mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Corrections in A

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
..

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. 40-41

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

 in A

 in GC (→GE)

No sign in FE

 in EE
..

Both the omission of the  sign in FE and its slight extension in GC (→GE) are undoubtedly of an accidental nature. However, the shorter hairpins in EE may be a result of the interpretation of the notation of A – Chopin would extend the initially written long accent and the result of these corrections is not entirely clear, as a part of the sign in bar 41 has the form of a single horizontal line. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , EE inaccuracies , Inaccuracies in GC

b. 53

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

R.H. part in A (→FE,EE)

GC (→GE1→GE2)

GE3
..

In A the original beginning of the bar was the following:

Chopin changed it then to the version offered by FE and EE:

The above correction was also included in GC, however, in this copy Chopin himself changed this place one more time; the new version was printed on this basis in GE1 (→GE2). We consider this version as definitive with one reservation:  we add a  lowering e2 to e2, overlooked during the correction. The addition, not so obvious without knowledge of previous Chopin's corrections, was introduced only in GE3.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , GE revisions , Authentic corrections in GC

b. 57

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

In A (→GC,→FE1→FE2) there are no flats lowering e2 to e2 and e1 to e1, which is a patent inaccuracy of notation.
The necessary signs were completed in GE and EE, as well as in FE3, in which, however, the first of the added signs erroneously lowers g2 to g2.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Accidentals in different octaves , Corrections in A , Terzverschreibung error , GE revisions , FE revisions

b. 143

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

Visible in A are deletions of octaves forming a motif as in bar 149 or 151. Chopin presumably made a mistake by thinking too far ahead.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A