f minor ballade

[schubertina]

I'm tackling Chopin's F minor Ballade currently, Op. 52 I believe, and I'm not sure whether to hold down the octaves making up the melodic line in the opening or just hold down the soprano line.  If I took the score literally, I would be keeping both my pinky and thumb down and this would seriously obstruct the flowy effect I'd like to achieve.  The bottom g of the g octave, for instance, in the first measure is both a sixteenth note and eighth note--technically I'm supposed to keep it down for an eighth but it somehow seems too awkward.  Suggestions please?

[Hmoll]

I'm tackling Chopin's F minor Ballade currently, Op. 52 I believe, and I'm not sure whether to hold down the octaves making up the melodic line in the opening or just hold down the soprano line.  If I took the score literally, I would be keeping both my pinky and thumb down and this would seriously obstruct the flowy effect I'd like to achieve.  The bottom g of the g octave, for instance, in the first measure is both a sixteenth note and eighth note--technically I'm supposed to keep it down for an eighth but it somehow seems too awkward.  Suggestions please?

You're right. The lower g is both an eighth and a sixteenth, so you have to think of it as  "doubled." In other words the eigth note octaves are one line - or voice - and the sixteenth notes are another line, and the counterpoint between the two voices have to be brought out.  The top notes of the octave eighth notes are the melody, so that should sing.

Chopin was very careful to indicate that  legato, so you have to connect the notes - including the eighth notes - even though it may seem awkward. If you don't connect the eighth notes, it simply sounds like a sixteenth note passage alternating G-C-G-C (second beat).

You have to be very careful to observe what Chopin wrote. I would suggest playing each voice seperately.

[allchopin]

When I play this, I generally hold out the octave G's while leaving the C's "in the dust" persay.  In other words, the G's are the melody while the C's are just filler to make it flow like you mentioned.  The pedal is also important in this passage, because it adds another element of legato.  
Just play what sounds good- that's some of the best-yet-least-used advice in the piano world.