mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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b. 206

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur in A (→FE→GE1→GE1a,GE2→GE3), contextual interpretation & in EE

No slur in GE4
..

In A, the slur that began in the previous bar (at the end of a line) was not continued here. This inaccuracy, so frequent in Chopin's works, was repeated by FE (→GE). We reproduce this incomplete, clearly erroneous version only in the graphic transcription, except for GE4, in which it was also the beginning of this slur in b. 205 that was removed. The ending of the slur was added only by EE.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: EE revisions , Inaccurate slurs in A , Uncertain slur continuation , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE

b. 206-207

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Staccato dot in bar 207 in A

No marks in FE (→GE,EE)

Dots suggested by the editors
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We consider the missing staccato dot in b. 206 to be Chopin's inadvertence – there is no reason for the articulation of the crotchets in this bar to differ from the one indicated in A in b. 207. The absence of a dot in FE (→GE,EE) also in b. 207 must be an oversight by the engraver.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors in FE

b. 206

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur from 2nd crotchet in A, contextual interpretation

Slur from 1st crotchet in A (incomplete literal reading→FE→GE,EE)
..

In A, there are 2 slurs over the L.H. part – one encompassing almost an entire bar and the other starting clearly on the 2nd crotchet (d-b) and ending after the 3rd crotchet, under the first, longer slur and over an extensive deletion and the final version of the 4th crotchet, written below. FE (→GE,EE) included only the top, long slur, interpreting it as a whole-bar slur. According to us, such an interpretation, although graphically correct, is, however, erroneous, since the top slur encompasses the removed initial version of the five-crotchet sequence of fifths and sixths, the beginning of which was written right after the D1-D octave due to corrections. Therefore, if we are to consider the undeleted notes, the beginning of the slur does fall over the octave; however, to avoid misunderstandings, another slur was added, indicating the intended beginning of the slur with respect to the final version of the sequence of dyads. Consequently, in the main text we give a slur encompassing 5 crotchets, which was Chopin's intention both in the initial and the final version of the sequence of dyads. It is also compliant with the slur over a similar figure in the next bar, which is already less problematic.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccurate slurs in A , Embracing slurs

b. 207

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

..

We keep here the triplet slur, since it can also influence the articulation, just like the next one. The latter was initially a slur indicating an irregular group (quintuplet), yet Chopin prolonged it, thus giving it a different meaning, probably concerning articulation/motifs.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Triplet slurs

b. 207-208

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur to 6th crotchet in A

Slur to bar 208 in FE (→GE,EE)
..

Leading the slur as far as to the next bar is a clear misrepresentation of the notation of A by the engraver of FE (→GE,EE), perhaps influenced by the R.H. slur, which does reach the g1-d2 fifth. In the main text we keep the notation of A, in which the slur is written down with a flourish, yet it does not suggest going beyond the bar line.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Embracing slurs , FE revisions