mUltimate Chopin

Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

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Issues : Scope of dynamic hairpins

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. 148

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Half-bar  in A

Whole-bar  in FE (→GE,EE)

 suggested by the editors
..

We interpret the notation of A as incomplete or perhaps erroneous. Chopin wrote a  only in the 1st half of the bar, on which the end of the line falls in A; perhaps he was convinced that the bar had already ended or simply forgot to write the ending of the mark in a new line. Anyways, the shape of the figurations in this bar suggests that the crescendo should be continued in the 2nd half of the bar and to the very end, since the topmost note falls only just on the beginning of the next bar (unlike in the previous two). Due to the above, in the main text we model the beginning of the mark after previous analogous bars; as far as the ending is concerned, we lead it to the end of the bar.

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

issues: Scope of dynamic hairpins , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

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. 158-160

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Shorter  in A

Longer  in FE

Extended  in GE & EE

Shortened  in GE1a
..

According to us, the extension of the  hairpin in FE goes beyond – particularly in b. 158, at the beginning of the mark – a routine adjustment to the rhythmic structures. Therefore, we assume that it is a result of proofreading (carried out by Chopin), and this is the version we give in the main text. In A one can see that both the beginning and the ending of the hairpin are placed in a manner that they do not blend in with the other elements of notation. In GE and EE the mark was extended at the end of b. 160, which was an arbitrary decision, devoid of practical meaning. The mark having been shortened by GE1a is a mistake resulting from the transition to a new page (from b. 160).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Scope of dynamic hairpins , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 170-172

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

 in A, literal reading

in FE

in GE

in EE

 suggested by the editors
..

The interpretation of the three  marks in A can be approached from different angles:

  • Literal interpretation, in which the range of the marks is related to the respective R.H. crotchets, which results in three increasingly shorter marks. Such a version, suggesting increasingly shorter and milder crescendos, matches the descending direction of this sequence;
  • the difference in the range of the first two marks may be regarded as insubstantial, which suggests that all three hairpins should be unified, since the shape of the melody is the same in each bar. We suggest this version in the main text.

The versions of the editions resulted from the marks in b. 170-171 having been unified; none of these changes resembles Chopinesque proofreading process.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , EE inaccuracies , Inaccuracies in A