Themes from Chopin Ballade no. 1 - Easy Arrangement

Frédéric Chopin: Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
3 Themes: Introduction: Moderato + Second subject: Meno mosso + Scherzando

PDF Sheet music, piano solo
Simple Solutions arrangement by Henrik Kilhamn

Approximate Grade: 4
Scale 1 - 8: Beginner - Advanced
Key: Original key G minor + Easy key A minor included*

This arrangement is not part of any Volume collection and only available as a single product.

Chopin's 1st Ballade in G minor is like a sacred pillar of the romantic piano repertoire and holds a special place in the hearts of many. It presents several iconic themes and spins a gripping drama by always striving forward and evolving between them. Over all it's very technically demanding, but a couple of themes are of the slow and lyrical variety and thus perfect candidates for a Simple Solution arrangement!

First the melancholic melody that starts the piece, a kind of waltz reminiscence with an almost haunting quality. Then the calm and tender "second subject", acting like a counterweight in major that later returns triumphantly. Both has a level of difficulty similar to his easier Nocturnes like the B-flat minor or E-flat major in Op. 9, manageable for advanced amateurs but still requiring some hard work to get flowing. Here I have as usual preserved the melody, harmonic function and rhythm, and only adjusted the texture so the hands can stay more in one place instead of jumping to catch notes in different octaves as in the original. Also, as composed the music never really stops but always continues to move on and grows into some very challenging parts. Here I have provided suitable "cushions" for starting and ending the sections organically as stand-alone miniature excerpts with a few bars that are not found in the original. Most noticably a transition after the second subject to loop back to the start, so it can be played with a repeat (as well as without of course).

Finally I also included a short excerpt from the joyful Scherzando section found in bars 138-149. Those RH chromatic runs actually fit very well under the hand and are mostly made difficult by also jumping very fast in LH. So here LH takes the same harmony but in one place and you have the chance to learn those lovely lines in RH! Even so, it's a harder excerpt than the other two, but one I hope can be worth the effort.

Original key:

Easy Key:

ABOUT SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

This is for everyone who loves the great piano repertoire but haven’t (yet) developed the skill required to master it. After all, the big composers wrote music for professional musicians, and it takes many years of studies to achieve a level sufficient to play their pieces as written. However, the musical material can be separated into melody, harmony, rhythms, and textures, and in some cases simplified while preserving the core ideas. This is what I have done in these arrangements of some of the most beloved piano melodies by the great composers. In this easier setting, you will instead have enough time on your hands (literally!) to bring the music to life and care about those aspects that often otherwise come second: phrasing, articulation, dynamics, and balance. This will help you develop your over-all musicality, which will be of great value in all other pieces as well.

I believe you have the right to enjoy playing this great music with your own hands, even when the original writing is beyond your present level or would require too much time and effort. In the end, if you feel ready for a challenge and want to go forward with proper piano studies that requires years of practice—the originals are always there. In the meantime, these arrangements will bring you close to the same enjoyment, because all musical ideas are carefully conserved.

They are just a little bit easier.

*The arrangement comes in two versions: both kept in the original key as well as transposed to an easier key signature.

Normally I recommend the "Easy Key" transposed version for the most comfortable Simple Solutions experience, but in this case the "Original Key" G minor with two flats isn't very hard to read and sounds right if you have listened to the original. However, there is also a transposed version in A minor/C major with no sharps or flats at all.