In A the accents in these bars are of different length, yet it does not seem to be possible that Chopin would like to contrast them. Generally, the marks are quite long, however, there are also very short ones (e.g. at the beginning of bars 3 and 41). Moreover, the comparison with other fragments does not provide sufficient hints to determine whether Chopin thought common short accents to be so obvious in this context that he allowed himself for an inaccurate notation or whether he insisted on long accents, e.g., to emphasise the two first notes of each group, being the harmonic backbone of the passage.
On the first page of A in bars 15-17 one can see three accents over the part of the R.H., the two first out of which are undoubtedly short and the third one – long. The comparison of this group of marks with the accents in bars 1-6 suggests to consider the latter as long ones. On the other hand, taking into account the long accent in bar 38 and the accents in bars 41-43 (which repeat bars 1-3), we would give preference to short accents.
Another reason for short accents is the size of long accents in bars 2 and 4 (in the R.H.), added by Chopin probably in a proofreading of FE.
In the main text we suggest short accents.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources
issues: Long accents
notation: Articulation, Accents, Hairpins
