Slurs
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b. 4-5
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composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor
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In A, bar 4 ends the line. The slur at the end of that bar very clearly suggests that it should be continued; however, it is not confirmed by the slur in b. 5, which begins over the 1st note in the bar. According to us, it is the slur in b. 4 that is reliable, which is how it was interpreted in FE (→GE,EE). category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness issues: Uncertain slur continuation |
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b. 4
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composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor
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In the main text we omit the additional slur over the triplet entered into A – cf. General Editorial Principles, p. 16. The slur was omitted (removed?) already in FE (→GE,EE). In the next bar, Chopin omitted such a slur already in A. category imprint: Differences between sources issues: Authentic corrections of FE , Triplet slurs |
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b. 8-19
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composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor
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In A, it can be seen that Chopin initially wrote over the characteristic quaver figure slurs that would not go beyond the bar line; it was only later that he prolonged them, leading them to the minims at the beginning of the following bar. Such corrections are clear in b. 8-9, 10-11, 12-13 and 18-19. category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information issues: Corrections in A |
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b. 9-21
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composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor
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In A (→FE→GE,EE1→EE2), the L.H. crotchets are provided with inconsistent articulation markings – in addition to the ubiquitous staccato dots, the pairs of crotchets in the 2nd half of b. 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 are also provided with a slur. When interpreted literally, the articulation deviates from the one indicated for the respective R.H. crotchets, which are consistently marked with both dots and slurs. However, there are no doubts that in this texture, based on the juxtaposition of the melodic top R.H. voice with the rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment performed by both hands, all elements of the crotchet chords are to be played with the same articulation. In the original layout, the slurs encompassing the pairs of the R.H. crotchets are placed above them, which naturally suggests that they also refer to the L.H. crotchets. Chopin would often reach for such a simplified notation – cf., e.g. the middle section of the Mazurka in A category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions issues: EE revisions |
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b. 14-15
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composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor
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In A, the R.H. slur in the 2nd half of b. 14, when interpreted literally, ends at the beginning of b. 15, and this is how it was reproduced in FE (→GE,EE). According to us, however, it is merely an inaccuracy of Chopin's notation, since the composer would write the majority of the slurs in this Ballade with a flourish. category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources issues: Inaccurate slurs in A |
major, Op. 50 No. 2, in which the performance of the L.H. part, devoid of markings, must include the indications written in the R.H. Should we assume such an interpretation, it becomes clear why there are slurs in the L.H. part in the aforementioned bars – in those places the crotchet accompaniment is in the L.H. only.
