mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Deletions in A

b. 4

composition: Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

e1 on 6th quaver in A (→FE)

e1 on 6th quaver, L.H. finger 1 in EE1

e1 on 6th quaver, R.H. finger 2 in FES

e1 on 3rd beat, under slur in FC (→GE)

e1 on 3rd beat, no slur in EE2
..

Interpreting the top note of the 6th L.H. quaver, e1, as a R.H. crotchet on the 3rd beat of the bar is almost certainly Fontana's mistake. The copyist was most probably misled by the note having been written on the top stave, the poorly visible top fragment of the stem combining that note with c and the dot extending the g1 minim at the beginning of the bar having been crossed out in A (the crossing-out most probably provided for the discussed e1 to be performed with the right hand; in addition, it was probably to be completed by a crotchet rest, which Chopin, however, did not do). Having completed the rhythm of the R.H. melody with that note, Fontana also led to it the phrase mark encompassing the first phrase. The change in EE2 must have been introduced under the influence of GE1. In the main text we give the notation of A (→FE→EE1), supplemented by a crotchet rest.

To eliminate the possibility of creating incoherent combinations of variants from different notes, we include the fingering of EE and FES, which applies to the e1 quaver, here, in the variants including that quaver.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Rhythmic errors , Deletions in A , Errors of FC , Inaccuracies in A

b. 5-6

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

..

The crossings-out visible in A allowed us to decipher the initial rhythm of b. 5: . According to us, it is likely that it was also the last a1 note in b. 6 that was initially a quaver – it is indicated by a denser notation, which points to a semiquaver rest having been possibly added, as well as by the difference in the shape of the flags next to that note, which would suggest that they were entered at different times.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Main-line changes

b. 5

composition: Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

..

In A the penultimate quaver in the bar was initially a d1-f1 third, like in b. 1. The same applies to b. 24.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Accompaniment changes

b. 5

composition: Op. 28 No. 14, Prelude in E♭ minor

c-c1 w A, literal reading (→FE,FC→GE1)

c-c1 in EE, GE2 (→GE3) & FES
..

The missing naturals raising c-c1 to c-c1 are almost certainly Chopin's mistake. It is indicated by the naturals added by Chopin in FES as well as by the cautionary  written in A before c1 in the next bar (eventually crossed out), which suggests that Chopin assumed that it was c that was valid there*.
The naturals were added in EE and GE2 (→GE3).

* A precautionary approach should be taken in the case of a reasoning based on a cautionary accidental – in b. 12 in A we can also observe crossed-out flats before c-c1, although the sound of those notes had already been consolidated at the beginning of b. 10 (Chopin was not always certain which accidentals were included in the key signature).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Deletions in A , Annotations in FES , Last key signature sign

b. 5-7

composition: Op. 28 No. 18, Prelude in F minor

..

In A one can see that in b. 5 Chopin initially wanted to lead the L.H. semiquaver sequence to the middle of the bar. He also introduced a similar change into b. 7, in which he started writing L.H. semiquavers from the beginning of the bar.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A