mUltimate Chopin

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Issues : Inaccuracies in A

b. 1-4

composition: Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

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In the figurations featuring the interval of an octave, Chopin would often be satisfied with an accidental placed only next to the first note constituting that interval (cf., e.g. the Etude in A Major, Op. 10 No. 10, b. 5-8 or the Ballade in F Major, Op. 38, b. 48). In the Prelude in F Minor, such an extended validity of accidentals is a strictly observed rule – accidentals are absent even in the places where they are necessary to cancel the previous alteration (e.g. on the 2nd demisemiquaver on the 3rd beat of b. 4), while in b. 8 Chopin actually crossed out the necessary accidental next to the 2nd demisemiquaver in the 3rd figure. In the discussed bars, apart from the situation in b. 4 mentioned above, the problem concerns the 8th demisemiquaver in the 3rd group in b. 1-2 and 4, the 8th demisemiquaver in the 1st, 2nd and 4th groups in b. 3 and the 2nd demisemiquaver on the 3rd beat of b. 3. Such a notation is to be found in A (→FC,FE→EE1), whereas EE2, GE1 and GE2 added the majority of the necessary accidentals (5, 6 and 7 out of the eight necessary, respectively).
The L.H. quavers falling an octave lower than the first semiquaver of a given figure provided with an accidental are written down in a similar way, without the necessary accidentals – see b. 3-4.  

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 2

composition: Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt II

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In A there is no  before the top note of the octave. This patent inaccuracy was corrected in GE (→FE→EE).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 2-6

composition: Op. 2, Variation IV, primitive version

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In AsI there are no flats restoring b3 at the end of bars 2 and 6. This is a patent mistake – Chopin wrote 'b' over each of those notes. In A those flats are present, yet the accidentals to the 4th note of the 2nd and 4th R.H. passages, a  (b2) and a  (b2), respectively, are missing. This inaccuracy does not create any doubts concerning the text either.
A similar situation is to be found in bars 18 and 22. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Omissions to cancel alteration , Inaccuracies in A

b. 3-4

composition: Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

Slur in A

No slur in GE (→FE→EE)
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The slur, combining in A the 4th beat of bar 3 with the chord at the beginning of bar 4, concerned the original (deleted) version of the last crotchet in bar 3, in which the b note was assigned to the L.H. and written on the bottom stave. As a result, one can ponder whether in the new notation of the chord ending bar 3 the sign was to be applied too. However, since Chopin did not delete the slur, we include it in the main text, adjusting only its shape to the present notation. Omission of the slur in the editions seems to be, however, understandable in the face of the described ambiguity.

na c1

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Errors in GE , Inaccuracies in A

b. 3-5

composition: Op. 50 No. 1, Mazurka in G major

Slur in Afrag

Slur in A1

2 slurs, our alternative suggestion

Slur in FE1 (→EE)

Slur in FE2

Slur in GE
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The comparison of all analogous places (b. 3-5, 27-29 and 59-61) as well as of the similar motifs in b. 7, 11 and analog. leads to the following conclusions:

  • the beginning of the slur of Afrag is most probably inaccurate – the slur is also supposed to encompass the semiquaver, just like in b. 11. Presumably, the slur of GE is also similarly inaccurate;
  • the absence of a slur in b. 3-4 must be an oversight of A1. Chopin probably meant 2 slurs here, just like in b. 27-29;
  • the slur of FE1 (→EE) is a distorted slur of A1, which was corrected by Chopin in FE2.

We provide the main text with the version of FE2, which can also be considered a contextual interpretation of GE.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Inaccuracies in A