mUltimate Chopin

Op. 35, Sonata in B♭ minor, Mvt III

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Scope of dynamic hairpins

b. 7-8

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

Two equal  signs in GC

One  in FE

One longer  in GE1

Differing  in GE2mar (→GE2)

One shorter  in EE1

Differing  in EE2
..

The notation of GC, representing the abbreviated notation of [A], indicates, according to us, two  signs. A similar conclusion was reached by the reviser of GE2mar (→GE2), whereas FE and GE1 give a hairpin only in bar 7. Interestingly, in an analogous situation in bars 11-12, all editions put the indications in both bars (yet they differ in the way of considering the pedalling). As far as the range of the signs is concerned, in the main text we adopt the averaged signs of GC and FE, as the present between them one semiquaver difference seems to be unimportant. The longer signs of GE and shorter of EE are probably an inaccuracy of interpretation of the base texts.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in GE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , GE revisions

b. 16

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

 in GC & GE2mar (→GE2)

 in FE (→EE)

Accent in GE1
..

It is not clear which of the sources based directly on [A] – GC and FE1 – conveyed the range more accurately and, as a consequence, also the sense of the  hairpin. Both versions have their stylistic advantages and can be convincingly justified, as far as the source aspects are concerned: 

  • The sign in FE clearly emphasises the culminant appogiatura of the melodic line. Chopin could have added it in [A] already after having prepared GC.
  • The sign in GC extends the culmination's release into the entire bar, somehow considering the counterpointing part of the L.H. The sign could have also been added by Chopin, if in [A] there were initially no dynamic signs here.

In the main text we give the  sign according to the base source, i.e. FE. The version of GC can be considered to be an equal variant.

The accent in GE1 is undoubtedly a result of misunderstanding of the notation of GC, which was corrected in GE2mar (→GE2).

Similarly in bars 24, 70 and 78.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , GE revisions

b. 24

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

 in GC

 in FE (→EE)

No sign in GE1

 in GE2mar (→GE2)
..

The  signs in GC and FE may be considered to be equal variants. Due to the reasons discussed in bar 16, in the main text we give the version of FE. The absence of the sign in GE1 is a patent error, corrected inaccurately (arbitrarily) in subsequent GE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Scope of dynamic hairpins , Errors in GE , GE revisions

b. 45-46

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

  in GC

  in FE (→EE)

 & accent in GE1

  in GE2mar (→GE2)
..

The present in these bars pair of   hairpins shows significant differences, as far as the range of both signs in particular sources is concerned. In the case of the first of them, we consider only the differences concerning the moment of beginning of the sign to be significant. We consider the versions of GC and FE – sources based on [A] – to be equal variants, out of which we choose the version of the base source (FE) to the main text. The differences in the range of the  hairpin that do not exceed one quaver seem to be unimportant; only their reproduction in GE1 as an accent is certainly a mistake.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , GE revisions

b. 70

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

 in GC

 in FE (→EE)

No sign in GE1

 in GE2mar (→GE2)
..

The  signs in GC and FE may be considered to be equal variants. Due to the reasons discussed in bar 16, in the main text we give the version of FE. The absence of the sign in GE1 is a clear mistake, inaccurately (arbitrarily) corrected in the subsequent GE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Scope of dynamic hairpins , Errors in GE , GE revisions