mUltimate Chopin

Op. 35, Sonata in B♭ minor, Mvt II

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : GE revisions

b. 56

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

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Before the octaves on the 2nd and 3rd crotchet of the bar in FE1 (→FE2→FE3) there are no accidentals. The patent inaccuracy of the composer was corrected to a varied extent in EE1 (the naturals of c and C) and FE4 (the naturals of c and C1-C). The totally correct notation is included in GE and EE2. Same in bar 244.

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

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , Inaccuracies in FE , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , EE inaccuracies , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in GC

b. 57

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

Chord with c2 in GC & FE1 (→FE2→EE1)

Chord with c2 in GE, FE3 (→FE4) & EE2
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The chord with c2, although completely possible from the harmonic point of view, is, however, most probably a result of Chopin's mistake, as the d-f-a-c (a-c-e-g) diminished four-note-chord introduces the B minor key, which Chopin indicated with an enharmonic change in the previous bar. In this context, an omission of a  is highly likely – cf. the note in bar 56. The natural added – probably by Chopin – in FE3 (→FE4) is, therefore, probably a correction of a mistake.

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

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Authentic corrections of FE , Last key signature sign , Errors of GC

b. 79-80

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

Repeated octave in GC

Tied octave in FE (→EE) & GE
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No tie of the octave in the L.H. is certainly an oversight of the copyist, completed in GE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Errors of GC

b. 81-87

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

6 different slurs in GC

No slurs in FE

7 shorter slurs in EE

4 longer slurs in GE1

5 longer slurs in GE2

7 longer slurs – our suggestion
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Both versions of slurring appearing in the sources may be authentic, although it does not seem that Chopin hesitated how to mark these bars. The difference results rather from an inaccurate notation, both in [A] (→GC→GE) and in the base text to EE. Settling this kind of doubt can be difficult, even if we dispose of the autograph – cf. the Mazurka in G minor, Op. 24 No. 1, bar 21. In the main text, in all seven bars we give slurs embracing entire bars, in accordance with the notation of GC in the vast majority of the cases (five out of six). The version of EE can be considered to be an alternative, equivalent suggestion (in bars 81-84 it offers a kind of an accent on each strike: strong beat of a bar, beginning of the slur, a written out accent; it should not blur the natural character of this delicately swinging figure). 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of EE

b. 108

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

g-d1 in GC & FE1 (→FE2)

b-d1 in GE, FE3 (→FE4) & EE
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The compatible versions of GC and FE1 (→FE2) prove that such a notation was also in [A]. Chopin's highly likely mistake, probably related to the introduction of an enhanced version of the transition to the next phrase (it may be supposed that bar 108 was originally a repetition of bar 107, same as in two previous similar phrases), is proved by awkward in this context parallel A-a and G-g octaves, and, above all, Chopin proofreading of FE3 (→FE4) and base text to EE. The version of GE, in spite of being compatible with the authentic corrections, is most probably a luckily guessed revision, based on bar 128.

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

issues: GE revisions , Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE , Authentic corrections of GE , Authentic corrections of EE