mUltimate Chopin

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

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Slurs

b. 50

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

Slur to crotchet in A

Slur to quaver in GE (→FE,EE,IE)
..

In the main text we provide the A slur, clearly led to the E-e crotchet at the beginning of the 2nd half of the bar. The shorter slur in the editions resulted from the inaccuracy of the engraver of GE or perhaps from a routine revision, adjusting the slur to a typical rhythmic group.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE

b. 56

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

2 slurs in A, possible interpretation

3 slurs in GE (→FE,EE,IE)

3 slurs suggested by the editors

No slurs, our alternative suggestion
..

The two diagonal lines visible in A over the 2nd half of bar 55 and the beginning of bar 56 were reproduced by GE (→FE,EE,IE) as slurs encompassing 2 subsequent pairs of quavers, which we adopt to the main text. We also include the third slur added by the editions, encompassing 3 subsequent quavers, which are almost certainly supposed to be performed legato as well. However, the A notation is unclear – the range of the first slur is uncertain; the same applies to the very interpretation of these lines as slurs. They could be random lines or an abandoned attempt at writing slurs, which was eventually replaced by the legato indication at the beginning of bar 55. We include these possibilities in the suggested alternative interpretation, in which we apply the legato indication at the beginning of bar 55 to the entire section devoid of slurs (bar 55 and the first half of bar 56).

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions

b. 61

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

Slur in A

No slur in GE (→FE,EE,IE)
..

In A the shape of the slur between the e3 crotchet and the e2 quaver resembles the shape of a tie, which suggests that Chopin wrote it by mistake, believing that he was combining two identical notes. Such a tie would make sense in a similar figure 2 bars earlier (bar 59), yet it is uncertain whether it was indeed Chopin's intention (in the analogous phrase in the recapitulation a similar tie is absent both in bar 219 and 221). A trill starting from a tied note is generally rare; in the case of Chopin's oeuvre, it is unheard of, hence we do not suggest such an interpretation of the composer's intention, not even as a variant. In the discussed place it can be considered a slur; however, due to the fact that it is most likely a mistake, we omit it in the main text, as it was already done in GE (→FE,EE,IE).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Errors of A

b. 64

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

Slur from 2nd quaver in A

Slur from 1st quaver in GE (→FE,EE,IE)
..

When interpreted literally, the A slur starts from the 2nd quaver. It must be an inaccuracy, resulting from the inability to write a longer slur without crossing the , which could make the manuscript ambiguous here.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions

b. 72-73

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

No slur in A (→GE→EE,IE)

Slur in FE
..

In the main text we keep the A notation (→GE→EE,IE), in which the pair of chords between these bars was marked with a dot over the second one, and not with a slur, as was the case with the previous ones. The chords differ in their form and their position in the phrase from the previous ones, hence this difference in markings could have been intentional. The performance indicated by the reviser of FE could be considered acceptable.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: FE revisions