what does the Op. in Ballade No.1 - Op.23 - in Gm?

M

Mel

New member
I know the Gm is G minor but what does the Op. 23 stand for and for that matter can some one explain why it has numbers in the title. Thanks

PS. This is a great music piece.
 
Opus is Latin for "work." This Ballade No. 1 is the 23rd catalogued piece Chopin composed. He composed four Ballades overall.

Another example for you, Chopin's two sets of Etudes, Op. 10, Nos 1-12 and Op. 25, Nos. 1 -12.
Other work, Opus 11 through 24, are other pieces composed in chronological sequence between the time he composed the Etudes Op. 10 and the Op. 25 set. (The Op. 23 being one of those.)

Its a chronological record of the production of works.

For Mozart, the catalogue numbers are K.___ , inital of Koechel, the gentleman who put those in order (Mozart did not.) Bach and Haydn, similarly, have initals and numbers from the people who catalogued their works. Beethoven labeled his own with Opus numbers, and most composers since have done the same.

best regards.
 
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