mUltimate Chopin

(Op. 4), Sonata in C minor, Mvt I

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b. 65

composition: (Op. 4), Sonata in C minor, Mvt I

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In FE the octave sign ends on the 5th quaver in the bar (c3-f3), which is the engraver's patent mistake.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE

b. 66

composition: (Op. 4), Sonata in C minor, Mvt I

Dotted minim suggested by the editors
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In the main text we introduce a simpler version of notation of analogous bar 226. The version of the sources with a tie could stem from an earlier version (with a repeated g note).

category imprint: Editorial revisions

b. 66

composition: (Op. 4), Sonata in C minor, Mvt I

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In A the augmentation dot to g1 in the bottom R.H. voice is missing. It must be Chopin's oversight, corrected in GE (→FE,EE,IE). Although it is not the only way of complementing the bottom voice rhythm – Chopin could have, for example, planned to repeat this note on the last quaver in the bar – we provide this version in the main text, as it is easier to imagine an overlooked augmentation dot than an overlooked quaver, while the figure present in this bar was also used in bar 102 and 104.
See also bar 226.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: GE revisions , Errors of A

b. 67-72

composition: (Op. 4), Sonata in C minor, Mvt I

No fingering in A (→GE→FE,IE)

Fingering in EE
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In the main text we omit the inauthentic fingering added by EE in bars 67-69 and 72.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions

b. 71-72

composition: (Op. 4), Sonata in C minor, Mvt I

2 times slur & wedge, and 7 slurs in A

2 times slur & wedge, and 12 slurs, our alternative suggestion

14 times slur & dot in GE (→FE,EE,IE)
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In A Chopin marked the beamed pairs of quavers (7 in the R.H. and 7 in the L.H.) in three ways:

  • A slur and a wedge in the first two R.H. pairs. The type of the used staccato marks is uncertain; we provide wedges due to them being outside the slur – Chopin would write dots generally within slurs, see, e.g. bar 91, 93 and 98-99.
  • Slurs in the remaining R.H. pairs and in the first two L.H. pairs.
  • No marks in the remaining L.H. pairs.

According to us, these differences do not mean that the pairs should be performed differently than in the case of the first two pairs (the performance of which is marked most carefully). However, they could suggest certain details – stronger articulation in the R.H. (than in the L.H.) and in the first two pairs (than in the remaining ones). Therefore, in the main text we keep this version of notation. As an alternative solution, we suggest a version with added L.H. slurs, as a literal performance of the L.H. part, without combining the quavers in pairs, could have adversely affected the nature of the music.

In GE (→FE,EE,IE) the notation was fully standardised – each pair of quavers was provided with a slur and a staccato dot, in both hands. This solution is not devoid of rational grounds, yet it cannot be authentic; moreover, as we described it above, the suggested performance is standardised to a greater extent than in Chopin's text.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Wedges