Ballade

José Melchor Gomis

RomanticObscureballade~5 min
H5
Henle (estimated)
RCM 7ABRSM 6

About this piece

José Melchor Gomis composed this piece as a lyrical reflection typical of early Spanish Romanticism. It is distinctive for its elegant, salon-style ornamentation and balanced phrase structure.

Teacher notes

Pay close attention to clean articulation in the ornamental turns and grace notes.

Technical focus

cantabilerubatoarticulationvoicing

Mood

elegantnostalgic

Listen & watch

No video available for this piece.

Your status

Not in your repertoire

Sign in to track this piece

Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Ballade

Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.

Browse all Henle level 5 pieces (Late intermediate) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Ballade by José Melchor Gomis?

Ballade is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.

What level do I need to play Ballade?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Ballade?

A typical performance of Ballade lasts about 5 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Ballade?

Ballade is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.

What pieces are similar to Ballade?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include 16 Waltzes by Johannes Brahms, Waltz No. 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich, Waltz in C-sharp minor, No. 2 by Frédéric Chopin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.