mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors in EE

b. 36

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

EE has an erroneous d instead of e as the bottom note of the crotchet in the 2nd half of the bar.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE

b. 39

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

 in A (→FE,GC→GE)

Interpretation of A suggested by the editors

No sign in EE
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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. 47-49

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Hairpins in A (→FE,GC→GE)

No signs in EE
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In EE there are no  and  hairpins. It is certainly the engraver's oversight.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE

b. 47-50

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Eight slurs in A (→FE)

Five slurs in GC

Six slurs in GE

No slurs in EE
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EE overlooks all slurs in this four-bar section, in both the R.H. and L.H. parts. In GC there are no slurs in the L.H. part in bars 47-49, which is probably a result of an oversight too. In GE the version of GC was completed with a slur in bar 48, probably after bar 50.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE , GE revisions , Errors of GC

b. 51-52

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Slur in A (→GC→GE)

Two slurs in FE

No slurs in EE
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The separate R.H. slurs in these bars result most likely from a misunderstanding of the notation in A by the engraver of FE.  Bar 52 starts a new line in A, and the beginning of slur clearly indicates a continuation. However, the slur in bar 51 extends only slightly beyond the bar line what might have mislead the engraver.
EE has no slur whatsoever (it only starts in bar 54), what is certainly a mistake, like in previous bars.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Errors in EE , Inaccurate slurs in A , Uncertain slur continuation