Ballade in F-sharp major, Op. 19

This single-movement work, running roughly 14 minutes, began as a solo piano piece and was later arranged for piano and orchestra. It is notable for the way it quietly disrupts what should be stable harmony: the opening phrase is graceful and consonant, then a sudden jolt of dissonance arrives without warning, setting the pattern for what follows. The piece anticipates the harmonic language of French Impressionism while remaining rooted in late Romantic song-like lyricism, many listeners hear it as a bridge between Chopin's ballades and the early Ravel.

What to listen for

Early in the piece, the right hand states a smooth, arching melody over a gently rocking left-hand accompaniment, then the harmony shifts sideways without resolving cleanly, leaving the melody momentarily suspended over an unexpected chord. This kind of sidestep recurs throughout, and in the final bars the music sets two key centres briefly against one another before settling. Also notice how the tempo remains almost uniform throughout: the drama comes entirely from harmony, not from speed or volume.

Recommended rendition

Jean-Philippe Collard's 2020 solo piano recording on La Dolce Volta has been praised for its naturalness and long-considered phrasing, with Collard bringing decades of study of Fauré's piano writing to bear on the score.

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