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b. 8

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

Slur to 2nd beat in A (contextual interpretation→FC)

Slur to 3rd beat in FE (→EE) & GE
..

In A it is unclear whether the slur encompasses d1 on the 2nd beat of the bar or whether it aims for g1 on the 3rd beat. According to us, it is the former that is more likely – the slur symmetrically encompasses the notes played on the 2nd beat of both bars, which is an argument for a symmetrical interpretation of both its ends; since the beginning of the slur undoubtedly falls on the 2nd beat of the bar, its ending is also to be interpreted so. This is how it was interpreted and clearly written down by Fontana in FC, which was, however, ignored in GE.  

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions

b. 8

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

Notation in A

Notation in FC, FEJ & FES

Notation in FE & CGS

Notation in GE & EE
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Like in the remaining places in which the dotted rhythm and a triplet are juxtaposed, in the main text we give the notation of A. FC reproduced it inaccurately, yet it kept the synchronization of semiquavers; in turn, the notation of the editions is contrary to the convention used by Chopin. Exceptionally in this bar, in FE b, the last semiquaver, comes into contact with the bottom-voice a (probably due to lack of space), which suggests that they are to be played simultaneously, and moreover, in two teaching copies, on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th beats, we can see added dashes indicating a simultaneous performance of the semiquaver with the last quaver of the triplet. Consequently, the notation of the last three beats of that bar is equivalent to the notation of FC in those copies.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FES , Annotations in FEJ , Dotted rhythms and triplets

b. 8

composition: Op. 28 No. 24, Prelude in D minor

..

One can see a crossed-out semiquaver rest between the last two R.H. notes in A. Chopin performed the same correction in analogous b. 26, which confirms that it was only just at the stage of writing A that Chopin forwent the division of this motif into two parts. See also b. 46.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Main-line changes

b. 8

composition: Op. 28 No. 23, Prelude in F major

No fingering in A (→FE,FC→GE)

Fingering in EE
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Nothing indicates that the fingering in EE could have come from Chopin.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions

b. 8

composition: Op. 28 No. 22, Prelude in G minor

Quaver in A (→FC), contextual interpretation (→FE→EE)
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The chord in the R.H. part in A (→FC→GE) is a crotchet, which, along with the rests filling 5 quavers, adds up to 7 quavers. The way the R.H. part is distributed over the R.H. shows that the excess rhythmic values are to be looked for on the 2nd or 3rd quaver – either Chopin forgot to write a quaver flag to the stem of the chord or he unnecessarily wrote a rest over the 3rd L.H. quaver. In the editors' opinion the former – an erroneous oversight of one element of notation – is more likely than the latter – entering a superfluous rest. Adding a quaver flag is also how this passage was corrected in FE (→EE).
GE repeated the mistaken rhythm after FC, and what is more, erroneously placed all 3 rests following the chord in the 2nd half of the bar, over the 3 L.H. octaves (the identical error in distribution.of rests was also comitted in FE).

The erroneous notation of the sources is reproduced in the graphic transcription ("transcript" version). In the content transcription ("edited text") we interpret the text of A, FC and FE in accordance with the correction introduced in FE, and the text of GE the alternative way.

The chord in the R.H. part in A (→FC→GE) is a crotchet, which, along with the rests filling 5 quavers, results in 7 quavers. The mistake was corrected in FE (→EE) by adding a quaver flag to the stem of the chord. We also believe that the notation should be corrected like that:

  • such a rhythm results from the way the L.H. part is written under the R.H., especially in the 1st half of the bar;
  • an erroneous oversight of one element of notation – a quaver flag – seems to be more likely than entering a superfluous or wrong rest.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors of A , FE revisions , Errors repeated in GE