There is certainly something of the tortured artist here, and Cortot’s rhythmic liberties are at times so spasmodic that he could scarcely be seen as a prime contender. Whatever are Rubinstein’s eccentricities, they pale into insignificance when set alongside Cortot’s performance. However, he notated the rhythm of this Ballade’s introduction so precisely that it seems appropriate to adhere to his written intentions. Chopin was a perpetual revisor, and was on occasion even capable of sending substantially varied versions of the same work to his different publishers, so it would be ill-advised to argue for a frigid fidelity to the text in the performance of his music. For example, the way he curtails the very first note of the piece or flattens out of the triplet in bar 4 seem difficult to justify. His recording of the 1st Ballade, dating from 1959, certainly has those moments of insight, but some will feel that at times his rubato and tonal shading step across the border from revelatory to wilful. The countless admirers of Arthur Rubinstein would cite the sheer individuality of his poetic sensibility as one of the crowning glories of his playing. Indeed one version (posted by ‘boomzxz’) is nothing short of a travesty. These less appealing characteristics are more pronounced on the various other Horowitz performances on YouTube. Even in this performance, though, there is sometimes an unwarranted heavy-handedness, a certain lumpiness in the phrasing and rhythmic relationships: As might be expected from Horowitz, this is a big-boned rendition, but there are also many charming individual moments of lyricism and a delightfully teasing quasi-waltz (from bar 140). The most impressive of these is a video of a Carnegie Hall concert. Much less consistent are the various YouTube versions of Vladimir Horowitz, again from ‘live’ performances. But in general Richter is fully responsive to the unfolding drama, and the denouement is suitably demonic. In the midst of such a weighty reading, his rather insouciant way with the second limb of the second subject in the recapitulation (from bar 180) is rather quirky – hardly the con forza stipulated by the composer. His introduction is restrained rather than consciously arresting, and leads to a subdued main theme, cowed with sorrow. Richter’s interpretation remains fairly consistent across these performances. Richter is also well-served on YouTube, mostly via recordings of various concerts from the 1960’s. Throughout the work Pollini’s phrasing comes in long, organic paragraphs, contributing to an inexorable sense of the work’s overall architecture. This is indeed a magisterial account, granitic, turbulent when the music demands, but also with an enchanting sense of reverie in the second subject, truly faithful to Chopin’s sotto voce marking. If Pollini is at his best when he combines his commanding brilliance with a sense of space and a willingness to yield to the more lyrical impulses of the music, one of these recordings is pre-eminent. Having long occupied an exalted place amongst interpreters of this work, Pollini is well represented on YouTube, mainly in recordings taken from ‘live’ performances. They are in good company: Chopin apparently told Schumann that this Ballade was his favourite among his own works. Given the range of richly rewarding interpretations on offer, from widely divergent artistic personalities, it’s clear that this piece of music truly inspires many of the world’s greatest pianists too. This article assesses the main recordings of the work available on YouTube, with the aim of helping you locate the most compelling performances. More recently the sense of Zeitgeist around this masterpiece has been further enhanced by former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger’s book in which he outlines his endeavours to learn the piece against all the odds ( Play It again: An Amateur Against the Impossible). Its role at a pivotal moment in Roman Polanski’s 2002 film The Pianist has doubtless contributed to its celebrated status. Ĭhopin’s extraordinary Ballade No.1 seems to inspire serious students of the piano, whether dedicated hobbyists or aspirant professionals, like no other single piano work. Guest article by Ian Flint, a pianist and piano teacher based in North London.
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