mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : FE revisions

b. 5

composition: Op. 28 No. 6, Prelude in B minor

 in A (contextual interpretation) & GE

  in FC

  in FE

  in EE

No marking in CGS
..

Just like in the similar situations in b. 1 and 3, we believe that it is the top arm of the  mark in A that is more reliable. In FC Fontana averaged the length of the mark, which is one of possible solutions. We consider the mark in GE, slightly shorter than in FC, to be compliant with our interpretation of A. The mark of FE, stretched out, so that it covers an entire bar (and inaccurately reproduced in EE), is most probably a revision.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Scope of dynamic hairpins , EE inaccuracies , FE revisions

b. 5

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

..

In A there is no accidental before the 1st note in the 4th group of demisemiquavers, which should therefore be interpreted as a1. A comparison with analogous b. 1 proves Chopin's mistake; it is also the  before the next a2 that confirms a1 as the intended pitch of that note. The natural was added in FC and FE (→EE); however, it is absent in GE, which is probably an oversight of the engraver.
We omit the cautionary  before a2 in the main text.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Errors in GE , Cautionary accidentals , Errors of A , FE revisions , Fontana's revisions

b. 5

composition: Op. 28 No. 12, Prelude in G♯ minor

..

FE1 has no  before the 2nd L.H. crotchet. The mistake was corrected in FE2 (→EE).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , FE revisions

b. 5

composition: Op. 63 No. 1, Mazurka in B major

 over f in AI & GE3

 under d1 in FE (→EE,GE1→GE2)
..

In FE the mordent was placed under the d1-f1 third, which suggests that it concerns the bottom note, d1. It must be a mistake – cf. the text of AI and bars 13 and 73 – caused by a tendency to place marks, e.g. accents, staccato dots, slurs or certain ornaments ( and ) on the side of noteheads. In the case of ornaments and slurs, it can change their meaning, thus leading to a mistake, as is the case here (see also, e.g. the Polonaise in F minor, Op. 44, bar 10).
There is a similar situation in bars 7, 71 and 75.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Placement of markings , GE revisions , FE revisions

b. 7

composition: Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

F in A (→FC), literal reading

F in FE (→EE), GE & CGS
..

When interpreted literally, the chord on the 3rd beat of the bar in A (→FC) consists of the following notes: F1-F-b-d1-f1, which, in turn, results in a G major chord (F major), which could be a part of this harmonic sequence. However, Chopin would generally avoid such an unnatural orthography; therefore, he most probably overlooked here the naturals lowering all f notes to f. They were added both in FE (→EE) and GE, and the composer did not question the printed naturals in any of the three teaching copies containing annotations coming from him.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Errors of A , FE revisions