mUltimate Chopin

Op. 35, Sonata in B♭ minor, Mvt IV

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors of A

b. 37

composition: Op. 35, Sonata in B♭ minor, Mvt IV

e-e1 in GC (→GE) & FE1 (→FE2→EE)

f-f1 in FE3 (→FE4→FE5)
..

The version with e-e1 may be Chopin's mistake, who in [A] introduced the naturals raising it to e-e1 four quavers too late. In any case, Chopin proofreading of FE3 undoubtedly determines both the sound of this quaver and its enharmonic notation. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 46

composition: Op. 35, Sonata in B♭ minor, Mvt IV

10 bars in GC (→GE) & FE1 (→FE2)

8 bars in EE, FE3 (→FE4) & FESch
..

Between bars 46 and 47, GC (→GE) and FE1 (→FE2) include another two bars, identical to bars 9-10. It is probably a result of a mistake at the time of performing an abbreviated marking of bar 39 and following with numerals as repetitions of the respective bars of the beginning – Chopin marked 10 bars in this way instead of eight. The composer removed the superfluous bars in the proofreading of FE3 and in the base text to EE, he also deleted them in FESch and two (according to Mikuli) pupil's copies, belonging to Fryderyka Streicher and Marcelina Czartoryska. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE , Authentic corrections of EE , Changed phrase length , Annotations in FESch

b. 47

composition: Op. 35, Sonata in B♭ minor, Mvt IV

c1-c2 in the sources (literal reading)

c1-c2 (possible interpretation)

Our variant suggestion
..

The first quaver of the last triplet, c1(2), may be perceived as strange, if we consider that the a-f sixth, ending the 1st half of the bar, determines the return of the B minor key, in which it is c1(2) that is a diatonic note. However, it is not obvious, moreover, the B minor key does not exclude the use of a lowered second degree. The validity of the assumption that Chopin forgot to cancel the flats from the 1st half of the bar becomes even more questionable if we take into consideration the interval structure of the 2nd and 4th triplets in bar 47 and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th triplets in bar 48 – at the beginning of each of them (except for the discussed one) there is a minor second. In this case, in the main text we leave the version of the sources, suggesting possible conjectures as alternative versions. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A

b. 50

composition: Op. 35, Sonata in B♭ minor, Mvt IV

b-b1 in the sources (literal reading)

b-b1 (possible interpretation)

Our variant suggestion
..

A number of editors of later collective editions considers the absence of the flats restoring b(1) at the end of the bar to be an oversight of Chopin, which, of course, cannot be excluded. An argument for an oversight could be a vast majority of minor seconds in the motivic structure of the Finale, particularly in similar figures (bars 5, 7, 16, 24-26, 28-30, 35-38, 43, 45, 50, 51-56, 60), which is, however, difficult to be considered to be conclusive. In the main text we suggest a variant solution.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A