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Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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b. 5

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

..

We add cautionary naturals before f1 and f2 in the main text.

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category imprint: Editorial revisions

b. 6-7

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

 in A

in FE (→GE,EE)
..

In A, the  hairpin is placed closer to the top stave; however, it is under the L.H. slur. Therefore, one can ponder to which part the mark refers, i.e. R.H. or L.H. According to us, the range of the mark, perfectly corresponding to the g1-b1 step, indicates that the mark applies to the R.H. part. Such ascending motifs, usually within the interval of a second, are often to be found in Chopin's works, while the accompanying  marks were often misinterpreted by the engravers of the first editions (just like here), cf., e.g. the Concerto in F minor, Op. 21, II mov., b. 84 or the Prelude in A minor, Op. 28 No. 2, b. 15-16. In FE (→GE,EE) the hairpin was put in a neutral place, i.e. between the right and the left hand, but it was extended to the entire three-note motif.

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category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in A

b. 6

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Long accent in A (→FE)

in GE

Short accent in EE
..

The long accent entered into A was quite accurately reproduced in FE; however, GE and EE considered it vague and reduced to a more typical form, i.e. a diminuendo hairpin in GE and a common short accent in EE.

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category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , EE inaccuracies

b. 7

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

e1 in A (→FE→EE1→EE2)

d1 in GE & EE3
..

The version of GE may be either a revision of this edition (cf. the comment on b. 45-47) or a variation introduced by Chopin (e.g. along with Lento – cf. the comment on b. 1). The vast majority of arguments are for the former, i.e. for this chord being arbitrarily revised in GE:

  • clear notation of A, repeated without changes in FE, which was proofread by Chopin twice;
  • testimonies of Chopin's pupils and friends – Marcelina Czartoryska, Friederike Streicher, Ferdinand Hiller and Adolf Gutmann.

Therefore, in the main text we give e1, considering d1 a variant of uncertain authenticity.
The change in EE3 must have been introduced on the basis of a comparison with GE.

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category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 8-16

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Long accents in A

4 short and 1 long accents in FE

Short accents in GE & EE
..

In A, the 5 accents at the beginning of the R.H. quaver figures are of different length – the shortest are in b. 10 and 12, while the longest – in b. 14 and 16. However, all of them are provided with a slender shape, typical of long accents. As there is no reason to differentiate between the accents (and the last two are undoubtedly long), we interpret all of them as long; this is also the shape in which we give them in the main text. In FE, it is only the last accent that is clearly longer (in b. 16); in the remaining editions the marks were standardised as common short accents.

The issue of distinguishing between those two types of accents, not always possible to unequivocally decide, is present throughout the entire Ballade and is also to be found in many other works by Chopin.

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category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in A