mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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Issues : Errors resulting from corrections

b. 182

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

No markings in sources

Pedalling suggested by the editors
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In A, the omission of the pedal markings could have been a side effect of the corrections implemented in the L.H. part – Chopin wrote here, most probably by mistake, a broken E major chord, as in b. 181. In the 1st half of the bar, it was enough to correct the written-down text, while in the 2nd half, probably due to another mistake, the composer had to rewrite the entire figure on the stave below. The mistake could have been noticed while adding pedal markings; having finished the corrections, Chopin resumed entering pedal markings from the next line.

In the main text we suggest adding markings after the previous bars. 

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Errors resulting from corrections

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. 224-226

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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The correction to the last quaver in b. 226 visible in A – it was probably the e2-g2 third that was deleted – could be considered an improvement introduced due to a different bass sequence. However, the last quaver was also corrected in b. 224, where the bass is the same as in the previous two occurrences of analogous bars (b. 216 and 218). Therefore, it seems that Chopin was already certain of the concept of both versions of this quaver while writing b. 224; however, the versions overlapped in his mind, thus resulting in mistakes in both places.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , Deletions in A , Main-line changes

b. 245-246

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

2 separate slurs in A

Continuous slur in FE (→EE)

3 separate slurs in GE
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In A, the slurs between these bars were being corrected – according to us, Chopin divided the initial continuous slur, which is indicated by the endings marking the division of the slur (the endings are clearly bolder, hence more important, final). However, the part of the initial slur that was supposed to be deleted was not eventually removed, hence FE (→EE) understood this correction the other way around (it is also likely that the correction was not there yet when FE was being engraved – see the description of FE). In the main text we give the slurs separated by Chopin. The versions of GE and GE1a, with the slur divided before the last sextuplet and after it, most probably resulted from mistakes or arbitrary revisions.
We discuss the issue of the additional slurs encompassing the sextuplets separately – see the previous note.

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

issues: Errors in FE , Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , Errors in GE , GE revisions

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