mUltimate Chopin

Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

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Issues : Inaccuracies in A

b. 99-100

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

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In these bars, in the part of the R.H. A has only one  raising d to d – at the beginning of bar 99. The  returning b1 at the beginning of the septuplet in bar 100 is also missing (all previous figures are delayed at the beginning of the group, a suspicion of Chopin's mistake is confirmed by the  written in FED). The editions added both necessary and cautionary signs; superfluous signs were deleted too, yet none of the editions has the completely correct text. In the main text we give all signs necessary for the correct determination of the pitch and two cautionary flats at the beginning of bar 100. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Annotations in FED , Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Omission of current key accidentals , Inaccuracies in A

b. 101-103

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

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The notation of accidentals in the figurations in these bars is both refined and inaccurate in A. Chopin took care of the cautionary signs (naturals before the topmost c2, c3 and c4 notes and flats before d1 and d3 in the ending of bars 101 and 103); however, he omitted a number of necessary signs – naturals returning c2 and c3 at the beginning of the last group in bars 102 and 103 and naturals raising d2 to d2 and e2 to e2 in bar 103. The editions addressed only the last two mentioned inaccuracies:

  • GE (→FE) did add two naturals in bar 103, yet a mistake was committed at the same time – it was c2 and d2 instead of d2 and e2 that were deleted;
  • in EE1 (→EE2) one of the added signs was removed, the superfluous  before c2;
  • in EE3 the version of EE2 was completed with a  raising e2 to e2.

In the main text we give all necessary signs and we add a cautionary  before d2 in bar 102.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , Omissions to cancel alteration , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Omission of current key accidentals , Inaccuracies in A

b. 109

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

No c1 in chord in A & FE (→EE1)

Chord with c1 in GE & EE2 (→EE3)
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GE has an additional note, c1, in the crotchet chord. The notation of A may be misleading here, yet Chopin's having deleted the note in the proofreading of FE (→EE1) is decisive. In EE2 (→EE3) the note was added under the influence of GE1.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in GE , Authentic corrections of FE , Uncertain notes on ledger lines , Inaccuracies in A

b. 113

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

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In A a  before the bottom note of the octave in the L.H. at the beginning of the bar is missing, as well as before the 3rd semiquaver in the R.H. in the 2nd half of the bar (d1). In turn, Chopin repeated a  before B, the 2nd semiquaver in the L.H. In GE1 (→FE) only the missing  before the octave was added, while in EE and GE2 – both necessary naturals. Moreover, EE3 added a cautionary  before b in the L.H. in the 3rd group of semiquavers; the sign was also added in FED. In the main text we add two necessary naturals and we remove the superfluous sign before the 2nd semiquaver in the L.H.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Annotations in FED , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Inaccuracies in A

b. 130

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

Long R.H. accent in A (literal reading→GE→FE)

R.H. short accent in EE

L.H. long accent in A, interpretation suggested by the editors
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The interpretation of the long accent written in A presents difficulties: the sign is written in such a way that it can refer either to the minim in the R.H. or to f1 in the L.H. (a similar problem appears in the recapitulation, bar 278). According to us, it is more likely that Chopin wanted to draw attention to the chromatic transition of the tenor voice: f1-f1-[e1]. Shortening the accent in EE is a typical inaccuracy of this edition.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , EE inaccuracies , Inaccuracies in A