Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Ballade" - Music for a Workday, a captivating classical piano album set to release on July 3, 2025, under Sony Classical. Spanning a soothing 2 hours and 11 minutes, this album is a meticulously curated collection of Bach's most enchanting compositions, interspersed with arrangements by Franz Liszt, Lucas Debargue, and others, offering a fresh perspective on the Baroque master's genius.
The album opens with the delicate "La fille aux cheveux de lin" and "Ave verum corpus," setting a serene tone that carries through to the heart of the album, the complete Goldberg Variations. This monumental work, with its intricate canonic structures and profound beauty, showcases Bach's unparalleled ability to weave complexity and simplicity into a seamless whole.
"Ballade" also features beloved pieces like "Clair de Lune," "The Swan" from Carnival of the Animals, and "Rêverie," each offering a moment of reflection amidst the day's hustle. The inclusion of "Dido's Lament" from Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas adds a touch of dramatic flair, while "Milonga" and "Gnossienne No. 3" bring a hint of modernism to the collection.
Whether you're seeking solace in the familiar or discovering the magic of Bach's music for the first time, "Ballade" - Music for a Workday is your perfect companion. Let the luminous performances and exquisite arrangements transport you to a world of tranquility and inspiration, making every workday a little more extraordinary.
(P) 2025 Sony Music Entertainment
Tracks
La fille aux cheveux de linClaude Debussy, Jeneba Kanneh-Mason
Ave verum corpus, K.618 (Arr. for Piano by Franz Liszt)Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mao Fujita
Sicilienne, Op. 78Gabriel Fauré, Lucas Debargue
Waltz in A Major, Op. 39, No. 15 (Version for piano 4-hands)Johannes Brahms, Igor Levit, Christian Thielemann
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas, Z. 626: When I am laid in earth (Dido's Lament)Henry Purcell, Khatia Buniatishvili
Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: The SwanCamille Saint-Saëns, Philippe Entremont, Gaby Casadesus, Yo-Yo Ma, Michel Cerruti, Michel Cals, Régis Pasquier, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Gabin Lauridon, Gerard Causse, Alain Marion, Michel Arrignon
Keyboard Concerto in F Minor, BWV 1056: Keyboard Concerto in F Minor, BWV 1056: II. LargoJohann Sebastian Bach, Murray Perahia, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Clair de LuneClaude Debussy, Hayato Sumino
Moment Musical, Op. 94, D. 780: No. 3 in F Minor - without ApplauseFranz Schubert, Lucas Debargue
Prelude in B Minor, BWV 855a (Transcribed by Alexander Siloti)Johann Sebastian Bach, Mao Fujita
MilongaAlberto Ginastera, Xavier De Maistre
Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052: II. AdagioJohann Sebastian Bach, Murray Perahia, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: AriaJohann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 1 a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 2 a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 3 - Canone all' Unisono a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 4 a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 5 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 6 - Canone alla Seconda a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 7 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav. Al tempo di GigaJohann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 8 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 9 - Canone alla Terza a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 10 - Fughetta a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 11 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 12 - Canone alla QuartaJohann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 13 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 14 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 15 - Canone alla Quinta a 1 Clav. AndanteJohann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 16 - Ouverture a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 17 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 18 - Canone alla Sesta a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 19 a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 20 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 21 - Canone alla SettimaJohann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 22 a 1 Clav. Alla breveJohann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 23 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 24 - Canone all' Ottava a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 25 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 26 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 27 - Canone alla Nona a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 28 a 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 29 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 30 - Quodlibet a 1 Clav.Johann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria da capoJohann Sebastian Bach, Igor Levit
The Four Seasons - Violin Concerto in F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4, RV 297 "Winter": II. LargoAntonio Vivaldi, Joshua Bell, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11 (Paraphrase for Piano by Lucas Debargue)Gabriel Fauré, Lucas Debargue
Gnossienne No. 3Erik Satie, Francis Poulenc
Sonata in D Minor, K. 32 (Arr. for Guitar by Michael Lewin)Domenico Scarlatti, Miloš Karadaglić