mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors of A

b. 8

composition: Op. 28 No. 22, Prelude in G minor

Quaver in A (→FC), contextual interpretation (→FE→EE)
..

The chord in the R.H. part in A (→FC→GE) is a crotchet, which, along with the rests filling 5 quavers, adds up to 7 quavers. The way the R.H. part is distributed over the R.H. shows that the excess rhythmic values are to be looked for on the 2nd or 3rd quaver – either Chopin forgot to write a quaver flag to the stem of the chord or he unnecessarily wrote a rest over the 3rd L.H. quaver. In the editors' opinion the former – an erroneous oversight of one element of notation – is more likely than the latter – entering a superfluous rest. Adding a quaver flag is also how this passage was corrected in FE (→EE).
GE repeated the mistaken rhythm after FC, and what is more, erroneously placed all 3 rests following the chord in the 2nd half of the bar, over the 3 L.H. octaves (the identical error in distribution.of rests was also comitted in FE).

The erroneous notation of the sources is reproduced in the graphic transcription ("transcript" version). In the content transcription ("edited text") we interpret the text of A, FC and FE in accordance with the correction introduced in FE, and the text of GE the alternative way.

The chord in the R.H. part in A (→FC→GE) is a crotchet, which, along with the rests filling 5 quavers, results in 7 quavers. The mistake was corrected in FE (→EE) by adding a quaver flag to the stem of the chord. We also believe that the notation should be corrected like that:

  • such a rhythm results from the way the L.H. part is written under the R.H., especially in the 1st half of the bar;
  • an erroneous oversight of one element of notation – a quaver flag – seems to be more likely than entering a superfluous or wrong rest.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors of A , FE revisions , Errors repeated in GE

b. 8-12

composition: Op. 28 No. 20, Prelude in C minor

d1 in A (literal reading→FC,FE) & CGS

d1 in AB, ACh, GE, EE & FES
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The missing  restoring d1 is almost certainly an oversight of Chopin in A (→FC,FE), which is proven by the naturals in AB, ACh and the one added in b. 8 in FES. The accidentals were also added by the revisers of GE and EE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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

b. 8

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

e & e1 in A (→FE,FC→GE), literal reading

e & e1 in EE
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According to us, the missing accidental before the penultimate note in the roulade is almost certainly Chopin's error, one of his most frequent mistakes. It is supported by similar melodic phrases in other places in the Prelude, e.g. in b. 4-5 (b at the beginning of b. 5) or an octave higher in the discussed bar (the 10th semiquaver, e). Cf. the note in the Prelude in C minor, Op. 28 No. 20, b. 3.

category imprint: Differences between sources

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

b. 9-33

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

..

The entire second line of A is missing the octave signs – there is no ending of the sign in bar 9 and an entire one is missing in b. 14-17. There is a similar case in b. 31-33, in which the transition into a new line provoked a mistake in the form of an unfinished octave sign, which began in bar 30. Fontana noticed and corrected only the latter, yet in FC an octave sign was added in pencil also in b. 14-17, probably by the engraver of GE1 (we do not take into account that addition in the transcription of FC, since it belongs rather to GE1). In the editions all mistakes were corrected, in FE perhaps by Chopin's orders, who proofread that edition.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Foreign hand additions in manuscripts , Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE , Fontana's revisions

b. 9

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

g in sources, literal reading

g, our alternative suggestion
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The main text is the version of the sources (interpreted literally). However, the crossings-out and corrections in this figure, visible in A, allow us to assume that Chopin forgot to insert a  lowering g to g, especially if he introduced the changes already after having written the next figure, which undoubtedly features a g (with a ). We include this possibility, resulting in a version analogous to b. 10, as a variant.

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

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