mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Long accents

b. 3-12

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

2 short accents in FCI

Short accent in A, probable interpretation (→FC→GE, →FE→EE)

Long accent in A, possible interpretation
..

It is unclear whether the accent in A was supposed to be long or short, according to Chopin. Both FC (→GE) and FE (→EE) interpreted it as short; a short accent is also in FCI (as well as in b. 12). In the main text we also favour a short accent – both the acceleration of the tempo of the Prelude and the shortening of the rhythmic value of this note are an argument for a short, purely dynamic accent.
In FE (→EE) the accent was placed under the stave, which is a routine revision, frequently used by editors both in times of Chopin and nowadays. In this case, it does not influence the meaning of the sign; we do not include this detail in our transcriptions.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Placement of markings

b. 3

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

Long accent in A

No mark in FC (→GE)

 in FE (→EE)
..

The missing accent in FC (→GE) resulted from the distraction of the copyist, who overlooked the marks from the entire first line of A. In FE (→EE) this long accent was reproduced as a half-bar diminuendo hairpin, which more or less corresponds to the length of the mark in A, but does not include the fact that it should be placed under the a1 crotchet only.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in FE , Errors of FC

b. 3-15

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

Short accents in A, literal reading (→FC→GE, →FE→EE)

Long accents, our alternative suggestion
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category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents

b. 4

composition: Op. 10 No 2, Etude in A minor

Probable  in Ap

Possible long accent in Ap

 in FE (→GE,EE) 

Our alternate suggestion
..

The  mark in FE (→GE,EE) is one of a few that had already been printed in FEcor. Therefore, its compliance with Chopin's intention is not certain due to the possibility of reversing the direction of the sign as a result of the engraver's error (cf., e.g., the Etude in C minor, No. 12, bar 53). Such an error seems to be possible if we take into consideration the four-bar section which ends here and the recurring first phrase with its crescendo and a possible  in Ap.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Errors in FE , Sign reversal

b. 4

composition: Op. 10 No 2, Etude in A minor

 & accent in Ap

Accent in FE (→GE,EE) 

Our suggestion
..

The accent visible in FE (→GE,EE) should be rather interpreted as a short one, yet in FE even shorter signs were used, e.g., in the Etude in C major, No. 1, bars 1-2. Also the sign put in Ap (next to ) resembles more an ordinary short accent. However, the long accents written by Chopin in FEcor in analogous bars 12 and 39 clearly indicate Chopin's intention concerning the type of accent he wanted to use.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents