mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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b. 238

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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The bottom note of the three-note chord in the 1st half of the bar is written down in A quite low, hence FE initially interpreted it as f3. It is evidenced by the traces of a correction on the engraving plate visible in FE copies.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Inaccurate note pitch in A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 243

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

b with  in A (→FE→EE,GE)

b in GE1a

b without  suggested by the editors
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The version of GE1a is most probably a mistake by the engraver, although one cannot completely exclude a revision – the cautionary  to b, present in the remaining sources, is not indispensable here and could have been considered erroneous. The engraver or reviser of GE1a was similarly overly zealous in, e.g. b. 232.
In A there is no  raising e1 to e1 in this chord. It is almost certainly a mistake – cf. e1 in b. 240-241 – corrected by FE (→GE,EE). In the main text we omit the cautionary  to b, more justified in the original layout, in which the first 5 quavers in the previous bar – to b – are written down on the bottom stave.

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

issues: Errors in GE , Cautionary accidentals , Authentic corrections of FE , FE revisions

b. 246

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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In the main text we add cautionary accidentals – naturals to c1 in the L.H. and to c4 and a  to e4.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

b. 247

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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In A (→FE→EE) there is no  restoring b2 on the penultimate quaver. A comparison with similar phrases an octave higher and lower proves that it was an oversight by Chopin. The accidental was added by GE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 247

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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In A, one can see two more deleted notes between the c3 and b2 quavers; in addition, the not entirely removed stem of the former was left untouched. Consequently, it probably caused the mistake of FE, in which one can see traces of removal of a redundant note, most probably c3, placed between d3 and c3. It is uncertain what the aim of the corrections of A was. Below we present a hypothetical reconstruction of a respective fragment with the removed notes having been revealed: . The notation can be explained as follows:

  • After d3, the first notes to have been written down were the three 'top' quavers c3-b2-a2, which means that Chopin wanted to start writing down the roulade without an octave sign already from c3; moreover, it means that he overlooked the c3-b2-d3 motif.
  • Chopin then changed his intentions as to the end of the octave sign, removed c3-b2, written down without an octave sign, and rewrote them an octave lower, planning to encompass them with an octave sign.
  • In that moment, he decided to add the c3-b2-d3 motif, or, which we consider more likely, he noticed that he had overlooked it. Therefore, he removed the 'bottom' b2 he had just entered and the following a2, before continuing with writing, starting from b2.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , Deletions in A , Authentic corrections of FE