mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors of A

b. 7-8

composition: Op. 25 No 8, Etude in D♭ major

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In A, FE and EE1 there is no cancellation of a few previously raised notes in chromatic passages:

  • in A and FE there is no  returning f2 at the end of bar 7 and two flats in bar 8 – returning a2 in the 8th sixth and e3 in the 10th sixth;
  • EE is missing the above three and flats returning g2 in the 10th sixth and d3 in the 12th sixth in bar 8.

The remaining editions introduced additions to these patent oversights (some of all):

  • GE1 added the  returning a2 in the 8th sixth in bar 8, while GE2 (→GE3) also the rest of the overlooked signs;
  • EE2 (→EE3) added the flats returning a2 in the 8th sixth, g2 in the 10th sixth and d3 in the 12th sixth in bar 8, which resulted in the same text as in GE1.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Errors in EE , Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Errors of A

b. 7

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

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There are no accidentals before the last pair of demisemiquavers in A. Therefore, they should be interpreted as c2 and c3 (the  before the 5th demisemiquaver of the bar is in force), which is, of course, impossible. In this Prelude Chopin took it for granted that the second and last demisemiquavers in each group are an octave higher than the preceding melodic note, thus he marked precisely only the pitch of the melodic notes (cf. b. 1-4). Therefore, there are no doubts that it is the bottom note that is written correctly, c2, and the inaccuracy concerns the top note, which must be a c3. Interestingly enough, the absence of a  restoring c3 was not noticed in any of the remaining sources, even in GE2, in which a cautionary  was added before c2.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A

b. 7

composition: Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

F in A (→FC), literal reading

F in FE (→EE), GE & CGS
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When interpreted literally, the chord on the 3rd beat of the bar in A (→FC) consists of the following notes: F1-F-b-d1-f1, which, in turn, results in a G major chord (F major), which could be a part of this harmonic sequence. However, Chopin would generally avoid such an unnatural orthography; therefore, he most probably overlooked here the naturals lowering all f notes to f. They were added both in FE (→EE) and GE, and the composer did not question the printed naturals in any of the three teaching copies containing annotations coming from him.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Errors of A , FE revisions

b. 7

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

Dotted minim in sources

Minim suggested by the editors
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Holding the g note to the very end of the bar, as it was given in A and in all the remaining sources, is inconvenient from the pianistic point of view and practically imperceptible against the trill performed with pedal in the bass. Therefore, it is almost certainly a mistake of Chopin, who did not realize that in this bar – unlike in all analogous ones – the first note of the bar is not a part of the chord on the 3rd beat. 

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Rhythmic errors , Errors of A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 8

composition: Op. 10 No 5, Etude in G♭ major

Crotchet in A

Quaver in FE (→GE,EE)
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In A the first chord in the L.H. is a crotchet. The possible mistake (theoretically it could be considered as a simplified two-voice notation) was corrected in FE (→GE,EE).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Rhythmic errors , Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE