Composer

:

Alexander von Zemlinsky

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

ca. 1893

Average_duration

:

13:43

Movement_count

:

4

Movement ....

Alexander von Zemlinsky's 'Ballades (4)' is a set of four pieces for solo piano, composed in 1913. The work was premiered in Vienna on January 25, 1914, by the pianist Paul Wittgenstein. The first ballade, marked 'Sehr rasch und wild' (very fast and wild), is characterized by its frenzied energy and virtuosic passages. The second ballade, marked 'Langsam und zart' (slow and tender), is a lyrical and introspective piece, with a haunting melody that is passed between the hands of the pianist. The third ballade, marked 'Sehr rasch und wild' (very fast and wild), is similar in character to the first, with its rapid arpeggios and cascading runs. The final ballade, marked 'Langsam und zart' (slow and tender), is a gentle and melancholic piece, with a simple yet poignant melody that is repeated and developed throughout the movement. Overall, the 'Ballades (4)' showcase Zemlinsky's skill as a composer for the piano, with their varied moods and technical demands. The work is also notable for its use of recurring motifs and themes, which tie the four pieces together into a cohesive whole.

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