mUltimate Chopin

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Issues : Accompaniment changes

b. 453-462

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

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The crossings-out visible in A in bars 453-454 and 461-462 allow us to reconstruct the two previous versions of the accompaniment in these bars:


  1.  

The first version appeared in [AI] probably also in bars 421-422, which is proved by certain remaining elements thereof in the notation of A (and which explains them at the same time) – cf. both notes on the L.H. in bar 422. If one of the previous versions was also in bars 413-414, one could conclude that Chopin's concentration was decreasing as he was copying similar phrases:

  • bars 413-414 feature the faultlessly written final version.
  • in bars 421-422 Chopin initially wrote the middle version, including elements of the original version – d at the beginning of the bar and b-f1 at the end. He changed the bass still in A, yet the 3rd crotchet – only in the proofreading of FE.
  • in the discussed bars, the earlier versions were written in A in whole – in bars 453-454 initially the first, then the second, whereas in bars 461-462 – only the second one. Chopin then crossed it out and replaced with the final version.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Accompaniment changes

b. 481-483

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

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The crossings-out visible in A allow us to read the original version, in which the L.H. had the same chords as the R.H., continuing the relationship marked by the 1st chord of the entire passage. Chopin wrote four subsequent chords (to the second one in bar 482) before he changed the concept or noticed his mistake.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Accompaniment changes

b. 492

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

f-a in [ReF]

e in Morch

e-b in A (contextual interpretation→GE→FE1→EE)

f-b in FE2
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The tonic chord in the second inversion in [ReF] must be the original version of this quaver, eventually rejected by Chopin, since all the remaining sources feature a dominant chord in this place. According to us, the corrections introducing a new concept in the orchestral part were not entirely controlled by Chopin, which manifested itself in the omission of the seventh in Morch among others. However, the seventh is present in the piano reduction of A and in all editions. In the last phase of proofreading of FE2, the composer introduced another change, replacing the third of the chord with a transitory fourth. We include the latest, probably final, version in the main text.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations

issues: Foreign hand additions in manuscripts , Errors of A , Accompaniment changes , Authentic corrections of FE , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 498-499

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

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In A there are visible crossings-out on the 3rd beat of these bars. In both places it was probably the original version of those crotchets, i.e. the d-g fourth.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Accompaniment changes

b. 503

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

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In A one can see a crossing-out of both the second and third crotchet in the L.H. It is difficult to decipher what was crossed out:

  • the 2nd crotchet had 3 or 4 ledger lines; in the latter it would probably be a Terzverschreibung, which Chopin first wanted to correct without rewriting the note;
  • the 3rd crotchet must have contained d1.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Deletions in A , Accompaniment changes