When Chopin left with George Sand for his oft-cited winter sojourn on Mallorca in autumn 1838, he also took his second ballade with him, which was not yet finished. Chopin’s health and other unfavourable circumstances had interfered with his work on the composition- he only completed it in winter 1839. (We have a facsimile of the wonderful autograph- HN 3212.) The printing process was also delayed – not least because of the composer’s considerable financial demands.

Following his emigration f...