Samuel Barber ： Ballade Op.46

Barber’s Ballade, Op. 46 is a piano work with a modern sound in which lyricism and tension constantly intersect. Chromatic movement, dissonant chords, and varied rhythms create a wide range of expression, from quiet introspection to powerful climaxes. Within a continuous flow, contrasting episodes succeed one another, making the singing quality of the melodies and the shading of the harmony central points of interest. In performance, the main melody should be brought clearly to the fore from within the dense chords, while sudden dynamic and tempo changes should be shaped without exaggeration and connected naturally with sustained tension. The pedal should support the resonance without creating blurring; maintaining concentration even in quieter passages brings out the work’s delicacy and dramatic power.