The ending of the slur in A is an example of the situation in which neither the graphic shape nor the musical sense allows for the choice of the notation that could be considered intended by Chopin: the slur ends between the notes, and both slurs may mean the same in this context. The comparison with similar phrases does not bring any new clues either – in bar 51 the slur ends on a crotchet, and in bar 113 on a semiquaver. However, a broader analysis of slur endings in similar situations slightly tips the balance in favour of a longer slur. Chopin, despite the fact that he generally wrote his slurs hastily and carelessly, did several times correct such early-ending slurs extending them to reach the crotchet.
category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness
issues: Inaccurate slurs in A
notation: Slurs
Back to note