mUltimate Chopin

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Issues : Authentic corrections of FE

b. 374-376

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

Small notes in bars 374-375 in A & GE2

Regular notes in GE1

​Small notes separately, in bar 376 d1-f1 in FE1

c1-f1 in bar 376 in FE2

Regular notes in EE
..

The absence of the c1-f1 fourth in bar 376 is probably Chopin's oversight; he then added it while proofreading FE (FE1 added d1-f1, erroneously, which was corrected to c1-f1 in FE2). At the time of performing this proofreading, the composer also introduced a more transparent, two-voice notation of all three chords, in which only the top note belongs to the solo part. EE repeated the text of FE2, without preserving the differences in the size of the notes, though. In almost all subsequent collective editions, the dyads of the accompaniment were erroneously included in the solo part (on the basis of GE1).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Errors in EE , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 380

composition: Op. 11, Concerto in E minor, Mvt III

..

The traces of proofreading, visible in FE, reveal that the originally printed slur encompassed only the semiquavers in bar 380. 

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Authentic corrections of FE

b. 383

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Slur from 1st note in A (probable interpretation→FE→EE) & GE

Slur from 2nd note in A (possible interpretation→FC)
..

In A it is unclear whether the phrase mark is to begin from the 1st or the 2nd note of the bar, which was reflected in the differing versions of FC and FE (→EE). At the same time, in FE there are visible traces of shortening the phrase mark, which initially reached b1 in the previous bar. The version of GE is probably a 'standard inaccuracy' resulting from a tendency to adjust phrase marks (and dynamic hairpins) to regular rhythmic structures, e.g. bars, which is documented in a number of Chopin's pieces.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccurate slurs in A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 385

composition: Op. 11, Concerto in E minor, Mvt I

Third c1-e1 in FE (→EE)

No third in GE
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The missing c1-e1 third, ending the phrase of the orchestral part, is most probably a mistake of the engraver of GE. It could also indicate that it was added in the last proofreading of FE, yet the engraver's mistake is supported by the placement of the Solo indication in GE, i.e. only just over the 2nd beat of the bar, probably due to this third, which does not belong to the solo part. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 394

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

3 crotchets in A (→FC→GE)

Dotted rhythm & crotchet in FE

Crotchet & dotted rhythm in EE & FESf
..

The origin of the version of FE is unclear. It may be Chopin's proofreading; it would be then the latest authentic version. On the other hand, one cannot exclude a mistake of the engraver: looking at the already finished, correctly engraved version of FE, the engraver could have mistakenly associated the dot prolonging the f1 minim with the e1 crotchet and could have added the allegedly missing quaver flag to the next note. The second possibility is supported by the fact that the notation of FE is not entirely correct, since extending dots should be both next to e1 and f1. One can assume that Chopin would have bothered to add the second dot if he had prolonged the 1st crotchet. In this situation we consider the version of FE only a variant of uncertain authenticity while saving the main text for the undoubtedly Chopinesque version of A. The version of FE was regarded as erroneous already in EE, in which, however, not knowing the authentic version, the rhythm of the three previous analogous bars was introduced (369, 373 and 390). The same correction was entered into FESf, which could have also been performed by analogy and which does not influence the evaluation of a possible authenticity of that version.  

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Authentic corrections of FE