mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in FE

b. 123-124

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

in A

in GC (→GE)

in FE

No sign in EE
..

Similarly to the slur, the moment where the  hairpin begins is not obvious in the manuscripts. We assume that the sign in A has the character of a long accent, and starts slightly before the a crotchet. However, the sign in GC starts after the minim at the beginning of the bar, as it was interpreted by GE which is based on this copy. The shortening of the hairpin in FE resulted most probably from the line-break, and the sign in EE was overlooked.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , Errors in EE , Inaccuracies in GC

b. 131

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Arpeggio sign in A (→EE,GC→GE)

No arpeggio sign in FE
..

The lack of the arpeggio sign is most probably an oversight by the engraver of FE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE

b. 132-133

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

 in A

 in GC (→GE)

in FE

 cresc. in EE
..

All versions of dynamic indications differing from the one written in A result from an inaccurate reproduction of the notation of the autograph:

  • shift of the cresc. indication in GC, slightly intensified in GE, is an inaccuracy that was probably aimed at keeping the notation transparent. Its possible influence on the performance seems to be marginal.
  • the changes introduced in EE (forced by the start of a new line), and particularly the ones in FE, in which the  hairpin was shortened and the cresc. indication was omitted, contribute to a more serious change of the layout.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , EE inaccuracies

b. 134

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

In the 1st R.H. chord, GE1 did not include the cautionary naturals next to a1 and a2 written in A (→EE,GC). The naturals were added in GE2 (→GE3). FE omitted only the bottom .

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals

b. 136

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

3 staccato dots in A (probable reading→EE) & GE

2 dots in GC

3 wedges in A, possible reading

2 wedges in FE
..

It is not entirely clear what staccato marks were intened by Chopin in this bar. They resemble dots In A despite being bigger than usual – possibly Chopin emboldened them to make them better visible, or changed wedges for dots. FE read them as wedges (except for the omitted L.H. mark), GC and EE – as dots (in the copy the L.H. mark was omitted, and reinstated in GE.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , GE revisions , Wedges , Inaccuracies in GC