mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : GE revisions

b. 194-195

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur to a1 in A & EE

No slur in FE

Slur to g1 in GE
..

The analysis of the corrections of slurs in similar motifs that are visible in A – in b. 8-19, 100-101 and perhaps 198-199, one can see that the slurs were being prolonged so that they reached the minim ending the motif – leads to the conclusion that the slur in the discussed bars is the initial version of slurring of this figure, left by inadvertence. Therefore, in the main text we give a longer slur, compliant with the final slurring concept.
The absence of the slur in FE must be an oversight by the engraver, which was amended – most probably on the basis of a comparison with analogous figures – both by GE and EE. The reviser of GE probably took into account previous similar places too, whereas his English colleague looked only at the nearest figure, in b. 196.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , GE revisions , Omitted correction of an analogous place

b. 195-205

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

No L.H. slurs in A (→FE→GE,EE1→EE2)

L.H. slurs in EE3
..

In the main text we add slurs to the staccato dots with which the pairs of L.H. crotchets are marked in these bars (Chopin wrote such slurs only in the 2nd halves of b. 196, 198 and 200). We provide an extensive justification of this decision in the note concerning b. 9-21. As was the case there, slurs were added here also by EE3 (except for the 2nd half of b. 199).
Isolated cases of adding slurs, probably resulting from the engravers' mistakes, are visible in GE1a in the 2nd half of b. 195, in GE (including in GE1a) in the 2nd half of b. 201 and in FE and all the remaining editions in b. 202. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE , FE revisions

b. 205

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

No dashes in A (→FE→EE)

Dashes in GE

Dashes suggested by the editors
..

The il più forte possible indication in b. 206 seems to be a natural end point for cresc. from b. 203. Therefore, we consider the absence of the dashes marking the range of the dynamic change in b. 205 to be an inaccuracy of notation; consequently, we suggest adding them in the main text. Such an addition was also introduced by GE (probably on the basis of a similar reasoning).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: GE revisions

b. 205

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur in A (→FE→EE,GE1→GE1a,GE2→GE3)

No slur in GE4
..

In A (→FE→GE), the slur running from the a2 crotchet is not continued in the next bar (in a new line). The inaccuracy was removed by EE, in which the ending of the slur was added in b. 206; GE4 also removed the beginning of that slur.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions , Uncertain slur continuation

b. 217-218

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur to b. 218 in A (→FE→EE)

Slur to end of b. 218 in GE
..

In the main text we reproduce the coinciding slurs of A (→FE→EE). However, it seems likely that the end of the slur in b. 217 was written down inaccurately, since many slurs of A are written down with a flourish; what is more, their endings often go far beyond their intended end point. Therefore, the version of GE may be considered an equal variant. There is a similar situation upon repetition of this phrase in b. 225-226.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions