mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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b. 186-187

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

 in A

No markings in FE (→GE,EE)

 suggested by the editors

  , our alternative suggestion
..

The missing  asterisk at the end of b. 186 is almost certainly Chopin's oversight in A (it closes the line, which is conducive to mistakes). FE (→GE,EE) also omitted the closest  mark, which contributed to the following pair of marks, seemingly correct,  , encompassing one bar and a half. It could have been an unsuccessful revision or an oversight; however, irrespective of the reason, mixing harmonies between b. 186 and 187 is a mistake.
It is difficult to decide where to place the  asterisk overlooked in b. 186 – see the note in the previous bar – hence we suggest two solutions.  

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Inaccuracies in A

b. 187

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Long accent in A

No mark in FE (→GE,EE)

Our variant suggestion
..

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors in FE

b. 188

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

No slur in sources

Slur to g1, our alternative suggestion
..

Justification of our alternative suggestion – see b. 186-187.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

b. 188-189

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

No sign in A

in FE (→EE) & GE1a

in GE
..

The  hairpin in FE (→EE) must have resulted from Chopinesque proofreading. GE reproduced the mark inaccurately, which is difficult to explain. It is equally difficult to explain why GE1a is compatible with FE and not with GE1. The latter seems to indicate that the engraver of GE1a had FE at his disposal; however, the coincidence may be purely accidental – the engraver of GE1a could have expanded the mark arbitrarily to adjust it to the quaver beam, which was a frequent manner of the then engravers.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 189

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

..

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Abbreviated notation of A