吳佳凝鋼琴老師

吳老師鋼琴獨奏
F. Chopin Ballade No. 4 in F minor, op. 52

蕭邦這首全曲洋溢著熱情基調的第四號敘事曲，寫作於1842年，在1843年出版，曲子獻給夏爾樂‧德‧ 羅斯吉德男爵夫人。此首敘事曲近年來，有越來越多人給予高度的評價，他們認為這首優異的敘事曲，是蕭邦作品中最富有異想、充滿情緒的作品。
對蕭邦來說這是自我陶醉以及將被壓迫的感情渲洩出來，彷彿是病理檢驗般，蕭邦以好奇、固執的心態來調查他的靈魂疾病的過程。曲風深具斯拉夫風格，同時也具有特別珍貴的敘情性。
曲子的構成為奏鳴曲形式、變奏曲形式、迴旋曲形式等各要素的特殊混和體。最初奏出8小節的序奏，接著是第一主題，第一主題帶來由徐緩悲傷的圓舞曲上下 行所產生的魅力。經過變奏後第一主題再反復，然後引導至第二主題，降B大調的第二主題有聖詠合唱(choral)的祈禱氣氛。接著進入發展部，發展部最後為A大調優美的花奏。然後第一主題又以單純的原形在現，略有循著卡農式的處理。第二主題也經過變奏再現，其後為自由幻想曲 風格的附加部份，由附加部份漸次輾轉到尾聲，在此的手法可說是蕭邦技巧的絕頂表現，此處也是蕭邦全部作品中，發揮了最高天份的地方。

Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52, was composed in 1842 in Paris and Nohant, and revised in 1843. The work was dedicated to Baronne C. de Rothschild, wife of Nathaniel de Rothschild, who had invited Chopin to play in her Parisian residence, where she introduced him to the aristocracy and nobility. According to Robert Schumann, this Ballade was inspired by Adam Mickiewicz's poem The Three Budrys, which tells of three brothers sent away by their father to seek treasures, and the story of their return with three Polish brides.

A phrase in the dominant key (marked piano) opens the seven introductory measures and leads into the first subject of sonata-form exposition, a melody with Slavonic coloration. The first theme undergoes four cumulative transformations with decorations, counter-melodies, counterpoint, and a nocturne-like fioritura.^[9] The development of the second theme and its intertwining with the first heightens the complexity of the musical structure and builds tension. Through the intertwining and thus the simultaneous development of the two themes, Chopin effectively combines the use of both the sonata form and the variation form. The body of the piece concludes with a series of accented fortissimo chords, followed by a momentary calm of five pianissimo chords. This then suddenly leads into an extremely fast, turbulent coda, written in exuberant counterpoint. Closure is obtained with a downward run on the entire keyboard and four heavy accented chords. Structurally Ballade No. 4 is decidedly intricate.

A major distinguishing feature of the fourth Ballade is its contrapuntal nature. Counterpoint is found only sporadically in Ballades Nos. 1 and 2. The fourth Ballade is musically more subtle than the other three, as most of its portions remain melancholic and profound. Although there are some substantial outbursts in the central sections of the music, the coda reveals its greatest momentum.

Technically, Ballade No. 4 demands skill in rapid runs, large chords and, in the coda, fast chromatic scales in double thirds. Of the four Ballades, it is considered by many pianists to be the most difficult, both technically and musically.

According to John Ogdon, “[it is] the most exalted, intense and sublimely powerful of all Chopin’s compositions... It is unbelievable that it lasts only twelve minutes, for it contains the experience of a lifetime.”