mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Omitted correction of an analogous place

b. 99

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

e1-a1-c2 in A

a1-c2 in FE (→GE,EE)
..

The bottom notes of the bottom voice crotchets, written down in A, were removed in the stage of proofreading FE (→GE,EE), certainly by Chopin. In an analogous situation in b. 199 Chopin had already crossed out the bottom notes of the chords in A, hence the change introduced while proofreading FE may be considered rectification of an oversight of the respective correction in the stage of writing A.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Accompaniment changes , Authentic corrections of FE , Omitted correction of an analogous place

b. 185

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

at end of bar in sources

 under b, our alternative suggestion
..

The  asterisk having been removed at the end of the bar in A and added under b, as in b. 180-181, is a reason for the suggested alternative version of pedalling. As Chopin considered a whole-bar pedal unsuitable for b. 184, there is no visible reason to apply it in b. 185, which is almost identical. Actually, there is a number of situations in which Chopin omits an intended correction in one of a few places, cf., e.g. the Etude in E, Op. 10 No. 3, b. 33, Prelude in B, Op. 28 No. 21, b. 36 or the Concerto in E minor, Op. 11, I mov., b. 50-51.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Omitted correction of an analogous place

b. 186-187

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Shorter slurs in sources

Longer slurs, our alternative suggestion
..

In the main text, we give the slurs of the sources; however, taking into account the fact that the slurs in analogous b. 182-184 were possibly proofread, we suggest prolonging the slurs respectively here as well. Chopin could have assumed that the slurs given the first time would be enough to indicate the correct performance; on the other hand, one cannot exclude carelessness of the engraver, who could have implemented only the half of the marked corrections.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Omitted correction of an analogous place

b. 194-195

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Slur to a1 in A & EE

No slur in FE

Slur to g1 in GE
..

The analysis of the corrections of slurs in similar motifs that are visible in A – in b. 8-19, 100-101 and perhaps 198-199, one can see that the slurs were being prolonged so that they reached the minim ending the motif – leads to the conclusion that the slur in the discussed bars is the initial version of slurring of this figure, left by inadvertence. Therefore, in the main text we give a longer slur, compliant with the final slurring concept.
The absence of the slur in FE must be an oversight by the engraver, which was amended – most probably on the basis of a comparison with analogous figures – both by GE and EE. The reviser of GE probably took into account previous similar places too, whereas his English colleague looked only at the nearest figure, in b. 196.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , GE revisions , Omitted correction of an analogous place