Q: What is a ballade?
A: A ballade is a piece of music, usually for piano, that has several tunes and tells a story.
Q: Who was the first composer to use the title "ballade" for his piano pieces?
A: Frédéric Chopin was the first composer to use the title "ballade" for his piano pieces.
Q: How many ballades did Chopin write?
A: Chopin wrote four ballades.
Q: Are Chopin's ballades rigid in form?
A: Chopin's ballades are quite free in form.
Q: Who are some other composers who wrote ballades?
A: Other composers who wrote ballades include César Franck, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Edvard Grieg, and Gabriel Fauré.
Q: How are Brahms' ballades similar to songs?
A: Brahms' ballades for piano are quite like songs in their form.
Q: Are there ballades for orchestra?
A: Yes, there are ballades for orchestra, but they are really like short symphonic poems.