mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Authentic corrections of FE

b. 173

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

In GC (→GE) Chopin added cautionary naturals next to b2 in the R.H. and b in the L.H. Such a double addition virtually excludes the possibility of a mistake – it is about neither restoring d2 in the R.H. nor a cautionary  before the L.H. g1. The composer presumably forgot that a  from the key signature is no longer effective. In the main text we omit these accidentals, adding a cautionary  before g1 instead.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations

issues: Errors resulting from corrections , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 174

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Slur from 1st semiquaver in A (→GC→GE)

Slur from 2nd semiquaver in FE & EE
..

The slur in 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 184

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Sixth in A (→EE,GC→GE) & FE2 (→FE3)

Octave in FE1
..

FE1 has an erroneous B1 instead of D as the bottom note of the 3rd quaver. The mistake was corrected in FE2 (→FE3).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Terzverschreibung error , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 187

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

FE1 overlooked the bottom note of the last semiquaver in the R.H. The error was corrected in FE2 (→FE3).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 202-204

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

1. Original version in A

2. Later version of A (→FE1,EE)

3. GC, contextual interpretation

GE

4. FE2 (→FE3)

Our variant suggestion
..

The ending of the Ballade has a few versions proving Chopin's hesitations. We present them below in a chronological order:

  1. The original version in A.
  2. The later version in A (→EE), added by Chopin under the deleted version No. 1. This version was copied to GC, where Chopin would then modify it (with an erroneous c1 instead of d1 in bar 203).
  3. The version of GC changed by Chopin. This version was adopted by GE by correcting the bottom note in bar 203 and adding an erroneous slur combining the grace note and the g minim.
  4. The version of FE2, corrected by Chopin.

As it can be seen, Chopin had two main concepts of the Ballade's endings, "open" and "close." According to us, it is the version No. 1 that presents the first of them in the most thoughtful manner, while in the case of the latter it is the version No. 4. In the main text we give the version No. 1, enriched with variant, characteristic for Chopin grace note added in GC.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Chopin's hesitations , Errors resulting from corrections , Terzverschreibung error , Deletions in A , Authentic corrections of FE , Errors of GC , Authentic corrections in GC