Ballade

Jean-Amédée Lefroid de MéreauxOp.60

RomanticObscureballadeA-flat majorAndantino6/8~6 min
H6
Henle (estimated)
RCM 8ABRSM 7

About this piece

Lefroid de Méreaux’s writing reflects the French romantic tradition with ornate melodic decoration. It is a stylistically refined work that prioritizes harmonic color and elegant phrasing over virtuosity.

Teacher notes

Focus on the execution of delicate ornaments while ensuring the cantabile tone remains consistent in the right hand.

Technical focus

cantabilerubatolarge-chordswide-spanornamentation

Mood

elegantnostalgicnarrative

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 6 pieces (Advanced) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Ballade (Op.60) by Jean-Amédée Lefroid de Méreaux?

Ballade (Op.60) is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.

What level do I need to play Ballade?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 6 — meaning you can already play level 5–6 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 (Op.60) lasts about 6 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Ballade?

Ballade (Op.60) 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 Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, No. 6 by Edvard Grieg, 16 Waltzes by Johannes Brahms, Waltz No. 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.