mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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Slurs

b. 195-197

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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In A one can see deleted slurs over the pairs of D crotchets in the 1st halves of b. 195 and 197. According to us, it does not mean that the articulation of those crotchets is to be different from the preceding similar pairs in b. 194 and 196. The removal of the slurs was aimed at maintaining a consistent notation of the entire section (b. 194-205), compliant with the notation applied in b. 9-21, in which the L.H. part slurs are put only where the accompanying pairs of crotchets, provided with slurs, are absent in the R.H.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Deletions in A

b. 196-197

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur to g1 in A (contextual interpretation) & GE2 (→GE3→GE4)

Slur to a1 in A (literal reading→FE→EE,GE1→GE1a)
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The slur in b. 196, which ends the page in A, indicates that it should be continued; however, there is no continuation thereof on a new page (its beginning is also inaccurate but it does not hamper its interpretation). Due to the reasons discussed in b. 194-195, we believe that Chopin could have meant a longer slur already here (to the g1 minim); however, in the main text we give the version of FE (→EE,GE1→GE1a) due to the Chopinesque intervention at the beginning of b. 197 (an accent added over g1).
The longer slur of GE2 (→GE3→GE4) resulted from retouches to the top right-hand corner of the page, which required re-engraving a certain fragment of the text, which was not always reproduced accurately (cf. b. 197-198). Compliance of this version with A is of an accidental nature. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , Uncertain slur continuation

b. 197-198

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur in A, GE & EE3

No slur in FE (→EE1→EE2)

Our variant suggestion
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The missing slur in FE (→EE1→EE2) is almost certainly a mistake by the engraver. In GE and EE3, the slur was added probably on the basis of a comparison with analogous motifs. (In the case of GE it could have been one of the places possibly corrected by Chopin while proofreading the basis for that edition, while in the case of EE3 a repetition of the slur after GE cannot be excluded.)
In GE2, due to retouches, see b. 195-196, the part of the slur falling on b. 197 was overlooked (the placement of the slur over the bottom voice crotchets was also changed, among other things).

The slur of EE3 was probably added as a result of a comparison with analogous motifs, or perhaps on the basis of GE. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors in FE , Errors resulting from corrections , Errors in GE

b. 199

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur in A (→FE→EE,GE)

No slur in GE1a
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The missing slur over the b-d1 thirds must be an oversight by the engraver of GE1a. See also b. 204.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE

b. 203-204

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur in bar 204 in A, literal reading

Slur in b. 203-204 in A (contextual interpretation→FE→GE,EE)
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According to the available photograph of A, the slur over this motif starts at the beginning of b. 204. If that were true, the slur must be inaccurate, since Chopin put it over bars marked in an abridged manner, devoid of notes. From the musical point of view, such a slur could be possible; however, it seems highly unlikely that Chopin would have wanted to indicate an extremely subtle difference in phrasing in such a vague manner.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A