Franz Liszt | 3 Ballades (D-flat major, B minor, Ballade "d'Ukraine") [rec. by Various Pianists]

It is "common knowledge" that Liszt wrote 2 Ballades for solo piano - the B minor is rightly recognized among the most "epic" pieces of music Liszt wrote for the instrument, and is often ranked highly by Liszt scholars as a worthy companion to the Sonata in B minor.

However, this video highlights all 3 Ballades Liszt wrote. Yes, three -- not two. The Ballade No. 1 in D-flat major is performed in a charmingly clean fashion in a piano roll recording dating from June 1924, by Ervin Nyiregyhazi. Subtitled as the "Chant of the Crusader", the Ballade No. 1 harkens back to Chopin in its introduction. I had originally uploaded Nyiregyhazi's roll interpretation a long time ago, and decided to bring it back online due to a request for a score video of this ballade by ‪@Pgagolfpianoaviation‬.

The Ballade No. 2 in B minor needs no introduction, but I shall introduce it anyways. This is a very different ballade than the four of Chopin, or the ballade in D-flat that Liszt had written prior, because the disaster being displayed here is one of public nature, rather than confined to a more intimate space. Claudio Arrau opines that the ballade is about the Greek legend "Hero and Leander", whereas other critics attribute it to "Leonore". Further pianistic geniuses such as Earl Wild and Raymond Lewenthal attribute it to Lord Byron's "Prisoner of Chillon". Arrau performs this ballade live in concert in 1979.

The Ballade "d'Ukraine" is the third ballade in this video today, and is part of a larger set of pieces called "Glanes de Woronince" (S. 249), which was dedicated to the daughter of Liszt's love interest, Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. This ballade is performed passionately by Gunnar Johansen.

TIMESTAMPS:
Ballade No. 1 in D-flat 0:08
Ballade No. 2 in B minor 8:27
Ballade d'Ukraine 22:42

SOURCE AUDIO:
   • Gunnar Johansen, piano - Liszt - Glan...   (courtesy of ‪@GregNichols1953‬)
   • Arrau Liszt Ballade No.2 Live   (courtesy of ‪@StockhausenIsMyCat‬)
   • Ballade, no.1, D Flat - Nyiregyhazi (...   (courtesy of ‪@pianmn199‬)

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