mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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Issues : EE revisions

b. 228-229

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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The chromatic notation of A is inaccurate in a peculiar way – Chopin overlooked the  to the bottom note of the 1st octave in b. 228 (B1) and the accidentals to the bottom notes of the sixths on the 4th quaver in both bars (a2 and f2, respectively). It is also noteworthy that there is a cautionary  to f2, but not a quaver earlier to f1. FE added only a  to B1.
GE and EE added the remaining necessary accidentals to the version of FE, while GE also added cautionary naturals to f1 and f3. The former was also added by EE2 (→EE3), which results in a version adopted to the main text.
See also the notes in the next bar.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , FE revisions , Last key signature sign , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE

b. 229

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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EE1 (→EE2) overlooked the naturals to the octave on the 3rd crotchet. The mistake was corrected by EE3.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in EE

b. 230

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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In A Chopin overlooked the  to the bottom note of the 1st L.H. octave (F). The accidental was added by FE (→GE,EE). In the R.H. part A includes a cautionary accidental only to e1. In the main text we also add naturals to c1 and c2; they were also added by GE and, gradually, by EE – to c1 in EE2 (→EE3), only to c2 in EE3.

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

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , Cautionary accidentals , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 231

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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In FE (→GE) there is a (cautionary?)  to e3 in the 4th quaver. This unnecessary revision (the accidental is absent in A!) most probably resulted from a misunderstanding or a mistake when correcting another error – in FE one can see here traces of removal of g3 (printed without a , necessary at this pitch). Upon seeing the octave with a  only to the bottom note, the proofreader – perhaps even Chopin – could have instinctively added the other , particularly if he were just adding flats to the L.H. part. Having realised that it is a Terzverschreibung mistake, he marked a change to the pitch of the note, which the engraver implemented by moving the notehead along with the . EE did not include the superfluous accidental.

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

issues: EE revisions , Terzverschreibung error , Authentic corrections of FE , FE revisions

b. 247-248

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

No slur in A (→FE)

g1-f1 slur in GE & EE
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The fourth slur, added by GE and EE, almost certainly resulted from an arbitrary revision, frequently encountered in Chopin's pieces; it consists in 'completing' slurs between the given chords – for example, if, like here, 3 slurs linked two four-note chords, it would be considered a mistake, and the 'missing' slur would be added (cf., e.g. the Mazurka in D, Op. 33 No. 3, b. 8-9 and analog. or in B, Op. 41 No. 2, b. 4-5 and analog.).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , GE revisions