mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Dotted rhythms and triplets

b. 37-45

composition: Op. 27 No 1, Nocturne in C# minor

GE (→FE→EE): semiquaver after the 6th L.H. note

Notation in keeping with Chopin's understanding of such figures
..

In bars 37-42 and 44-45 in GE (→FE→EE) the semiquaver of the double dotted rhythm in the right hand was moved beyond the third note of the second triplet of the accompaniment. This misleading, inauthentic notation was also used for the double dotted rhythm in bar 49 and in the notation of dotted rhythms throughout the Nocturne - cf. bars 5-13.

See also: the note to bars 29-36 and the chapter devoted to that topic in: Jan Ekier, Introduction to the National Edition, Editorial Issues.

category imprint: Interpretations within context

issues: GE revisions , Dotted rhythms and triplets

b. 45-46

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Notation in A (→GE→EE,FESB)

Notation in FE1 (→FE2)
..

In the main text, we place a demisemiquaver under/over the last note of a semiquaver triplet in each of the 4 places where such a combination occurs, in accord with the notation of A (→GE→EE,FESB). In FE1 (→FE2) the demisemiquaver in these figures is placed after the last semiquaver of the triplet. This is certainly an arbitrary revision of the engraver of this edition, who had not yet seen that Chopin was using this Baroque-Classical convention, which in the 19th century was gradually superseded by a notation conforming with the strictly calculated nominal rhythmic values of the notes.
Chopin would use that convention throughout his entire oeuvre – see the chapter dedicated to that issue in: Jan Ekier, Introduction to the National Edition, Editorial Issues, p. 183.

In all places (as well as in bar 44) AsI notes a dotted rhythm in twice the rhythmic values, as . This is an obvious mistake.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Dotted rhythms and triplets , FE revisions

b. 48

composition: Op. 27 No 1, Nocturne in C# minor

R.H. quaver over the 6th L.H. note in GE (→FE)

Correct notation of the rhythm in EE
..

Just like in bars 29-36, in bar 48 of GE the rhythm  is irregularly presented against the triplets. FE also contains such notation, despite the fact that in bars 29-36 the identical rhythm was presented regularly. A similar situation also occurs in the following bars.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Dotted rhythms and triplets

b. 49

composition: Op. 27 No 1, Nocturne in C# minor

GE (→FE→EE): semiquaver after the last note of the triplet

Notation in keeping with the usual Chopin's understanding of such figures
..
In bar 49 in GE (→FE→EE) the semiquaver of the double dotted rhythm in the right hand part was moved beyond the third note of the second triplet in the accompaniment. This inauthentic notation, misleading for the performer, was also used in bars 37-42 and 44-45.
 
See the chapter devoted to that topic in: Jan Ekier, Introduction to the National Edition, Editorial Issues.
 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Dotted rhythms and triplets

b. 50

composition: Op. 27 No 1, Nocturne in C# minor

R.H. quaver over the 6th L.H. note in GE (→FE)

Regular rhythmic notation in EE
..

In GE (→FE) notes of the R.H. rhythm are distributed in such a way that the quaver is aligned with the 6th L.H. note. In the editors' opinion, this probably does not reflect the notation of [A], and has no impact on the performance. In the main text, we apply the regular rhythmic notation, so did EE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Dotted rhythms and triplets