I remember de Pachmann—­a close interpreter of certain sides of Chopin—­playing this coda piano, pianissimo and prestissimo.  The effect was strangely irritating to the nerves, and reminded me of a tornado seen from the wrong end of an opera glass.  According to his own lights the Russian virtuoso was right:  his strength was not equal to the task, and so, imitating Chopin, he topsy-turvied the shading.  It recalled Moscheles’ description of Chopin’s playing:  “His piano is so softly breathed forth that he does not require any strong forte to produce the wished for contrast.”

This G minor Ballade was published in June, 1836, and is dedicated to Baron Stockhausen.  The last bar of the introduction has caused some controversy.  Gutmann, Mikuli and other pupils declare for the E flat; Klindworth and Kullak use it.  Xaver Scharwenka has seen fit to edit Klindworth, and gives a D natural in the Augener edition.  That he is wrong internal testimony abundantly proves.  Even Willeby, who personally prefers the D natural, thinks Chopin intended the E flat, and quotes a similar effect twenty-eight bars later.  He might have added that the entire composition contains examples—­look at the first bar of the valse episode in the bass.  As Niecks thinks, “This dissonant E flat may be said to be the emotional keynote of the whole poem.  It is a questioning thought that, like a sudden pain, shoots through mind and body.”

There is other and more confirmatory evidence.  Ferdinand Von Inten, a New York pianist, saw the original Chopin manuscript at Stuttgart.  It was the property of Professor Lebert (Levy), since deceased, and in it, without any question, stands the much discussed E flat.  This testimony is final.  The D natural robs the bar of all meaning.  It is insipid, colorless.

Kullak gives 60 to the half note at the moderato.  On the third page, third bar, he uses F natural in the treble.  So does Klindworth, although F sharp may be found in some editions.  On the last page, second bar, first line, Kullak writes the passage beginning with E flat in eighth notes, Klindworth in sixteenths.  The close is very striking, full of the splendors of glancing scales and shrill octave progressions.  “It would inspire a poet to write words to it,” said Robert Schumann.

“Perhaps the most touching of all that Chopin has written is the tale of the F major Ballade.  I have witnessed children lay aside their games to listen thereto.  It appears like some fairy tale that has become music.  The four-voiced part has such a clearness withal, it seems as if warm spring breezes were waving the lithe leaves of the palm tree.  How soft and sweet a breath steals over the senses and the heart!”