mUltimate Chopin

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

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b. 32

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

2 slurs & tie in A (possible interpretation→GE→FE,EE,IE)

2 slurs in A, contextual interpretation
..

In A, between the 3rd and the 4th chord, there are 3 slurs of the same shape, suggesting an ascending second motif. The middle one is written at the pitch of f1, hence, when interpreted literally, it does not concern any of the notes. It can be considered an inaccuracy; therefore, the slur could be assigned to a1, as it was done in GE (→FE,EE,IE). However, according to us, Chopin's mistake is more likely (he could have written one slur too many); it could also be an unfinished correction of an inaccurate slur, which was supposed to have been removed after having written the correct (bottom) one, which Chopin eventually did not do. Such an unintentionally left mark almost certainly occurred in, e.g. mov. I of the Sonata, in bar 179. Therefore, in the main text we provide only two slurs, as marked by Chopin in bar 1.

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

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions , Errors of A

b. 32-33

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

No fingering in A (→GE→FE,IE)

Fingering in EE
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In the main text we omit the inauthentic fingering added in EE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions

b. 33

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

..

In EE1 the quaver beams for the pairs of middle semiquavers on the 2nd and 3rd beat are missing, which makes them dotted or regular crotchets. This is a patent mistake, corrected in EE2.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in EE

b. 33

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

a3 quavers in A (→GE→EE)

a3 semiquavers in FE & IE
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The FE and IE version resulted from a misunderstanding of the Chopinesque notation of harmonic legato, in which the moments the particular notes should be played are determined by the regular semiquaver pattern, while the rhythmic values in the additional "voices" are only meant to show how long the particular notes are to be held, creating transitory chords; the values are not to be considered linearly.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: FE revisions ,

b. 33-34

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

Slur in 1st part of b. 33 in sources

2 slurs in b. 33-34, our alternative suggestion
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The absence of the L.H. slurs in the second part of bar 33 and in bar 34 could be due to graphic reasons – Chopin probably stopped writing the slur in A in bar 33 after realising that it would be impossible to lead it to the end of the bar due to the  marks under the R.H. part. In the case of bar 34, a possible slur over the L.H. quavers would have intersected the R.H. dynamic hairpin, which could have hampered the correct interpretation of the manuscript. In the main text we leave the version of the sources, as despite the absence of slurs, the accompaniment is too similar to the previous groups in terms of texture for it to be performed using an articulation other than legato. The slurs in our alternative suggestion are modelled after analogous bar 14 and 16.  

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A