mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Long accents

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. 124

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

L.H. long accent in A

R.H. long accent in FE

R.H. short accent in GE

in EE
..

Due to the high position of the chord, the clear long accent over the L.H. chord is partially on the top stave in A, as a result of which FE (→GE,EE) linked it to the R.H. part. Consequently, the mark was also moved horizontally, hence in FE it looks like a long accent under the d3 quaver. This is how it was understood in GE, in which, however, it was reduced to the size of a common short accent. EE considered the mark a short diminuendo and slightly shifted it to the left.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccuracies in A

b. 155

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

L.H. long accent in A

in FE (→EE)

R.H. short accent in GE
..

The typical long accent over the L.H. chord was reproduced by FE (→EE) as a short  hairpin under the R.H. part, correlated with the  in the previous bar. In GE, the mark was distorted to an even greater extent – it was provided with the form of a short accent under e3.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE

b. 166-167

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Long accents in A

Short accents in FE (→GE,EE)
..

We consider both accents of A, although differing in shape, to be long accents due to their size (cf., e.g. the clearly smaller mark in b. 173). FE reproduced the accents as short (GE and EE did it in an even more pronounced manner).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in FE

b. 177-178

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Long accents in A

Short accents in FE (→GE,EE)
..

Although in A both accents in these bars are clearly long, FE (→GE,EE) reproduced them as short.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in FE