Issues : Long accents

b. 39

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

 in A (→FE,GCGE)

Interpretation of A suggested by the editors

No sign in EE

..

It seems that Chopin changed the concept of dynamic markings in this and the next phrase – in A one can see in this bar a pair of   signs, out of which the first was then deleted. While writing analogous bar 40, the composer put there only the sign of a long accent over the chord in the middle of the bar. According to us, it means that the slightly longer sign in bar 38 should be interpreted in this way.

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

issues: Long accents , Errors in EE , Corrections in A , Deletions in A

b. 42-43

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Long accent in A (→GC,FE)

Long accent in GE

Short accent in EE

..

The long accents in these bars were inaccurately reproduced in the editions – in FE both signs are moved to the right, while in EE the sign in bar 42 has the form of a short accent. Moreover, in GE and EE the sign was overlooked in bar 43.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents

b. 95

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Long accent in A

No mark in GC (→GE)

in FE

Short accent in EE

..

The typical long accent in A was misrepresented in FE (as a diminuendo hairpin) and EE (as a short accent). In GC (→GE) the sign was overlooked.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in FE , EE inaccuracies , Errors of GC

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