mUltimate Chopin

Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Deletions 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. 106

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

g1 tied in A (→EE)

g1 repeated in GC (→GE) (possible interpretation of A)

Three g1 in FE1

f1 in FE2 (→FE3)
..

In the main text we give the version of FE2 (→FE3), corrected by Chopin. However, it is not clear whether the composer's resignation from the version of A was final at the time of performing this correction, as the proofreading concerned a slightly different, undoubtedly erroneous version of FE1. The interpretation of A is also uncertain – the tie sustaining g1, repeated in EE, is perhaps deleted, as it was probably understood in FE1 and GC (→GE). Both interpretations of A may be considered as variants. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Deletions in A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 179

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

In A the 2nd part of the bar in the R.H. was deleted and rewritten next to the stave. The ties sustaining d2-a2 are in the deleted part of the bar, while in the part which was rewritten there is only a tie sustaining a2. As a result of this ambiguous notation, in GC (→GE) only the tie to a2 was copied. In FE and EE the ambiguous notation of A was interpreted, according to us, correctly, preserving both ties. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Deletions in A , Inaccuracies in GC

b. 179-180

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

The R.H. part underwent substantial changes in A, mainly rhythmical. Interestingly, it is possible to decipher the deleted versions with high probability. Chopin started with the following:. Subsequently, this was slightly modified by removing the penultimate semiquaver in bar 179:. Analogous transformations were applied in bars 183-184.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Main-line changes

b. 185-186

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

..

The deletions visible in A at the beginning of the 2nd half of bar 185 demonstrate that Chopin changed the 7th R.H. semiquaver. The removed semiquaver was probably a g1-c2 fourth. Similarly, we can guess that the deleted 7th semiquaver in bar 186 sounded a1-d2.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Main-line changes