mUltimate Chopin

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Issues : Fontana's revisions

b. 9-33

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

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The entire second line of A is missing the octave signs – there is no ending of the sign in bar 9 and an entire one is missing in b. 14-17. There is a similar case in b. 31-33, in which the transition into a new line provoked a mistake in the form of an unfinished octave sign, which began in bar 30. Fontana noticed and corrected only the latter, yet in FC an octave sign was added in pencil also in b. 14-17, probably by the engraver of GE1 (we do not take into account that addition in the transcription of FC, since it belongs rather to GE1). In the editions all mistakes were corrected, in FE perhaps by Chopin's orders, who proofread that edition.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Foreign hand additions in manuscripts , Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE , Fontana's revisions

b. 9

composition: Op. 28 No. 3, Prelude in G major

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In A (→FE1) there is no  raising c1 to c1 at the beginning of the 2nd group of semiquavers. That patent oversight of Chopin was corrected by Fontana in FC (→GE) and FE2 (EE). The accidental is also in FCI.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , FE revisions , Fontana's revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE

b. 9-10

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

Slur to end of bar 9 in A (literal reading→FE→EE)

Slur to bar 10 in A (possible contextual interpretation→FC→GE)
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The slur of A does not reach b. 10; however, it cannot be ruled out that this is what Chopin's idea looked like – cf. the next two slurs in this phrase. Fontana implemented that possibility in FC (→GE); it even seems that he was prolonging that slur on purpose.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , Fontana's revisions

b. 10-11

composition: Op. 28 No. 4, Prelude in E minor

Version in As

Rhythm in A (→FE→EE) & CGS

Rhythm in FC (→GE)

Rhythm in FED, possible interpretation
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The version of As, replaced then by the final edition of those motifs, resulted from corrections itself. Their traces in the form of crossings-out are almost invisible on the available photograph; however, a comparison with similarly looking corrections in b. 18-19 suggests that in both places Chopin began with similar ideas and then changed them in a similar manner.
The change of the long grace note to a short one was an arbitrary decision of Fontana, certainly contrary to the intention of Chopin, which is particularly confirmed by the Chopinesque entry in FED, difficult to interpret as a whole, but in terms of rhythm almost certainly tantamount to the addition in b. 19, which is perfectly clear.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Main-line changes , Fontana's revisions

b. 10

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

No slur in A

Slur in FC (→GE) & FE (→EE)
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The missing slur over the 1st L.H. figure must be Chopin's mistake. The slur was added in both sources based on A, perhaps not even having noticed its absence.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors of A , FE revisions , Fontana's revisions