mUltimate Chopin

Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in GE

b. 201

composition: Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

 in A, contextual interpretation

 in GE & EE2 (→EE3)

No pedal markings in FE (→EE1)
..

The  sign is written in A before the b minim, which may have mislead the engraver of GE1; however, nothing indicates that Chopin's intention would be pressing the pedal from the beginning of the bar. From the practical point of view, pressing the pedal in the middle of the bar is the only solution enabling to clearly hold the c-b-c1-e1 chord during the entire 2nd half of the bar. The absence of pedalling in FE (→EE1) is most probably a result of an oversight.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in A

b. 203-204

composition: Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

Slur in A, probable interpretation

Possible interpretation of slur in A

Slurs in GE (→FE→EE)
..

The slur in A is written very firmly, yet its endings are not clearly combined with any particular notes, which leaves room for various interpretations, from  to . If the slur had been written before the last crotchet in bar 203 was corrected – the erased crotchet was placed more to the left and had a stem pointing upwards – it was undoubtedly the crotchet that marked its beginning. We assume that it was so, and we interpret the ending of the bar quasi-literally as a slur-tenuto to the end of the bar. We also allow an alternative interpretation of this slur as ending in bar 205.
It seems that GE (→FE→EE) adopted the second of the possibilities illustrated above, writing it, however, in the form of three overlapping slurs – this unnecessarily complicated notation may be explained by the addition of slurs, as a proofreading of the original incomplete notation.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccurate slurs in A

b. 205

composition: Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

No slur in A, probable interpretation

Slur end in A (possible interpretation) & GE (→FE→EE)
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The slur, written in A in previous bars, when interpreted literally, does not exceed bar 204. However, the notation is ambiguous, so the slur reaching the beginning of this bar can be considered an alternative interpretation of A. The version with the slur ending in bar 205 is included in all editions.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE

b. 206-207

composition: Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

Slur break in A & GE2

Slur break in GE1 (→FE→EE)
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Moving the moment of the slurs' division is a typical inaccuracy of GE1 (→FE→EE), corrected in GE2. Similarly a bar further.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , GE revisions

b. 207-208

composition: Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

2nd slur over 2nd half of bar in A

2nd slur from minim in GE

Contiguous slurs in FE

One slur in EE
..

The clear and coherent slurring of A is certainly the only authentic one. Initially, the engraver of GE1 replaced the Chopin slurs with whole-bar ones (same as one bar earlier); it was in the proofreading only that the right-hand ending of the slur beginning in bar 208 was drawn to bar 209. At the same time, the slur in bar 207 is so inaccurate that in FE it was led further on, until the minim in bar 208. As a result, in FE both slurs coincide on this chord, which EE interpreted arbitrarily as a combination of slurs.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in GE