman, cho, argerich
4 ballad without a shadow of a doubt. We are now in the last creative moment, and now his genius produces works of such height as to escape the possibility of understanding by his contemporaries, an immense work, from the most remote and lyrical unconscious, up to the fall into the abyss
This is a great idea to put them side by side. To be honest what I get from it is how astonishingly good all four ballades are.
The first one has something more that touch me that I can't even understand. Bring tears to my eyes so easily.
But yeah they are all just amazing.
Chopin's 1st ballade is to his 4th as Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto is to his 3rd. The 1st ballade has more of a "pop" kind of appeal but the 4th is much deeper in its scope. Same with Rach 2 vs 3.
As far as codas, I have to go with 4th being most epic, followed by 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in that order.
They're all gorgeous, but to me the 2nd is the better because it actually uses elements that were already used before in the piece so the coda it's more connected to the rest of the ballade
I'm certainly partial to No. 2 because that was part of my graduation recital from Temple University, Philadelphia PA in 1970! I totally agree with @bigl5343. Good memories... ☺
These 4 ballades are such wonderful music. The genius of Chopin is outstanding. I can’t even say which ballade is my favorite: it proves how great the composer was… I just love the melodies and climaxes of the 1st, the contrasting themes and the intensity of the 2nd, the build-up and the transitions of the 3rd, the emotions and virtuosity of the 4th… Maybe they are ones of the greatest achievements of Chopin, of even the greatest masterpieces of musical literature, but they’re for sure my dream pieces, along with Rach 2. Hope to learn them in the following years !
CHOPIN NAJPIEKNIEJSZA SPUŚCIZNA DLA LUDZKOŚCI. DZIĘKUJĘ.
They are all AMAZING codas! I did number 3 back in my University days. I didn’t find it TOO difficult, but it takes something to bring it off well.
I love the first and the 4 th is really staggering
I think how musically pleasing they are, it's the 3rd.
I couldn't agree more
Cho’s interpretations are pnenomenal. The coda of the fourth Ballade is the most impressive, but I prefer the first Ballade any day.
Indeed
They're all fantastic of course but seriously the 4th slaps like nothing else
They are all great by their way to me. Chopin's music is just.. so beautiful
It’s always nice hearing codas... makes u wonder why u continue to try and learn the piece in the first place-
The 3rd ballade would be the absolute masterpiece of ANY lesser composer. Yet it is arguably "underwhelming" compared to other ballades. That is how great Chopin is.
Ok
Thats tru men
Ballade No. 1. It's probably my favorite Chopin composition and one of my favorite pieces of classical music ever. And kindly ignore my profile picture and name, I assure you I say this freely without a hint of bias. :)
Man, when will you start touring again!?
2 and 4 are my favorites. 4 is so intricate and elegant while being tempestuous.
2 is just so intense; probably the most intense and fiery passage of any Chopin piece.
I was a music major in college and one of the piano students played all four ballades just for the second half of his senior recital and played them superbly.
Number 2 is so underrated. One of my favourites
I like the agonizing despair of Ballade No. 1's Coda, the magicality of Ballade No. 4's Coda, and the intensity of Ballade No 2's Coda.
and 3? well 3 has a nice… personality
They all Wonderfull. I can't decide, every one of them has something special ...
The fact that each comments prefer different codas for different reason just shows how great composer chopin was!!
So pretty much just the endings of each Ballade lmao. No but really, my favorite Chopin Ballade is his first overall, however the ending of the fourth is I think the most exceptional piece of music ever written. It's just so damn gorgeous
When I listen the third ballade for the first time I cried
For me its the best of all
After many years of listening and playing these pieces I eventually concluded that the 2nd ballade coda is my absolute favorite with the coda of the 3rd ballade being a close second. To me, what makes it so strong is how it is able to tie the whole piece together, which the 3rd ballade coda does successfully as well. The codas of the 1st and 4th ballade, while intense and passionate in their own right, have a disjointed feeling. The 4th does this on purpose with a huge pause before it begins but the coda of the first ballade almost feels like a brand new piece in the hands of an amateur pianist. In other words, the codas of the 2nd and 3rd have a masterful manipulation of the thematic material presented earlier in the piece which 1 and 4 don't have as much.
bro stfu 4 and 1 are the best no debate
no. 4 is my favorite but that doesn't make any of the others any less awe inspiring
To me I feel like ballade no 1 was chopins attempt of escaping life, fate and ballade no 2 like his anger, sadness and inspiration for someone or something, ballade no 3 I feel is like a mask of happiness to cover the feelings of sadness and depression which I think is felt in ballade no 4 as well as a bit of anger and happiness amongst it
Boom that’s his life in a nutshell (and his relationship with George Sand)
4,2,3,1
1st coda used to be my favourite but it isnt as enjoyable anymore after hearing it so many times when practicing the piece
Sameeeee, but its still enjoyable when u imagine in certain situations.
First and fourth always got me the most excited.
I feel as though 3's Coda edges out just a little bit, it is truly beautiful, especially the fist part.
Thank you Mr. Cho! I am so pleased to hear one of the few recordings where these codas are not played insipidly as some form of finger exercise to show off technique. He approached this music with an imaginative ear and listened and focus intensively on making the instrument produce what he heard already in his heart. Bravo! Now can we have some uploads of the Chopin Winter Winds and other overplayed etudes that have been butchered by pianists who simply want to show off technical bravura and sacrifice the music?
I'll see what I can do!
Let’s face it. All the Codas are mind blowing.
I love all the other ballades, but the first is iconic.
It's interesting how the first three codas have very similar right hand figurations, quick broken chords spanning two octaves. Guess Chopin thought it added an extra bit of flair -- which it certainly does! -- and therefore reserved it for the closing act of his pieces.
Ballad no. 3 is the best and in my opinion also has the best coda. It's seriously underrated.
This was not always the case. In the 1930s, the Third Ballad was most often played, and even earned the nickname "Flirt with a daemon."
4,1,2,3 imo. 1 & 4 may be overplayed but that doesn’t take away from their greatness (and the 2nd theme in no 1 is probably my favourite in all of Chopin’s music). It’s really hard to decide as they’re all so so good
Edit: *not based on Codas. If it were ranked by Coda I’d go 2,4,3,1
It’s like saying rank your kids…😂. Each one is really quite unique. How can you choose??
For me No.1 has the most complete, most musically perfect Coda. Then 4, 3 & 2.
Of course this is a matter of personal opinion and I like the 1st ballade most as a whole, but the ending of the coda is just some scales. I think the coda of the 3rd ballade is by far musically most versatile and redeeming.
The 1st Ballade's coda is dragged out a lot longer than the others, so I disagree. In my opinion the 4th has the most complete ending.
51 k views, with less than 100 subs? You are way too underrated
Thank you, that's very kind of you!
The 4th is probably not only the musically best, it’s also by far the hardest one to play.
Yes
Ok
Inicio el video y ya me dan mi parte favorita de esa canción, hermoso
I’m playing the third ballad now. I played the first ballad many years ago about 20 years I would say. It was really hard for me to like the third ballad after being in love with the first one. But once you really listen to it, study it, play it, and understand it… it’s the best ballad without a doubt. And I would even say it is harder than the first one. The coda is the hardest part of the first ballad. But the 3rd ballad is musically challenging the entire time and then you have to maintain that musical rubato and sense of freedom with a super fast and complicated coda. It’s no joke to play in public. You cannot get away with hiding behind noise and crazy intense playing as in ballad 2 and ballad 4 coda. Ballad 3 is musically clear and beautiful the entire way and maintaining that clarity, fast speed, yet a sense of romantic playful rubato, is no joke.
They're all inspired, but my favorite is the coda from the Ballad No.1 because of its ever increasing intensity.
My personal best is ballade no.2 maybe because i've played it, but it was really enjoyable to play and it sounded beautiful
Vise nego bozanstveno.Mekano,nezno....magicno !
🥰 🌸🌸🌸 ❤❤❤
1
3
2
4
they're all pretty beautiful
1st ballade coda is so intense and full of a feelimg that i cannot explain
2nd ballade coda the last part when it gets quite again gives me nostalgia of something
3rd ballade coda is something like firework, probably the happiest ending of all four ballades
4t ballade coda is a summary of everything, literally. It has everything inside it
Well, those all four codas cannot be explained by words. I live for Chopin's four ballades. His ballades just came from heaven
They are all great
My personal favorite is 4
I prefer the coda of the ballade no. 3, for me it sounds more musical than the others, and the melody it’s very beautiful
Each of them has its own distinction :
The first one has the effect of a concerto cadenza as it changes the tempo and has a vibe of an improvisation.
The second is the most storming and furious one with a very simple melody, and a great use of contrast, it’s perhaps the most organic.
The third is the only one in major, thus it’s the most joyful and triumphant ending.
The fourth one is the one with the most complex melody, with a lot of variations in the rhythm and instrumentation.
They all have their own characteristics that distinguish them all. If I picked one it would be fourth.
Love all because each one have it's own beauty!