mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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b. 222-223

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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In A, there is no  to the bottom note of the 2nd L.H. crotchet in b. 222 (f) and the last R.H. quaver in b. 223 (f2). FE added only the former, while GE and EE include both.
In the main text we add a cautionary  to b in the middle of b. 222.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Inaccuracies in A

b. 223

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

a-c1-d1 in A

a-d1 in FE (→GE,EE)
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The absence of c1 in FE (→GE,EE) resulted, according to us, from a misinterpretation of A, in which this crotchet actually seems to include only 2 notes. However, the unnatural protrusion on the ledger line in A almost certainly proves that the note is there – cf., e.g. the thickness of the ledger lines in the chord on the 2nd crotchet in this bar. Moreover, although this place occurs only once, a similar D7 chord with an identical resolution is to be found a number of times (b. 217, 219 and analog.), always as an a-c1-d1 chord.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Uncertain notes on ledger lines

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. 224-225

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

No slur in A

a-d slur in FE (→GE,EE)

c-d slur suggested by the editors
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It is highly unlikely that the slur added in the stage of proofreading FE (→GE,EE) was supposed to have such a range. According to us, Chopin entered into the proof copy a slur running from the c minim, perhaps inaccurately, which resulted in it starting later in the editions (the slur pointed upwards, just like the one in b. 226-227, which we do not reproduce in our transcriptions). This interpretation is supported by the aforementioned slur in b. 226-227, also added in the stage of proofreading FE.
Such misrepresentations are very frequent in the case of ties, e.g. in the Polonaise in F minor, Op. 44, b. 201-202. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors in FE , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 224-226

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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In A (→FE), in b. 224 and 226, the accidentals in the R.H. part are present only at the beginning of the quaver figuration – before a2 in b. 224 and a1 and a2 in b. 226. The missing flats to the topmost note in these bars were added by GE and EE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE