mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors of A

b. 489-490

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

Semiquavers in A, contextual interpretation

24 demisemi­quavers in GE1 (→FE→EE)

24 demisemi­quavers in GE2
..

In this place, Chopin wrote a combination of trill with tremolando (cf. 1st mov., bar 335) in a precise manner, with notes, determining even the number of touches (in each bar 3 groups of 4). However, he committed a mistake while marking their value as demisemiquavers instead of semiquavers, which may suggest twice the number of required notes. This is how this mistake was revised in GE (→FE→EE), increasing the number of touches to 8 in each of the groups. It resulted in an unreasonable notation, since it is impossible to perform a thick tremolando in the tempo marked by Chopin, or even close to the Chopinesque one.
According to us, it was the piano reality that induced Chopin to apply a different notation than in the aforementioned situation from the 1st mov. of the Concerto (used then two more times in the 1st mov. of the Concerto in E minor, op. 11) – using trill in the notation suggests a certain freedom in the choice of the number of performed oscillations, whereas in the discussed place the fast tempo does not allow such a freedom.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Rhythmic errors , Errors of A

b. 492

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

f-a in [ReF]

e in Morch

e-b in A (contextual interpretation→GE→FE1→EE)

f-b in FE2
..

The tonic chord in the second inversion in [ReF] must be the original version of this quaver, eventually rejected by Chopin, since all the remaining sources feature a dominant chord in this place. According to us, the corrections introducing a new concept in the orchestral part were not entirely controlled by Chopin, which manifested itself in the omission of the seventh in Morch among others. However, the seventh is present in the piano reduction of A and in all editions. In the last phase of proofreading of FE2, the composer introduced another change, replacing the third of the chord with a transitory fourth. We include the latest, probably final, version in the main text.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations

issues: Foreign hand additions in manuscripts , Errors of A , Accompaniment changes , Authentic corrections of FE , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 492

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

g-b in [ReF] & A (contextual interpretation)

g in A (literal reading→GE→FE→EE)

e-b in Morch
..

When interpreted literally, the last crotchet in the L.H. in A includes only three notes, c-g-c1. It is most probably a mistake, resulting from b and c1 merging into one note. This assumption is confirmed by such a sound of the chord in [ReF]. This empty sounding version was repeated in all editions. As the version of Morch, we give a chord in a format adopted by Chopin in the previous chords, corresponding with its harmonic content to the full chord in the orchestra. According to us, it is the most naturally sounding version in this context due to the use of a full four-note seventh chord, hence we adopt it to the main text. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Errors of A

b. 493

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

..

In A (→FC→GE1, →FE→EE1) there is no accidental before the last crotchet in the R.H. It must be a mistake, cf., e.g. analogous b. 497. Oversight of an accidental necessary for writing a note belonging to a currently valid key is one of Chopin's most frequent mistakes. A natural was added only just in GE2 (→GE3) and EE2 (→EE3); it was also added in FESf. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Errors of A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE , Annotations in FESf

b. 494

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

..

In A (→FE,FC→GE1) there is no  lowering g2 to g2 and no  lowering e2 to e2.  A flat was added already in EE1, whereas it is only just EE2 (→EE3) and GE2 (→GE3) that include the correct text.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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