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b. 1-28

composition: Op. 28 No. 1, Prelude in C major

 signs before 6th semiquaver in A

 at end of bar in FC (→GE) & FE (→EE)
..

The placement of the  asterisks in A is questionable. The marks were being entered rather hastily, while the evaluation of their intended correlation with the time course of music is hampered due to the erroneous placement of the L.H. quaver rests with respect to the R.H. semiquavers – Chopin would enter rests more or less in the middle of the 2nd half of each bar. It leads to such situations as, e.g. in b. 3 and 15, in which the  occurs before the L.H. rest (i.e. in the 1st half of the bar, actually), but under the 5th semiquaver in the R.H. Apart from a few exceptional situations, which we discuss separately (b. 13-14 and 29-32), one can state the following:

  • All  occur under the 5th semiquaver or later, whereby the majority – 15 out of 26 – concern the 6th semiquaver. Therefore, the differences are insignificant and are almost certainly accidental inaccuracies.
  • The only place where Chopin deemed it necessary to correct the already written mark – in b. 23 – concerns the  written at the end of the bar, after the 6th semiquaver; consequently, it was moved under the 5th semiquaver. According to us, Chopin most probably wanted to avoid the  combination, which most often indicates a syncopated pedal change.

In the remaining sources the pedalling is – except for a few minor inaccuracies – fully unified, with an  asterisk under the 6th semiquaver of each bar. It is generally compliant with the notation suggested by us; however, it can suggest the aforementioned continuous pedalling with changes under the bars, contrary to the intention of Chopin.

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

issues: Inaccuracies in A

b. 1-3

composition: Op. 28 No. 2, Prelude in A minor

Arrangement of voices in As & A (→FC→GE)

Part arrangement in CGS

L.H. part arrangement in FE (→EE)
..

The two-part notation of the L.H. part, in which the recurring B-A-B-G motif is isolated, was already introduced in As and kept in A (→FC→GE). Unlike in As, in which all 3 bars are written like that (with the use of abbreviations), in the version prepared for print Chopin wrote only the first 2 bars like that; they must be regarded as a pattern for the next ones, already written down in a simplified manner. The adoption of that simplified notation in FE (→EE) already in b. 1-2 was almost certainly an arbitrary decision of the engraver, who, not having observed a possibility to apply the beaming used in GE and in our text (essentially tantamount to the Chopinesque notation), considered the authentic notation to be impossible to reproduce in print. The notation adopted in CGS indicates that the top voice on the bottom stave should be performed with the R.H., which is more convenient, particularly for smaller and less skillful hands. The authenticity of that notation is not confirmed; however, it seems likely – see the characterization of CGS.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: FE revisions

b. 1-23

composition: Op. 28 No. 2, Prelude in A minor

..

In As, there are no slurs whatsoever. We do not mention it in further notes.

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 1-22

composition: Op. 28 No. 2, Prelude in A minor

..

As does not contain any performance indications – verbal indications, slurs, dynamic hairpins, pedalling marks, arpeggio marks. This is a consequence of the draft nature of this manuscript. We point out those deficiencies in subsequent notes only the first time the particular elements of notation appear.

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 1

composition: Op. 28 No. 2, Prelude in A minor

in A (→FE,FC→GE)

in EE
..

Nothing indicates that the change of metre introduced in EE could be authentic.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , 4/4 or 2/2