mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Partial corrections

b. 106-107

composition: Op. 23, Ballade in G minor

2 slurs in A

2 slurs in FE (→GE,EE)

1 slur suggested by the editors
..

The change of slurring in these and the next bars must be coming from Chopin. According to us, the aim was to replace the shorter slurs of A with longer ones, which, however, was marked or implemented inaccurately in the discussed bars, hence the second of the original slurs (supposed to be removed) was left untouched. A similar phenomenon is to be found in, e.g. the Concerto in E minor, Op. 11, III mov., b. 179-181. In Chopin's autographs, one can find numerous examples for prolonging or combining initially written shorter slurs, e.g. in b. 112-114 of the Ballade, in the Mazurka in A major, Op. 24 No. 3, b. 7-8 or in the Prelude in D minor, Op. 28 No. 24, b. 30-35.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Authentic corrections of FE , Partial corrections

b. 134-136

composition: Op. 50 No. 3, Mazurka in C♯ minor

Upper part, notation in AF

Upper part, notation in FE

Upper part, notation in GE

Upper part, notation in EE
..

In b. 134 and 136, the Chopinesque manner of writing stems always on the right-hand side of the noteheads contributed to an incomprehensible reproduction of the two-part notation of AF by the engraver of FE and, consequently, the totally erroneous notation of EE. In the main text we give the simplest and probably the latest notation introduced by Chopin in [AG] (→GE).
Similarly in b. 138-140.

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

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

b. 169

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

Interval in GE

Chord in FE (→EE)

Our variant suggestion
..

According to us, neither source nor stylistic criteria allow us to give preference to any of these versions. Due to the above reason, in the main text we suggest a variant solution.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , Authentic corrections of FE , Partial corrections

b. 174

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

 under chord in A

2  in GE (→FE→EE)
..

The first of two  in GE1 (→FE→EE) could have been added by Chopin, yet, according to us, a mistake of the engraver is more likely; after the erroneously printed  sign at the beginning of the bar, he could have added another one under the chord (having noticed a mistake or performing proofreading), yet he did not delete the first sign. This type of unfinished proofreading, where the erroneously printed element remains in the notation in spite of adding the correct sign, would occur in Chopin's pieces on a number of occasions, e.g. in the Polonais in B major, WN 17, bar 65. In similar motifs, composed of the bass and a longer resounding chord of a syncopated nature, the accent appears much more often on the chord only than on both elements, cf. e.g. the Rondo in E major, Op. 16, bar 37 or Bolero, Op. 19, bar 134, as well as three last examples mentioned in the adjacent note. Therefore, we consider the version of the editions a variant of dubious authenticity and we give A as the main text. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , GE revisions , Partial corrections

b. 179

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

d-f1 in A (→FE,GC→GE)

d-f-f1 in EE
..

The EE version results presumably from an incomplete correction – the engraver tried to change the mistakenly printed lower note of the octave f-f1 for a d, but failed to remove the erroneous f.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE , Partial corrections