mUltimate Chopin

Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt I

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in FE

b. 234

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

Long & short accents in A (literal reading→GE1)

Short accents in FE (→EE) & GE2

Long accents suggested by the editors
..

The first two accents in A (→GE1) are clearly long, whereas the next two look like short ones, which, according to us, is an inaccuracy – see bar 226. Both accents are actually written after the note, which was one of the manner of writing long accents in Chopin's previous pieces – cf. bar 230. It is also worth mentioning that the accent on the f1 semiquaver played in the L.H. is even shorter. Unification of the accents in the remaining editions is an arbitrary decision of the engravers of revisers.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in FE , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 241

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

 & > in A

 &  in GE (→FE)

 in EE

 & > suggested by the editors
..

The  hairpin has arms of different length in A; however, one may safely assume that it reaches the 4th quaver in the bar. Therefore, the clearly shorter sign in GE (→FE→EE) is certainly inaccurate. What is more, the accent, falling in A on the 5th quaver in the L.H., was assigned to the R.H., extended and moved to the end of the 1st half of the bar (cf. bar 243). In the version of FE, the sign already looks like a second accent (under the note) on the 7th semiquaver in the R.H., which probably made the reviser of EE omit it.

In the main text we reproduce the signs of A, yet we lead  to the end of the 1st half of the bar, in accordance with the musical sense and the notation of analogous bars 243 and 245. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , Unclear hairpins in A , Inaccuracies in A

b. 251

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

Long accents in A

 in GE

Accent &  in FE (→EE)
..

The clearly long accents of A were reproduced in GE (→FE→EE) as  hairpins, whereas in FE (→EE) the first sign actually looks like a long accent and the second one was extended over the entire group of four semiquavers. The changes can be qualified as inaccurate.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE

b. 252-253

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

No marks in A & FE (→EE)

Staccato dot in GE1

3 dots in GE2
..

An additional staccato dot in GE1 seems to be a mistake, since it is absent in A (cf. bars 249-250). On the other hand, it is the last bar on the page in A, which fosters the appearance of inaccuracies, hence it cannot be excluded that Chopin forgot a dot or dots. The dot is absent in FE (→EE), which may be explained by a mistake, this time of the engraver of FE, by its removal by Chopin in FE or by its addition in the last phase of proofreading of GE1, not included in FE (according to us, Chopin's proofreading is highly unlikely). In this uncertain situation, in the main text we give the version of A, yet the version of GE1 (and even of GE2) may be regarded as potentially corresponding to Chopin's idea.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , GE revisions

b. 252

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

Pedalling in A

Pedalling in GE

Pedalling in FE

Pedalling in EE
..

According to us, all versions of the editions are a result of consecutively overlapping inaccuracies and misunderstandings. In GE the signs were related only to the notes on the bottom stave, which was then inaccurately reproduced in FE and EE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , EE inaccuracies