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I so loved hearing this because my mum (who died this year aged 98) was a brilliant pianist and I sometimes really miss hearing her play pieces like this... she loved the dramatic and difficult composers! Thank you.

Chopin and Liszt are the only composers who have made me rage quit during my practice hours 😂😂😂 like full on headbutting the keys, sobbing, tearing my hair out, flipping off the air hoping that somehow, somewhere, their ghosts can see my pain

Excellent! Thank you for posting it. Chopin died at only 39 years old. We'll never know what other masterpieces he may have still had in him, had he stayed healthy, of course. He was obviously at a level few reach.

Chopin is a bucket list "never gonna happen" sort of composer, and one of my most favorite. You performed that with incredible dynamic and feeling. Thank you for sharing your gift!

Respect to this guy memorizing this entire piece

It always amazes me how pianists of this caliber can memorize such complex pieces like this. They must become one with the composer and the composer must be in them. I memorized a 22-page Beethoven piano sonata. Took me a year. I'm not trained. Learned on my own. Tough business, so I stuck with painting houses.

I don't know what you're talking about, you played that coda flawlessly and definitely nailed it. Very clean performance.

You play clean, with no exaggerated and contorting facial expressions...just natural emotions coming out from a gifted pianist! Bravo!

This guy really out here making professional sounding recordings with the context and commentary for newcomers to classical music just because he can. Great stuff

Honestly this is one of the most profound pieces which you can use to check a piano’s timbre. The opening is so iconic and simple that you can recognize minute differences and colors.

Only hearing Chopin and Elgar makes me cry. They just get you right in the ticker everytime, if you're actually playing it, Chopin breaks your fingers as an added bonus. Brilliant performance. Thanks for sharing the beautiful horror of playing it.

Wow. Just…wow. Chopin with his scales and grace notes. Brutal but oddly enough I always find that despite the difficulty it is easy for me to slip into a flow state when playing Chopin. It just flows so beautifully that your brain wants to hear the next bit and just kind of compels your fingers to make it happen. Brain says YES, fingers say “wait. WHAT!?” You nailed this piece. Played it so beautifully with so much emotion.

becoming one of my favourite channels, its always great seeing your videos show up in my feed :)

What an amazing interpretation of this piece! What an underrated great pianist on yt! Some people would skip right to the end for the powerful ending but damn you got me engaged the entire piece. Nice work, also the map on the side with the subtitles as always is a touch that makes your content quite original. Keep it up!

It's rare for me to listen to a full youtube pianist recording. But this was so technically clean, and your interpretation of the piece was delightful. You knew how it was supposed to sound and didn't let the technical elements overpower the feeling of the ballade. Well done!

There has never been a Pianist who would make me feel such emotions as Chopin does. He's simply the greatest in my eyes

your playing of the coda is actually one of the best I've heard

Can we just give this man props if you didn't notice he memorized all of that Edit: Please shut up with your 🤓 sounding selfs saying stuff like "well actually memorization is very improtant and you would know if you played an instrument as sophisticated as the piano" I love the piano but you are not him just because you play it. Sorry about that I know memorization is important and very normal I do it as I am the first chair tuba in one of the best bands in my state. I have to memorize music to keep up with the actual prodigies in the trombone and euphonium sections as I also play those at a similar level to them so please stop saying things about how I would know how easy memorization is if I played an instrument because I play four and no piano is not one of them

The commentary in the video cracked me up so much 😂 As a fellow pianist, I'd say you gave it a pretty damn good shot - I wouldn't even attempt replicating his brilliant madness 😅👏🏻

Holy guacamole. That’s just pure emotion. All over the place there is no such thing as a single or never changing emotion and you played it so PERFECTLY. 20 thumbs up standing ovation with my feet.

Stunning performance ! Chopin must be overjoyed in heaven.

Pianists: can I play this? Chopin: no. 😂😢 Loved the theme map, fun commentary, great performance!

Brilliantly executed and by memory...but can we also appreciate his running commentary. I don't think I've listened to a classical piece while reading the pianist's own thoughts as he's playing through specific portions. I was laughing the whole way at the end coda from the "OH NO OH NO..." awesome job!! 🤣

I love the second round at 5:51 where Chopin channels the insane amount of tension build up from the A theme to the B theme without a transition. My favorite section of the piece.

Dude! I literally clapped when you finished! What an amazing composition and an amazing performance. Bravo!

I was hooked on Chopin the first time I ever heard his music, I know nothing about music but I can tell his music is the best, way better, super human. His pausing makes you feel with anticipation and his light and dark takes you through a journey. I thought you were amazing playing this piece, you gave alot of people alot of pleasure, thank you.

My granddaughter loves classical music , I can’t wait to show her this tomorrow. It was a great honor and pleasure to hear you play this incredible ballade. I enjoyed reading your commentary and appreciate you sharing how you feel when you play it. We don’t usually articulate it but we listen to music because we feel it and I bet often think of it as a story. More than any other genera Classical music soothes me. It feels like a roller coaster ride if I close my eyes and focus on feeling it. The images bring me right into a dreamworld. Just lovely. I’ve heard this ballad many times and it always takes my breath when it’s played because no matter if they are technically spot on, it’s the emotional experience that’s lovely. Like even if they fail, it’s like the second place winner being sad, when in reality they did so well, ❤. You clearly loved the challenge and won.

This has completely blown my mind.. I'm literally in tears..! This is some kind of alchemy for sure! I've never experienced such an effect from music before. I'm only familiar with a handful of classical pieces but this has left me in a state of amazed shock! Played with such grace and calm control while virtually conveying insanity, at times. Thank you so much for that experience - your skill is as astounding the piece. Standing ovation!

Never heard the Introduction so slow and so heavy... then Bingo! Chopin marked it LARGO, and added PESANTE.

Chopin's loneliest Ballade. Ballade No. 1 in G Minor; a wonderful, complicated piece that depicts a complex emotional state through music.

this is by far my MOST FAVOURITE piano piece that i listen to almost 24hrs a day, back and firth from school to dinner, BUT ITS FRUSTRATING THAT I CHOSE THIS AS MY FAVORITE CUZ I CAN NEVER PLAY IT. KUDOS TO U WHO HAS GAINED A NEW SUBSCRIBER

Hats off to this young man for taking the time to play this beautiful music "a memory".

I can hear Krystian Zimerman's influence in your interpretation and your technical ability to plow through the dreaded ending (which would be far easier to play were humans to have 3 hands) is on par with his. Even Ashkenazy and Kissin, two of the most talented pianists in history, struggle with the "never-ending" ending and you can hear it in their recordings. You moved through it like you were playing a Mozart piano sonata. I can see why you decided to post this - it's a remarkable performance. Any audience would have been on their feet after that.

I first came across this piece in the anime "Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso" (Your Lie in April) & I must say your interpretation & comments here has solidified why this piece was the best for the scene it was used in the anime. Since then, this piece has never failed to move me that I even made a poem inspired by it. Allow me to share the line I wrote for the last part of the ballade: The music seemed to stop for there was no more of you, But I begged for a few more notes, an encore for you. Though with all my might as I play those final notes, You never did come back, and there I played my last note. Absolutely loved the commentary & the playing! Thank you so much 💜💜💜

This has to be my favorite piece of all time. Personally not a pianist but this piece takes you on a journey.

I am addicted to this piece ! Determined to play it at speed before I die [ I am already 70 so wish me luck on that ]' I can play all the slow bits ; I can even play the fast bits as long as I play them slowly , so I just need to speed up ...ha ha . Your playing is absolutely brilliant in so many ways - I think I will model my playing on this version, you are my new favourite . The written commentary is so funny it has me in stitches as well as being very informative . Bravo , thank you so much .

I love Chopin so much and your commentary is hilarious. Definitely made me appreciate him even more. Great job!

I am shocked...how difficult was that? yet you played it flawlessly, well done, young maestro.

A pianist of your caliber and a piano of this quality deserve a more regular tuning schedule!! My favourite Chopin Ballade and your interpretation of it certainly did not disappoint!

I just finished watching Your Lie In April today, and as soon as 5:50 happened I instantly burst into tears - the way you played it, I could hear Kaori's part crystal clear, like her emotion and passion were shining through your playing.

When I listen to Chopin I always end up silently screaming in a pillow or at the air after a piece is finished, because i’m left in SO MANY DIFFERENT EMOTIONS EVERY FUKCING TIME.☺️☺️☺️ YOU DID AMAZING💐💐💐YOU FOR REAL SLAYED EVERY PART OF THE PIECE, ESPECIALLY THE CODA. Good job. So proud of you. 👍🏻

Of the dozens of recordings and performances I've seen of this in my life, you're the only one who keeps the meter/tempo in the A theme and even notices the > accent. I loved it.

the last two bars before the coda is probably the best two bars i have ever seen

This piece, to me, always came off as a feeling of longing; like two long lost friends, now strangers, passing eachother in a crowd without either ever knowing; like the loss of a close loved one and that feeling of hopeless desperation that comes from trying to make sense of a world in their absence; like hope found and lost and begrudgingly found again. It's a feeling that's bittersweet, that wraps it's hand around your throat and twists it's fist in your gut.

This is absolutely fantastic! I love your commentary! I had a composition professor at North Texas State university who would use a very similar system in analyzing many other works! It just made all the sense in the world to me! I look forward to watching more of your videos! I teach piano and singing, and I have made sure to share yours with my students, it has opened a whole new world to them, and how to listen to music!

I listened to this piece many, many times that I had been immune to feeling any emotion when I listened to this in the background but it all changed when I had depression and had to ignore all other genre except classical because it felt like my only safe haven... I was at my friend's house enjoying my time playing and reading... My friend had not seen me cry but I just told him I have depression but of course, to someone who never experienced it, he does not understand how hard it is to admit it... As my routine, I often listen to music when reading. Mostly Chopin since his Nocturnes and Ballades are making me aware and awake. Due to depression, I often ruminate/daydream about past experience... Basically anxiety but on a level that I am unable to control... This piece was playing while I had to stop reading in order to control myself from a panic attack... To my surprise, I made a story using this piece as like the emotional basis where each climax was a significant event in my life... The first dash here for me represents my joy as a student being as happy go lucky as any teen is... The second dash here is my depression, the start of the triggers, the various events that haunts and traumatize me for almost half a year, every single day up to now... The exclamation points... Is my future... And there is only 2 possibilities... One is my suicide, and the other is my growth Hope the latter will come and the former never😞... Thanks for reading

I loved your playing. It transported me when I needed to be transported. My dog is dying as we speak and my heart is broken, but you made me forget for a short time and I thank you so much. I love that piece, and your comments were great, but so was your playing.

omg….I found I as holding my breath when I noticed the caption “now the pianist can breathe”. Now the audience can, too! Breath-taking

That last coda❤ I’m not able to listen to it ever without breaking down in tears. I’ve tried. It’s so absolutely emotionally charged. I’ve played the piano since I was a toddler, but there’s no way I’d ever attempt this piece, even though I think I’d fall in love with playing it. Hands down my favorite piece he’s written.

This ballade always makes me think about the history of the man himself, as if it were his autobiography.

Imagine being back in this era , going to a theater not knowing what to expect then you get mind blown with such beautiful melodies… I would love to time travel most def would be this era of music

This is one of my favorite Chopin pieces. Along with Nocturne no19 in E minor.

If that didn’t catch your attention, then nothing will! I’m not a musician, but this certainly both entertained and educated me about how to listen more intently to Chopins wonderful piano compositions! Thank you so much, it was most enjoyable!

Chopin leaves no emotions untouched in this piece.. A mysterious blend of darkness, serenity, ecstatic bliss, elegantly curved dancing melodic lines, humor (I used to not like the Looney Tunes section but now I see it actually adds balance and it doesn’t last long anyway), and then dropping us off the precipice in most dramatic fashion at the end. A truly grand adventure and still my favorite Chopin ever since hearing it in “The Pianist”.. thanks for the great performance and your amusing perspectives/analysis! My fingers were sweating just watching 🖐💦

I am speechless so I am just going to say thank you. Thanks to you, Chopin still lives in our minds. No need to believe ; just listen.

Thoroughly enjoyed hearing you play my favorite ballade. The coda used to drive me crazy. My brother still reminds me how I would curse all the time while practicing specifically the coda. I eventually got it but not before saying every four letter word imaginable. Thank you, thank you. Much love.

This. Is. GOLDEN!! Not sure how KZfaq knew to place this video in my recommendations... but I'm glad it did!! I appreciate this VERY REAL analysis of this unbelievable piece of music! I'm a pianist from "way back", I guess you could say. I haven't devoted time to it in many years, but Chopin has always been my favorite composer, so I LOVE stumbling across videos that feature his work. Thank you for this most enjoyable upload!

I mean .... Wao! You are playing faultlessly, heavenly. Thank you for making me understand what you musicians feel in your interpretation of a music peace... I am always amazed that you can memorize long music pieces without missing a single note ...

I believe that this piece was played in the movie 'The Pianist' - which I highly recommend to those who haven't seen it.

I... CAN'T... BREATHE!!! MIND-BLOWING PERFORMANCE!!!

You knocked this one right out of the park, mate! You ACED it! Having played piano since I was 3, not only did I enjoy your performance of this piece and the comments you've placed, but also having an ear for tune and pitch (yes, i'm always the one listening for wrong notes or sharp/flat notes) and you did this FLAWLESSLY!!!! What is even more impressive is that you've played the entire piece without the sheet music in front of you! Be blessed mate and don't EVER lose your talent!

This piece is my no.1 favourite piece for these 4 years My current no.1 choice of interpretation is still Krystian zimerman. The emotions I felt within from sad n depressed slowly in to anger n frustration then serene and calm. Makes this piece so wonderful. Chopin piece always felt elegant no matter in what mood😘

I remember about a year or two ago, I was shopping with my mom at a small old town place. There were numerous antique stores and we went to the biggest one because things were sold cheaply and there were a lot of cute things there. We were walking around and I caught a glimpse of sheet music, it didn't really have a cover, but it just had a first page (kind of like the introduction to a book). The paper was pretty fragile and it looked really old, kind of like when it is darker on the outside and light on the inside like a gradient. I flipped through it, and noticed it was sheet music for Chopin Ballad no. 1. The copyright date on the sheet music was 1939 and the actual sheet music itself was written during WWII, and actually had some notes in it. After analysing it, I presume that the sheet music was a teacher notating the sheet music for his/her student. To my surprise, it was only about $11, a reasonable price for a piece of history. Edit: I was mistaken, the copyright date was 1916 and it came from G. Schirmer Inc. New York aka Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics

I don't know why, but this piece makes me think of a small sailboat starting out on a calm sea when a sudden storm comes up. The sailboat is tossed about dangerously. This piece doesn't end so well for the sailboat, but there is a nocturne in which the sailboat weathers the storm and arrives safely back in port as the storm ends. I've never been on a sailboat and it's not likely I ever will be. But I've lived through the experience with Chopin.

Chopin has been my favorite composer for the 86 years of my life. (Well, at least from, say, age 8 upward.) I am such a fan that my friends called me Chopin. I know this Ballade well, but can play only parts of it-but it’s fun trying. As you know, it’s universally “required” in Chopin (and other) virtuoso piano competitions. Your captions were right on, and humorous in the right spots. (And If you didn’t nail it who could tell the difference? Marvelous!)

One of my favourite pieces, when I heard it in "Your lie in April " and "The Pianist" it always hit like a truck.

My mom used to play this! And she's been gone for over 50 years now. Thank you for the memories!

A ballade isn't a story, it's a leisurely stroll

Wunderschön, fantastisch . Vielen herzlichen Dank 👍🤗🎼🎶🌻🙋‍♀️

Man I loved that you played those beautiful parts in the beginning/middle of the piece at a conservative speed. In most pro recordings and concerts I find them unnecessarily fast, and no matter how soft someone can play the piano, it just takes part of the beauty away. Very nicely done, bravo!

I ain't gonna lie, as a pianist and someone who's played this piece myself, albeit not anywhere near as well as this gentleman, this coda sounds and reads like he was composing with his friends one day and he had a "Watch this" moment. Like he's just sitting there writing this piece out and his friends are grooving on it, and then he just rips this fat rail of cocaine and goes off like a madman! I fucking love the piano for this reason alone, wildest instrument ever created by mortal hands. 🤘🤘

I love the commentary, it helps me appreciate the music like i never did when i was studying piano :)

I consider the coda of the 4th ballade more difficult, I absolutely LOVE the adoration you have shown (and shared) to the masterpiece. A love letter to the piano!

What I find amazing is musicians memorising a whole piece. I played piano until around 14. I had no idea how I remembered some pieces by heart! I barely remember what I did yesterday, Especially with such intricate pieces and played with such relaxation and ease is always so impressive to me, BRAVO!

It’s like smashing four beautiful dinner sets and 1 ugly one, then gluing them all back together, mix and match style, to create the most bazaar dinner service you ever saw in your life

I feel like I just took a four hour calculus exam. Insanity! Great job!

Ballade no. 1 finally dropped!! Definitely worth the wait! The little "map" is super useful and the text is as well! It helps understand the piece even further and enjoy the piece even more! (Which I didn't think was possible 😜)

I’ve learned a lot from this pianist. I owe him something.

Brahms called this Chopin's greatest composition. When he told this to Chopin, Chopin agreed. So do I, though there are lots apples to oranges in such statements.

"Pianists: how many endings do you want? Chopin: yes" I died

I feel so much pain from Chopin in this piece, really hits hard (especially going through trying times myself… though nothing like Chopin did so there’s that!). Love your performance and there’s so much on screen I know I’ll be back to watch it again and totally focus on other parts!

It’s like the whole world explained in one piece. Beautiful and amazing.

That was wonderful. Years ago I played this at my final recital, it was well received. There is nothing terrifying in this fabulous composition. Chopin could be a punk. My favorite rendition is that of Artur Rubinstein, who nails the last significant measures like no one else. After 80 years of brilliance, it is ok to expect the best. Beautifully played, young man.

My father played this piece. At the end, it was like falling off a cliff. The way he did it was like a person poised at the edge, then falling, accelerating and adding crescendo to the bottom. He was always glad when people shared classical piano music, and glad to see young people play. He loved many composers. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for EVERY aspect of this presentation. I loved the key to the left, the music at the top, your running commentary at the bottom - and OF COURSE - your brilliant performance !!! Bravo !!!! What an amazing gift and the dedication you have to perfect it - what a blessing to all listeners. Thank you again !!!

It would be extremely difficult to overstate how much I love this video. Keep doing what you're doing!

Note spam is the best description of Chopin's crazy cadenzas I've ever seen 🤣🤣

Well done! I love this piece, and the commentary during your performance made it even better. Thank you!

Ballade no 1 is the piece i wish to play on the piano along with Liebestraum and nocturne op48no1 Great playing and i also enjoyed the subtitles!!

Bravooooo 🗣 omg this piece is just insane 🤯 And I loved the intro 🥺✨️ it really felt like I was at a concert hall waiting for the concert to start🥺 (sorry for the bad english but anyway, I loved it ✨️ you're amaaa~zing)

For me (someone who only used to play the guitar in grade school, aka 10 some years ago) it sounded perfectly played ^^

Absolutely nailed that coda, liked!

I love it when people really get the mystery in Chopin. Excellent job!

We (intermediates) always needed someone to show us the A B C's of melody introduction, along with someone performing the piece at the same time. This is a brilliant presentation, showing the performance, the score, the thematic analysis, and explaining the the performer's reaction to the demands of the piece -- all at the same time. Bravo. What a gift! Thank you so much.

I found this piece for the first time in a leather bound Chopin book when I was about 16, whilst rummaging through books our school was going to throw out. I hadn't even heard of Chopin writing ballades before. When I heard it for the first time, I fell in love with it and it is my favourite classical piece ... bar none (pardon the pun!). I agree the coda is the hardest part and I will never get close to how well you just played it. Bravo 👏

Your channel popped up as recommended and this is the first piece I've heard. Absolutely outstanding. Your commentary at the bottom brings so much interest to the video. I immediately subscribed. Thank you for sharing your gift!

I use a couple of hacks for the coda - 9:40 The melodic G - and subsequent occurrences - I take in the left hand as part of the chord (this means the pinky isn't holding the C anymore, but it's in the pedal anyway). Since the G is still played by a thumb you can bring it out easily and sing the line. I find it makes this corner a bit more fluid. 10:10 The descending Gm scale can be split between hands (I stole this one from Horowitz - it adds velocity and force to the scale which I think is necessary to motivate the ascending scale afterwards). Hope that helps someone somewhere!

My all-time favorite Chopin piece, and once again an outstanding pianist has convinced me that I shouldn't even think about trying to learn it myself.

An absolutely WILD ride, thank you so much for this introduction to this piece and the passion you put into playing it! Fantastic!