Ballade No. 4
Among pianists it counts as Chopin’s finest ballade – a piece that begins quietly and ends twelve minutes later in a coda that gathers up everything said before.
The piece at a glance
- Composer
- Frédéric Chopin
- Year
- 1842
- Origin
- Op. 52
- Key
- F minor
- Level
- Advanced
- Keys recommended
- 88
How difficult is it?
Belongs to the hardest of the standard repertoire. Demands technique, and still more the overview of a long arc.
The real hurdle
The coda. Reach it and you have played eleven minutes and must summon everything once more – it is practised separately, not at the end of a run-through.
How long does it take?
Years, honestly. Not a piece for on the side.
A rule of thumb, not a rule – how fast it goes depends on prior experience and practice time. This level is an assessment, not a measurement: most pieces exist in arrangements ranging from heavily simplified to concert level. The rating refers to the common arrangement.
Which instrument suits it?
An instrument with a real pianissimo. On hard keyboards the piece loses its quiet half, and that is the more important one.
Instruments that suit it
Roland FP-E50 EU approx. €690–780Portable digital piano with PHA-4 Standard action.
Yamaha Clavinova CLP-845 EU approx. €2,200–2,600The Clavinova upper class: GrandTouch-S action with wooden keys – CFX plus Bösendorfer Imperial on board.
Kawai MP11SE EU approx. €2,200–2,350Stage piano with Grand Feel action.
The catalogue lists 233 instruments with verified data – key count, action and connections documented rather than claimed.
Where to find the sheet music
The work is in the public domain: the term of protection – 70 years after the composer’s death – has expired. Note that a modern engraving or a new arrangement can still be protected. What is free are the old editions, not automatically every version.
Free: the historical editions
IMSLP holds the old, public-domain editions as PDFs – free and legal. Engraving and fingering reflect their era; anyone wanting a modern, easily readable edition is often better served by a paid one.
Modern editions and arrangements
Simplified versions, modern engraving and arrangements are available from the usual sheet music retailers. We will add direct links here shortly.
Frequently asked questions
How difficult is Ballade No. 4?
Belongs to the hardest of the standard repertoire. Demands technique, and still more the overview of a long arc.
What key is Ballade No. 4 in?
Ballade No. 4 is in F minor.
How many keys do you need for Ballade No. 4?
88 keys are recommended.
Who composed Ballade No. 4?
Frédéric Chopin, 1842.
Can you download the sheet music for Ballade No. 4 for free?
The work is in the public domain: the term of protection – 70 years after the composer’s death – has expired. Note that a modern engraving or a new arrangement can still be protected. What is free are the old editions, not automatically every version.
How long does it take to learn Ballade No. 4?
Years, honestly. Not a piece for on the side.
If this suits you
Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 Frédéric ChopinChopin’s best-known nocturne – the melody sounds freely improvised but is precisely notated.
Heroic Polonaise Frédéric ChopinChopin’s best-known loud piece: a march with a run-up that tips over in the middle across descending octaves …