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Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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Articulation, Accents, Hairpins

b. 141

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Long accent in A

No mark in FE (→GE,EE)

Our variant suggestion
..

The accent was overlooked probably due to an oversight by the engraver of FE (→GE,EE), which Chopin possibly did not notice while proofreading FE.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors in FE

b. 146-147

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

in A

Longer  in FE (→GE,EE)
..

In the main text, we keep the approximate range of the  hairpin entered into A. The engravers of Chopinesque first editions would often extend hairpins so that they occupy an entire bar; such a procedure was applied in this case by FE (→GE,EE). The difference, as small as it may be, may suggest an erroneous interpretation, particularly at the end of the bar – it is difficult to assume that Chopin would have wanted the crescendos to go beyond the penultimate, highest quaver. See also b. 148.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins

b. 148

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Half-bar  in A

Whole-bar  in FE (→GE,EE)

 suggested by the editors
..

We interpret the notation of A as incomplete or perhaps erroneous. Chopin wrote a  only in the 1st half of the bar, on which the end of the line falls in A; perhaps he was convinced that the bar had already ended or simply forgot to write the ending of the mark in a new line. Anyways, the shape of the figurations in this bar suggests that the crescendo should be continued in the 2nd half of the bar and to the very end, since the topmost note falls only just on the beginning of the next bar (unlike in the previous two). Due to the above, in the main text we model the beginning of the mark after previous analogous bars; as far as the ending is concerned, we lead it to the end of the bar.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Scope of dynamic hairpins , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 149

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

No mark in A

Accent in FE (→GE,EE)
..

The accent was most probably added by Chopin in the stage of proofreading FE (→GE,EE).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Authentic corrections of FE

b. 155

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

L.H. long accent in A

in FE (→EE)

R.H. short accent in GE
..

The typical long accent over the L.H. chord was reproduced by FE (→EE) as a short  hairpin under the R.H. part, correlated with the  in the previous bar. In GE, the mark was distorted to an even greater extent – it was provided with the form of a short accent under e3.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE