Favorite (and hardest) Ballades? (Not just Chopin)

[liszt-and-the-galops]

Who's ballades were best and who's were hardest?

IMO:
Hardest: Of the ones I've heard, Chopin's
Best: Chopin's

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Favorite - definitely Chopin. Not even close, considering they're Chopin's best pieces, in my opinion.

I don't even want to get started on hardest, but I guess I'll think about it. By the way, do you mean Clara Schumann by Schumann?

[liszt-and-the-galops]

By the way, do you mean Clara Schumann by Schumann?

Yes. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[lelle]

Best - Chopin's, by a mile

[thorn]

I voted Chopin's too though I don't like the 2nd. The 4th is one of my favourite piano pieces so it more than compensates!

Honourable mention is Granados' ballad 'El amor y la muerte' from Goyescas.

&t=1882s

[thorn]

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[liszt-and-the-galops]

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Off-topic, but I see this every now and then but never understand what it means.
Maybe I'm just out of the loop...

[thorn]

It's when people double post and delete the second one. I added a video to my first post but it ended up quoting/reposting.

[transitional]

I voted Chopin's too though I don't like the 2nd. The 4th is one of my favourite piano pieces so it more than compensates!

Haha same for me. I hate the 2nd but absolutely love the 3rd and 4th ballades.

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Also, I enjoy Medtner's Sonata-Ballade too.

[liszt-and-the-galops]

It's when people double post and delete the second one. I added a video to my first post but it ended up quoting/reposting.

Huh. Usually I just replace the duplicate with [duplicate post] (or something similar).

Haha same for me. I hate the 2nd but absolutely love the 3rd and 4th ballades.

IMO all of them are good, but the 1st and 4th are best by a mile.
Don't ask me for my favorite between the two. It changes almost constantly.