mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors resulting from corrections

b. 47

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

Rhythm in A, probable contextual interpretation

Rhythm in FE (→GE,EE)
..

On the available photograph of A, the notation of the bottom voice in the L.H. part is difficult to interpret and most probably erroneous. The authenticity of the version of FE (→GE,EE) is also uncertain; it could have resulted from the actions of the engraver of FE1. According to us, it is highly unlikely that Chopin would have wanted to shorten the duration of the bass note with respect to analogous b. 45 – such a shortening is practically imperceptible, particularly when using harmonic pedalling, which is natural in this context. Therefore, in the main text we give a text analogous to b. 45.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Errors resulting from corrections , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 49

composition: Op. 10 No 11, Etude in E♭ major

Chord with c1 in A

No c1 in chord in FE (→GE,EE)
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Lack of c1 in the 5th chord is most probably a result of an oversight of the engraver of FE (→GE,EE). Although in FE there are visible traces of corrections in this chord, yet the a note was deleted, probably printed by mistake instead of f. In the main text we give the unequivocal version of A, compliant with analogous bar 48.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Errors resulting from corrections , Terzverschreibung error , Uncertain notes on ledger lines

b. 53

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

R.H. part in A (→FE,EE)

GC (→GE1→GE2)

GE3
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In A the original beginning of the bar was the following:

Chopin changed it then to the version offered by FE and EE:

The above correction was also included in GC, however, in this copy Chopin himself changed this place one more time; the new version was printed on this basis in GE1 (→GE2). We consider this version as definitive with one reservation:  we add a  lowering e2 to e2, overlooked during the correction. The addition, not so obvious without knowledge of previous Chopin's corrections, was introduced only in GE3.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , GE revisions , Authentic corrections in GC

b. 53

composition: Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

 in A

    in FC (→GE)

  in FE (→EE)
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The change of pedal on the 3rd beat of the bar is an arbitrary addition of Fontana, who proofread FE1 in the absence of Chopin. He intervened due to the single  mark at the beginning of the bar left in A (which, in turn, must have resulted from corrections and crossings-out). Upon seeing a change of the bass note, Fontana complemented the markings in a standard, safe manner; however, he did not check the authentic pedalling in analogous b. 61. Interestingly, in FC he added only a  mark at the end of the bar.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors resulting from corrections , FE revisions , No pedal release mark , Fontana's revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 55

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

Literal reading of A (→GC,FE1) – notes e

Notes e in FE2 (→FE3), EE & GE, contextual interpretation of A (→GC,FE1)
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In A (→GC,FE1) there are no accidentals in this bar. The e notes, present in two previous bars and in a few subsequent ones, including in analogous bar 57, indicate here Chopin's omission of the flats lowering e to e, which is one of the most frequent errors he was known to commit. The conclusion is confirmed by the addition of a  lowering e3 to e3 in FE2 (→FE3). Two remaining necessary flats in this bar were added in FE3, yet one of them was misplaced before the upper note of the third, so it lowers g2 to g2 (the error is corrected by a pencilled entry in FED, cf. also bar 57). In GE and EE all three necessary flats were added.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Errors in FE , Annotations in FED , Errors resulting from corrections , Terzverschreibung error , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , FE revisions