ballade

[ buh-lahd, ba-; French ba-lad ]

noun

, plural bal·lades [b, uh, -, lahdz, ba-, b, a, -, lad].

1. a poem consisting commonly of three stanzas having an identical rhyme scheme, followed by an envoy, and having the same last line for each of the stanzas and the envoy.
2. Music. a composition in free style and romantic mood, often for solo piano or for orchestra.

ballade

/ bæˈlɑːd; balad /

noun

1. prosody a verse form consisting of three stanzas and an envoy, all ending with the same line. The first three stanzas commonly have eight or ten lines each and the same rhyme scheme
2. music an instrumental composition, esp for piano, based on or intended to evoke a narrative

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballade¹

1485–95; < Middle French, variant of balade ballad

Example Sentences

He does this while improvising an elaborately complex poem called a ballade.

From Salon

But his sensitivity to texture and resonance is sure to illuminate the more traditional works on offer here: a prelude, ballade and polonaise by Chopin, Debussy’s “Estampes” suite and Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata.

From New York Times

This superb pianist plays the four Chopin ballades magnificently.

From New York Times

Her hasty entrance translated to a somewhat sloppy performance of a polonaise and a ballade.

From New York Times

On Saturday, for the first half of her recital, she brought poise and sensitivity to two early Brahms ballades, and then offered a rhapsodic, poetic performance of Schumann’s fantastical, challenging “Kreisleriana,” a 35-minute suite.

From New York Times