mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : 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

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. 225-226

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur to b. 226 in A

Slur to end of b. 225 in FE (→GE,EE)
..

As in b. 217-218, we regard both source versions of the ending of the slur in b. 217 as potentially compliant with Chopin's intention; however, in the main text we reproduce the literal interpretation of the notation of A.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccurate slurs in A

b. 252-253

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

 &  in A

 &  in FE

 in GE

2  & 2  in EE
..

The deletions visible in A reveal that Chopin considered the dynamic markings over the R.H. part not suggestive enough and moved them lower, between the parts of both hands. None of the sources reproduced this notation accurately – in FE (→GE) the marks were placed too low, before the L.H. part, while GE overlooked . The revision of EE is noteworthy, i.e. the R.H. chords were moved to the top stave (which we do not include in our transcriptions), and each hand was provided with its own dynamic markings.
See also b. 256.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in FE , Errors in GE , Deletions in A

b. 256

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

in A

in FE (→GE)

2  in EE
..

As in b. 252, Chopin deleted in A the  marking placed between the staves and put it before the chords on the bottom stave. The change was not included by FE (→GE,EE); moreover, EE added another  mark before the L.H. part.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in FE , Deletions in A