mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in FE

b. 141

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur to b1 in A, literal reading

Slur to end of bar in FE (→GE,EE)
..

In the available photograph of A, the slur reaches only b1, which seems to emphasise the meaning of the voice separated by the additional crotchet stems. As it may be an inaccuracy of notation or even an effect related merely to the quality of the photo, not exactly the best (cf. the slur in b. 138 that is certainly supposed to reach the end of the bar), in the main text we give the version of FE (→GE,EE).

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccurate slurs in A

b. 146-147

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

in A

Longer  in FE (→GE,EE)
..

In the main text, we keep the approximate range of the  hairpin entered into A. The engravers of Chopinesque first editions would often extend hairpins so that they occupy an entire bar; such a procedure was applied in this case by FE (→GE,EE). The difference, as small as it may be, may suggest an erroneous interpretation, particularly at the end of the bar – it is difficult to assume that Chopin would have wanted the crescendos to go beyond the penultimate, highest quaver. See also b. 148.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins

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. 156-157

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

  in A, literal reading

  in FE (→GE,EE)

  suggested by the editors
..

The change of the range of the   hairpins must have resulted from a routine revision carried out by the engraver of FE (→GE,EE), who adjusted the marks to the rhythmic structures, i.e. an entire bar in b. 156 and half of a bar in b. 157. In A, the  mark in b. 157 is noteworthy, since it clearly begins before the first notes (this bar opens a new line) and reaches only the 5th quaver in the bar, which stands in stark contrast to the  mark in the previous bar, which occupies almost an entire bar. According to us, such a position of the mark may be explained by lack of space between the staves in the 2nd half of the bar and by the intention to compensate it having been excessively shortened by starting the mark earlier on the left-hand side, so that its length could be comparable to the  mark. Taking into account the above, in the main text we suggest a contextual interpretation of the marks of A resulting from the above analysis.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins

b. 162

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

f3 grace note in A

f2 grace note in FE (→GE,EE)
..

In A, the grace note is so close to the f4 quaver that the 8 digit opening the octave sign, although actually placed over f4, encompasses the grace note too. In spite of that, FE (→GE,EE) clearly excluded the grace note from the octave sign, which is, according to us, a mistake, since it constitutes a sonically unjustified complication. Such a problem with a grace note and an octave sign is also to be found in other pieces by Chopin, e.g. in the Sonata in B minor, Op. 58, 4th mov., b. 254 and 258, where it seems that the grace notes are not encompassed with the octave sign in both places, yet the pianistic context (and in b. 254 also the musical context) is an argument for inaccuracy of notation.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccuracies in A