Undertakes the history of this verse form from its origins in romance lands through France and England. Shows how the formal ballade became reduced to three sta

The Guardian editor and amateur pianist’s account of a remarkable musical challenge during an extraordinary year for news. As editor of the Guardian, one of t

Chopin's four ballades are widely regarded as being amongst the most significant extended works for solo piano of the nineteenth century. In an illuminating dis

A young journalist prompts a reclusive piano superstar to open up, resulting in this stunning graphic sonata exploring a lifetime of rivalry, regret, and redemp

By interweaving biography and musical commentary, Jim Samson has produced a well-rounded portrait of Chopin, the man and the musician.