mUltimate Chopin

Op. 39, Scherzo in C♯ minor

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b. 155-157

composition: Op. 39, Scherzo in C♯ minor

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In GC (→GE) the indication sostenuto is written slightly earlier – it begins from the end of bar 155. FE has the abbreviated form sosten. As our main text we take the notation of EE, consistent with the placement of that indication in FE .

category imprint: Source & stylistic information

b. 156

composition: Op. 39, Scherzo in C♯ minor

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In FE, the note d flat is ascribed to the left hand. This would be possible, were it not for the sustaining of that d flat until the next bar, which makes the division completely impractical. 

category imprint: Source & stylistic information

issues: Inaccuracies in FE

b. 156

composition: Op. 39, Scherzo in C♯ minor

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GC has the entire chord written in minims without dots. The error was corrected in GE.

category imprint: Source & stylistic information

issues: GE revisions , Errors of GC

b. 159-187

composition: Op. 39, Scherzo in C♯ minor

Slurs in EE & FE

Slurs in GC, possible contextual interpretation

Slurs in GE
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In GC, the beginnings of slurs in bars 159, 167, 175 and 183 are clearly placed above the 1st beat of the bar. Such notation may have been intended by Chopin in order to underline the four-bar resounding of the chords ending each one of the choral phrases. However, another possibility is that the notation is simply inaccurate here - there are many places in GC with imprecisely written slurs (and this is how the matter was generally interpreted in GE). As the main text we give the slurring of EE and FE, free of errors or doubts, where the slurs begin on the 2nd beat  together with quaver figurations. The issue occurs in other similar fragments that begin in bars 203, 291, 307, 453, 497.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Inaccuracies in GC

b. 159-183

composition: Op. 39, Scherzo in C♯ minor

 and leggierissimo in EE

leggierissimo and  in GC

 and leggierissimo in GE

 and  in FE

Our suggestion
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Dynamic markings at the beginning of quaver figurations in bars 159, 167, 175 and 183 are written in the sources in several different manners, yet those differences are without greater practical significance. For our main text we basically adopt the indications found in GC (→GE) and EE; we also move to the space between the staves those  dynamic marks that were placed under the L.H. part,  as in further repetitions of similar phrases Chopin usually placed them between the parts of both hands. The markings of FE are less accurate, or partly even erroneous. 

category imprint: Differences between sources