Chopin - Complete Ballades (Cortot 1957)

Throughout his discography spanning almost six decades, Alfred Cortot has recorded Chopin's Ballades as a complete set three times (it has been rumored that Cortot may have recorded a fourth set in the 1940s, however): in 1929, in 1933, and also in 1957, which unfortunately remains fairly obscure. While the recordings show an apparent decline in his technical capabilities, Cortot's poetry and singing remains unwavered; his 1957 recordings display some of his most intimate and sensitive playing that in some passages, surpasses the imagination of his earlier recordings. ___________________________ 0:00 - Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23 (1835). [above] - Introduction. EXPOSITION 0:34 - Theme 1 in Gm. 1:53 - Transition, in the melodic shape of T1. 2:06 - Climax. 2:44 - Theme 2 in Eb. 2:44 - T2a. 3:14 - T2b. DEVELOPMENT 3:45 - T1 in Am, shortened. 4:15 - Climax. T2 in A. 4:47 - Transition. RECAPITULATION 5:40 - T2 in Eb. 6:40 - T1 in Gm, shortened. CODA 7:17 - Coda. 8:00 - Codetta, constructed out of scales, octaves, and fragments of T1. ___________________________ 8:39 - Ballade No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 38 (1836~9). EXPOSITION [above] - Theme 1 in F. Note the shift to Am at 9:18, which sets the structure for the entire piece. 10:36 - Theme 2 in Am. Abruptly shifts to Gm at 10:44. 10:59 - Transition. DEVELOPMENT 11:32 - T1 in F. 12:00 - Development of T1, with the occasional stretto. RECAPITULATION 13:23 - T2 in Dm. Abruptly shifts to Am at 13:32. 13:46 - Transition, derived from T1. CODA 14:05 - Coda, with the left hand constructed from the melodic shape of T1. 14:55 - Codetta. T1 in Am, shortened. ___________________________ 15:17 - Ballade No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Op. 47 (1841). EXPOSITION [above] - Theme 1 in Ab. 16:57 - Theme 2. [above] - T2a in C. 17:16 - T2b in Fm. 17:42 - Climax. 18:18 - T2 in C. 18:39 - Theme 3 in Ab, constructed from the descending four-note motif in T2. REVERSE REPRISE 19:20 - T2. [above] - T2a in Ab. 19:40 - T2b in C#m. 20:03 - Climax. 20:18 - Transition, T2 in harmonic instability. 21:02 - Climax/Coda, as T1. 21:29 - Codetta, as T3. ___________________________ 21:46 - Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52 (1842). [above] - Introduction, in the dominant. EXPOSITION 22:11 – Theme 1 in Fm. 22:58 – T1 Variation 1. 23:45 – T1 Var.2. The first half hints fragments of Theme 2, while the actual variation is only present in the second half. 24:35 – T1 Var.3. 25:05 – Transition. 25:22 – T2 in Bb, presented in full. DEVELOPMENT 26:10 – Harmonic development. 26:50 – Development of T1. Combines with T2 at 27:00. 27:12 – Introduction, in A, which serves as a dominant. RECAPITULATION 27:37 – T1 Var.4 in Dm. Canonic. 28:23 – T1 Var.4. 29:03 – T2 in Db, referencing Op.10 No.9 at 29:30. 29:48 - Climax, referencing Op.25 No.12. 30:11 – Transition, modeled after the introduction. 30:22 - Coda. References Op.25 No.6 at 30:32 and Op.25 No.2 at 30:44. 31:21 - Final restatement of T1, condensed into chords. ___________________________ Composer - Frédéric Chopin Performer - Alfred Cortot Year of performance - 1957 ___________________________ All credits go to their respective owners. Audio source -    • Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G minor op. 23 (Al...      • Chopin Ballade No. 2 in F major op. 38 (Al...      • Chopin Ballade No. 3 in A flat major op. 4...      • Chopin Ballade No. 4 in F minor op. 52 (Al...