mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Rhythmic errors

b. 5-6

composition: Op. 10 No 1, Etude in C major

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In CLI the G1-G octave in bar 5 is a semibreve, while the D1-D octave in bar 6 – a minim. It seems to be highly unlikely for this obvious error to be included in [AI].

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Rhythmic errors , Errors of CLI

b. 6

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

Rhythm in A

Rhythm in GE

Rhythm in FE

Interpretation of FE suggested by the editors

Rhythm in EE

Interpretation of A suggested by the editors
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All source notations of the 2nd half of the bar are erroneous or unclear, however, none of them can be corrected in a way that would not be questioned.

  • In A the 3rd beat of the bar includes 9 demisemiquavers.
  • In GE the introduction of a smaller font to write demisemiquavers does not have an impact on the rhythmic values and seems to be an arbitrary decision of the engraver: he could have noticed a difference between the size of note heads in the 1st and 2nd halves of the bar. It appears even more likely when considering his blunder in the first Tutti in the 1st movement of the Concerto; following that incident, he must have paid attention even to the slightest differences in the size of note heads.
  • The corrected notation of FE, which interpreted literally is at the very least unclear, could have been a result of that mistake. Since the proofreading of FE was probably performed on Chopin's demand, one has to consider what its intended result could have been. The suggested solution is both formally correct and very close to the genuine source notation.
  • It is hard to guess what the idea behind the actions of the reviser of EE was.

In this situation, we base the main text on the version of A which, in spite of its inaccuracies, seems to be the most reliable, as far as the authenticity is concerned. Out of two natural possibilities of correcting the mistake (changing two demisemiquavers to hemidemisemiquavers or deleting one of the dots extending the e1 quaver) we choose the second, giving a smoother development of the figuration introducing the main theme. We suggest a modified version of FE as an alternative version.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Errors in GE , Rhythmic errors , Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 7

composition: Op. 28 No. 10, Prelude in C♯ minor

Dotted minim in sources

Minim suggested by the editors
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Holding the g note to the very end of the bar, as it was given in A and in all the remaining sources, is inconvenient from the pianistic point of view and practically imperceptible against the trill performed with pedal in the bass. Therefore, it is almost certainly a mistake of Chopin, who did not realize that in this bar – unlike in all analogous ones – the first note of the bar is not a part of the chord on the 3rd beat. 

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Rhythmic errors , Errors of A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 8

composition: Op. 10 No 5, Etude in G♭ major

Crotchet in A

Quaver in FE (→GE,EE)
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In A the first chord in the L.H. is a crotchet. The possible mistake (theoretically it could be considered as a simplified two-voice notation) was corrected in FE (→GE,EE).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Rhythmic errors , Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 8

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

Rhythm in A & EE3, contextual interpretation

Rhythm in GE1 (→FE→EE1→EE2), contextual interpretation, & GE2
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In the part of the R.H. it is only GE2 that does not contain a rhythmic error. The version, however, resulted from a revision and it certainly does not correspond to Chopin's intention. For the remaining sources (except for EE3), we adopt an interpretation compatible with the way the R.H. is planned with respect to the quavers in the L.H. As the text of EE3 we adopt the rhythm that, according to us, predominates at the time of interpreting the easiest perceptible elements of the rhythm: a crotchet, an extended crotchet and a group of semiquavers with a triplet inside.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , GE revisions , Rhythmic errors , Errors of A