Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op.38 (Chopin)(Please read narrative at the bottom to understand context).

This ballade was one of various unfinished works Chopin took with him to Mallorca for a winter stay with Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, best known by her pen name George Sand, who was a
French novelist, memoirist, and journalist and one of the most popular writers in Europe in her lifetime.
Chopin started composing this ballade in 1836 and announced completion of it in a letter dated 14 December 1838, and by January 1840, he had sold the work to Breitkopf & Härtel for publication. The piece has been criticised by some prominent pianists and musicologists, including its dedicatee Schumann, as a less ingenious work than the first. There is some degree of disagreement as to its inspiration, but some domestic situation could have had some unknown influence in its construction.
(The relationship between Sand and her two children were fraught with disparity, and I would imagine that arguments would break out without warning between an emotional woman and her exasperating children. Apparently, Chopin helped raise Sand's child, Solange. As she came of age, Solange fell in with questionable men, and she and her mother fell out. Chopin was rebuffed by Sand when he tried to help, breaking his heart in the process. Such an occasion as the following might have occured one weekend:--
Imagine the scene: after a Sunday lunch, Chopin retired to the music room to compose. However, it was a balmy day, Chopin was feeling replete and, in such a calm state, he relaxed while he mused. Just as he was beginning to doze, there was a sudden outburst from the other room with much shouting and banging, but it gradually subsided. However, Chopin was not becalmed until 3' 57'' when he was able to rekindle the state he was in before the outbursts, except there was the slight residue of uneasiness still lurking in his mind at 4' 29''. Another small disturbance recurred at 5' 10'' but it subsided again. Then the arguing flared up once more, greater than before, until the climax came where one can hear each protagonist mouthing off at each other. Eventually, Chopin called a halt to this melee; he returned to his room, slumped into an armchair and gave up in exasperation!!!! That was the end of what had begun as a wonderful reverie, never to be restored after such disturbing occurences!!)
GlynGlynn, realiser.
Feel free to leave any comments, be they good, bad, or indifferent as to whether the piece or the performance moved you in any way!
(Since music is an aural art, and not a visual one, it is best to listen to these pieces, and other artists performances, with eyes closed, so as to be able to listen intently as to how the music is portrayed).