Composer

:

Edvard Grieg

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Ballade

Compose Date

:

1875 - 1876

Publication Date

:

1876

Average_duration

:

17:57

Edvard Grieg's Ballade for piano in G minor, Op. 24, was composed in 1875 and premiered in Leipzig, Germany, on January 25, 1876. The piece is a single-movement work that lasts approximately 10 minutes. The Ballade is characterized by its dramatic and melancholic nature, with a sense of longing and nostalgia pervading the piece. The opening theme is a haunting melody played in the left hand, which is then taken up by the right hand in a more virtuosic manner. This theme is then developed throughout the piece, with various variations and transformations. The middle section of the Ballade is marked by a sudden change in mood, with a more lively and energetic theme introduced. This section is characterized by its use of syncopation and rhythmic complexity, with the left and right hands often playing in opposition to each other. The final section of the Ballade returns to the melancholic mood of the opening, with the original theme returning in a more subdued and introspective manner. The piece ends with a quiet and contemplative coda, bringing the work to a gentle close. Overall, the Ballade for piano in G minor, Op. 24, is a powerful and evocative work that showcases Grieg's skill as a composer and pianist. Its use of contrasting moods and themes, as well as its virtuosic piano writing, make it a popular and enduring piece in the piano repertoire.

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