mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : GE revisions

b. 62-63

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Slur to bar 63 in A (→GC,FE)

Slur to end of bar 62 in EE & GE
..

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Inaccurate slurs in A , Embracing slurs , GE revisions

b. 64-67

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Slur in A (contextual interpretation→FE)

No slur in bars 65-67 in GC

New slur from bar 66 in EE

4 slurs in GE
..

In both manuscripts a new line of text starts from bar 65, resulting in inaccurate or erroneous notation of L.H. slurs. In A the end of slur in bar 64 clearly indicates continuation which is not confirmed by the beginning of slur in bar 65. In GC the slur ends in bar 64 and is not continued in the subsequent bars. The engraver of FE was not mislead by the inaccuracy of A. However, it probably caused an error in EE which starts a new slur from a new line (from bar 66, closely resembling bar 65 beginning a new line in A). GE amended the GC version by adding separate, bar-long slurs in bars 65-67 (probably generalising the slur written in GC in bar 68).

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions , Errors of GC , Uncertain slur continuation

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. 68-69

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

In A (→GC,FE1→FE2) there are no accidentals before the last chord in bar 68 and in the entire bar 69. Moreover, in both previous FE there are no flats before two topmost notes of the chord at the beginning of bar 68 (d2 and e2). In FE3 the missing signs were completed, apart from the  lowering d2 to d2 in bar 68. GE and EE have the correct notation, yet only in EE there are all flats before the second chord in bar 69 (the rules of the signs validity with the use of an octave sign were not established).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , FE revisions

b. 69

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Three-note chord in A (→EE,GC→GE)

Octave in FE
..

The octave in FE is most probably a result of an oversight of the engraver of FE1, although the missing completion of the middle note in later proofreadings may be perplexing. It is even more puzzling considering the fact that both in FE2 and in FE3 corrections were made in this bar and on this stave – in FE2 it was the octave sign that was corrected, while FE3 added flats lowering e2(3) to e2(3) and a3 to a3. In spite of that, the most plausible explanation of the missing middle note in this octave is, according to us, an error, and sanctioning it supplements in FE3 constitute a strong argument for at least partial non-authenticity of the changes introduced in this edition.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , GE revisions , FE revisions