Ballade no.2 - Op.38: F-major

Recording by Rubinstein
The ballade starts out with a light, lilting feel in 6/8 with alternating quarter notes and eighth notes (hence the lilt). After modulating to A minor and then back to F major, Chopin introduces the "presto con fuoco" section. (Even though I am only on my second day of doing this, I am starting to think that Chopin had a tendency to write schizophrenic pieces. He goes straight from a lilting melody that reminds one of strolling through a meadow to FIRE.) Returning to the beginning melody, there is a moment of variation that is intriguing. There is a beat and a half (plus a fermata over the half) of rest which replaces the end of the melodic phrase: surprising. A repeated shift between lilting melody and stretto fortissimo sections ensues, followed by more fire. The agitato section ascends and descends chromatically until a fortissimo chord climax is reached. To finish the piece off, Chopin returns to the beginning octave lilt, ending in A minor.