mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Authentic corrections of FE

b. 83

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

No slur in GC (→GE), FE & EE (literal reading of A)

End of slur in A (contextual interpretation)
..

In A it is not clear whether the slur from the previous bars is supposed to reach the 1st crotchet in bar 83. According to us, the clearly dragged slurs at the end of bar 82 (in both hands) have an advantage over the lack of their ending at the beginning of bar 83. Therefore, we suggest this interpretation in the main text. In the part of the L.H. this version was not reproduced in any of the remaining sources, while in the part of the R.H. – only in FE. In EE – most probably due to the arbitrarily added crotchet in the R.H. – the next slur begins already from the beginning of the bar. In GE2 (→GE3) the slurs in the R.H. in bars 82-83 were arbitrarily combined. The slurring variants of the R.H. are available in the subsequent note.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 90

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

A (→EE,GC→GE) & FE2 (→FE3)

FE1
..

It is not clear what could have caused FE1 to replace the quaver d-a by the dots prolonging the preceding crotchet. In any case, the A version reinstated in the proofreading of FE2 (→FE3) proves that it was a mistake.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 93

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

c repeated in A (→GC→GE, →EE,FE1→FE2)

c tied in FE3
..

The decision to sustain c in FE3 may have come from Chopin. However, as the authenticity of some of the changes introduced in this impression raises serious doubts, in the main text we give the version of A (→GC) and of the remaining editions.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Authentic corrections of FE

b. 100

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

In FE1,  the 2nd crotchet in the bottom R.H. voice is printed on the level of c1 but because it has no ledger line it looks like d1. The omitted line was already added in FE2.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 106

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

g1 tied in A (→EE)

g1 repeated in GC (→GE) (possible interpretation of A)

Three g1 in FE1

f1 in FE2 (→FE3)
..

In the main text we give the version of FE2 (→FE3), corrected by Chopin. However, it is not clear whether the composer's resignation from the version of A was final at the time of performing this correction, as the proofreading concerned a slightly different, undoubtedly erroneous version of FE1. The interpretation of A is also uncertain – the tie sustaining g1, repeated in EE, is perhaps deleted, as it was probably understood in FE1 and GC (→GE). Both interpretations of A may be considered as variants. 

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

issues: Deletions in A , Authentic corrections of FE