mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

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b. 64-67

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Slurs in A

No slurs in GC (→GE) & FE

Slurs in EE
..

GC (→GE) and FE overlook the slurs in the R.H. in bars 64-67 (and further). In EE the slur was divided in the middle of bar 67, probably analogously to the authentic slurring in bar 65. In the main text we give the slurring of A.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Errors of GC

b. 64

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Octave in A (→EE,GC→GE)

Single A1 in FE
..

The lowest component of the 2nd chord in the R.H. was certainly corrected in GC from b to a; in the topmost component of the first octave in the L.H. there are also clear traces of correction, probably from F to A. It is hard to state clearly whether they are Gutman's own corrections or whether it was Chopin that noticed and corrected the wrong pitch while reviewing GC. The second possibility seems to be less plausible, as in FE this note was totally overlooked, which remained unnoticed by Chopin who was correcting this edition. Cf. the annotation in bar 13. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Errors in FE , Inaccuracies in GC , Alterations in GC

b. 64

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

 in A (→GC)

in FE, EE & GE
..

In all editions, small discrepancies notwithstanding, the  hairpin is distinctly shorter than in manuscripts. It attests, in our opinion, to the routine approach of engravers, who tried to adjust the range of the sign to elements of the notation related to the rhythmical structure, like notes or bars.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Scope of dynamic hairpins , GE revisions , FE revisions

b. 65-67

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

 before a in A

 on f in GC (→GE)

 on g in FE

  irregularly in EE
..

In A the pedal release in bars 63-68 is differentiated: in bars 63, 64 the  falls on the 2nd beat, bars 65-68 the  follows only after the 5th semiquaver from the end.
In GC in bars 63-66 the  falls on the 2nd beat (i.e. in bars 63 and 64 in accordance with A, although there is a visible trace of correction - an erroneous  at the end of the bar), bar 67 is consistent with A, in bar 68 - there are no  and  signs.
GE copies GC, homogenising bar 67 with the remaining ones (i.e. shifting  to the middle of the bar), in bar 68 no pedalling was copied.
EE is compatible with A except for bar 65 -  moved to the 2nd beat, analogously to bars 63 and 64; in addition, in bars 61-65 the pedalling is written between the staves.
FE is more or less compatible with A – the hesitation is a result of an extremely compact notation in these bars (the 2nd beat in the R.H. does not fall exactly over the 2nd beat in the L.H.), therefore, it is hard to say with one hundred percent certainty whether  was written correctly or not, although the intention of A was certainly correctly understood. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , EE inaccuracies , Inaccuracies in GC

b. 65

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

Before the first chord, in all sources an superfluous cautionary  occurs next to e1. We omit it in the main text, adding a cautionary  before c1, and a  before b1 instead. The latter was added already in EE.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Cautionary accidentals