Ballade No.3

Frédéric ChopinOp.47

RomanticIconicballadeA-flat majorAllegretto6/8~8 min
H8
Henle (estimated)
RCM 10ABRSM 8

About this piece

Chopin's Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major is a masterwork of Romantic piano literature inspired by Mickiewicz's poetry. It is distinguished by its seamless integration of two contrasting themes and its sophisticated, weaving contrapuntal textures.

Teacher notes

The primary challenge is balancing the delicate voicing in the right hand against the fluid, complex accompaniment figures.

Technical focus

rubatocantabilearpeggiosvoicinglayered-texturepolyrhythm

Mood

lyricalelegantnarrativenostalgic

Listen & watch

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Ballade No.3

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

Browse all Henle level 8 pieces (Concert) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Ballade No.3 (Op.47) by Frédéric Chopin?

Ballade No.3 (Op.47) is rated Henle level 8 of 9 — concert repertoire, roughly diploma level. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 10.

What level do I need to play Ballade No.3?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 8 — meaning you can already play level 7–8 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 No.3?

A typical performance of Ballade No.3 (Op.47) lasts about 8 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Ballade No.3?

Ballade No.3 (Op.47) 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.3?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Nocturne in F-sharp major, No. 2 by Frédéric Chopin, Ballade No.1 by Frédéric Chopin, Ballade No.4 by Frédéric Chopin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.