mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

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Articulation, Accents, Hairpins
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Articulation, Accents, Hairpins

b. 147-148

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Long accents in A (→GC,FE)

Short accents in GE & EE
..

According to us, two accents in the R.H. written in A are to be interpreted as long and this is how they were reproduced in FE (yet not in EE). The nature of equivalent signs in GC, despite its similarity to Chopin signs, is already less clear, thus GE has rather short accents.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , EE inaccuracies

b. 148

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

The sign under two last octaves in the L.H. in A may be interpreted as diminuendo hairpins or a long accent. Both in GC and in FE it was interpreted rather as a long accent (the short accent in EE must be already considered as a misinterpretation). In turn, we interpret the slightly longer sign in GE as  hairpins. Due to the frequent use of   in this fragment, we give preference to such an interpretation also in the case of A.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , EE inaccuracies

b. 151

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

No marking in sources

[] suggested by the editors
..

By analogy to bars 141, 145, 149 we also suggest a  here.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

b. 151

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

No sign in A (→EE,GC→GE1)

in FE & GE2 (→GE3)
..

The lack of dynamic marking in A (→EE,GC→GE1) could result from distraction (or lack of space) connected with the correction. In FE and GE2 (→GE3) a  was added, most likely by analogy to bars 141, 143, 147 and 149.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors resulting from corrections , Authentic corrections of FE , FE revisions

b. 155

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

 in A

in GC (→GE)

in FE

in EE

Long accent suggested by the editors
..

According to us, beginning the  mark clearly before the minim and placing it on its stem means that it is a long accent, written proportionally to the unexpected length of the note. This is the interpretation we give in the main text. The versions of the remaining sources are attempts at an explicit reproduction of form and meaning of the mark by the copyist and the engravers. However, none of them took into account both elements of notation indicated above, and the size of the mark forced them to interpret it as a  hairpin. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Unclear hairpins in A