MUSIC AT EMORY
Peiming Yang, piano
Senior Piano Recital
From the studio of Elena Cholakova
Sunday, April 6, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
Emerson Concert Hall
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts
Please turn off phones and all electronic devices. Photography, recording, or digital capture of this concert is not permitted.
Program
Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, op. 23 Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)
Ballade No. 2 in F Major, op. 38 Chopin
— Intermission —
Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, op. 47 Chopin
Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52 Chopin
This recital is presented by the Department of Music at Emory University. music.emory.edu
Program Notes
Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, op. 23
It is one of the most celebrated and dramatic solo piano works in the Romantic repertoire. Composed between 1831 and 1835, it was the first of Chopin’s four ballades and is widely regarded as a masterpiece of musical storytelling and expressive depth.
Having left his native Poland in 1830, just before the outbreak of the November Uprising against Russian rule, Chopin found himself in exile in Paris, grappling with feelings of homesickness and national sorrow. Many scholars and musicians interpret this ballade as a musical embodiment capturing a narrative of struggle, nostalgia, and resilience. Structurally, the piece mirrors this dramatic storytelling, beginning with a solemn introduction, and emerges with lyrical beauty, only to be interrupted by moments of turmoil and conflict, reflecting an internal battle between longing and despair.
Ballade No. 2 in F Major, op. 38
Ballade No. 2 is often considered one of Chopin’s most enigmatic works. Composed between 1836 and 1839, during Chopin’s time in Nohant and Mallorca, the piece reflects both his evolving artistic style and his personal struggles. It was dedicated to Robert Schumann, who greatly admired Chopin’s compositions, though Chopin himself had reservations about this ballade, once referring to it as his least favorite of the four. The piece is structured in a bipolar manner, alternating between two starkly different themes. The first is a gentle, pastoral melody, evoking a sense of peace and simplicity, often likened to a tranquil countryside scene. However, this calm is violently shattered by a stormy section, full of relentless, cascading runs and dark. Some interpretations see this contrast as representing the juxtaposition of idyllic dreams with harsh reality, a theme that could resonate with Chopin’s own struggles during this period. The piece ultimately resolves in an ambiguous, uneasy conclusion, reinforcing its sense of unresolved tension.
Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, op. 47
Ballade No. 3 stands out for its refined balance between virtuosity and poetic expression. Composed in 1841, during a period of relative stability in Chopin’s life, the piece reflects a more optimistic and refined approach compared to the dramatic turbulence of his previous ballades. At the time, Chopin was living in Nohant, the countryside estate of his lover, George Sand, where he found both inspiration and tranquility.
The music reflects this narrative with a sense of flowing motion and shimmering textures, evoking images of playful water or dancing figures. The opening theme is light and buoyant, setting a serene yet noble atmosphere. As the piece progresses, the themes intertwine and develop, growing in intensity while maintaining an undercurrent of joy and elegance.
Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52
It is widely regarded as one of his greatest masterpieces, a work of profound depth, intricate complexity, and the most challenging of the four ballades. Composed in 1842, during one of the most mature and reflective periods of Chopin’s life, this ballade stands as the most sophisticated of the four.
The music reflects this sense of journey and transformation, beginning with a delicate and introspective opening that gradually develops into a rich, expressive theme. The climax of Ballade No. 4 is one of Chopin’s most extraordinary passages, where cascading arpeggios and intricate chromatic runs build towards a breathtaking, almost transcendent peak. The ending, unresolved and filled with a sense of tragic inevitability, has led many to interpret the piece as a profound expression of nostalgia and ultimate resignation.
Performer Biography
Peiming Yang, piano, composer
Peiming Yang is a fourth-year student at Emory double majoring in psychology and music composition. He began studying piano at age four under various teachers and continued on himself into high school and college. At Emory, he studied piano with Elena Cholakova, and composition with Adam Mirza and Katherine Young. In the music department, Yang has played in several chamber ensembles, composition showcases, and the SURE program of summer 2024. With merely nothing planned for the future, Yang decided to embrace the uncertainties and chaos with the certainties of sound and emotions, as a composer, and a pianist.