Ballade No.1

William MasonOp.12

RomanticObscureballade
H5
Henle (estimated)

About this piece

William Mason was a prominent American pedagogue whose compositions often blended European Romanticism with American parlor style. This piece serves as a study in harmonic color and phrasing.

Teacher notes

Focus on the subtle use of pedal to connect wide-spaced harmonic shifts in the left hand.

Technical focus

cantabilepedalingrubatolarge-chords

Mood

elegantnostalgic

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Not in your repertoire

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Ballade No.1

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 No.1 (Op.12) by William Mason?

Ballade No.1 (Op.12) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7.

What level do I need to play Ballade No.1?

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.

Where can I get free sheet music for Ballade No.1?

Ballade No.1 (Op.12) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.

What pieces are similar to Ballade No.1?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Ballade et barcarole by William Mason, Ballade et barcarole by William Mason, Waltz No. 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.