mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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b. 118-120

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Long accents in A, contextual interpretation

Short accents in FE (→GE,EE)
..

The long accents in A of the Ballade are not always written down in a clear manner. In the case of the marks in b. 118 and 120, the musical context, however, clearly supports such an interpretation of both marks. However, it is difficult to consider the interpretation of FE (→GE,EE) faulty, particularly since the mark representing a long accent did not belong to the standard set of marks back then.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in A

b. 119

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

..

In the main text, we add a cautionary  over the mordent. Interestingly enough, in many later editions of the Ballade, the editors added a  here. However, in spite of the fact that the key prevailing in the previous fragment is A major, which would suggest g2, nothing points to Chopin's oversight. Bars 118-119 are based on an F7 chord, considered the dominant to B minor, which is supported by the use of a d2-d3 octave in the following sequence of octaves. In the context of the B minor key, a mordent featuring g2 is the natural choice. In addition, in bar 121, which is a sequential repetition of b. 119, based on a G7 chord as the dominant to C minor, a g1-g2-a2-g2 figure appears. It contains a mordent on g2, played on the beat, with an a2 minor second, corresponding to the g2 minor second in b. 119.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

b. 119

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

in A

No marking in FE (→GE,EE)

() suggested by the editors
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According to us, it is highly likely that  was accidentally overlooked by the engraver of FE (→GE,EE). If we were to look at the elements closest to the E1-E octave, the mark could have been easily taken for, e.g. a pedal release mark. On the other hand, Chopin proofread the Ballade quite exactly, hence in the majority of the situations it can be considered that the text of FE was accepted. Therefore, in the main text we suggest a variant solution.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE

b. 120-124

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Staccato dots in A

No marks in FE (→GE,EE)
..

In FE (→GE,EE), the staccato dots over the initial octaves in b. 120 and 124, present in A, were overlooked. In this case, it is an oversight by the engraver of FE that seems to be the most likely reason; therefore, we include these dots in the main text, particularly since the presence of a respective mark in b. 122 in the editions rather excludes the possibility that Chopin could have consciously accepted inconsistent markings.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE

b. 120-121

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

..

The deletions visible in A in these bars and empty space after the most probably erased g1 note under the a2 quaver in b. 121, which was initially most probably a g2 (it did not have a ledger line that would cross it), reveal that initially the 2nd half of b. 120 and the 1st half of b. 121 were analogous to b. 118-119: . The missing mordent in this version allows us to imagine two scenarios of the changes:

  • the idea to diversify b. 120-121 with respect to b. 118-119 came to Chopin when he was just about to write a mordent in the initial version of b. 121;
  • initially, there were no mordents in both places; it was only the melodically developed version of b. 120-121 that prompted Chopin to add an ornament 2 bars earlier.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Main-line changes