Issues : Annotations in teaching copies

b. 319

composition: Op. 11, Concerto in E minor, Mvt I

Fingering written into FED,
probable interpretation

Fingering written into FED,
possible interpretation

No teaching fingering

..

The fingering digits are written in FED in such a way that they can refer both to the right and to the left hand. According to us, the first possibility is much more likely – someone working on the 1st mov. of the Concerto with Chopin would not have had problems with the fingering of a short fragment of the chromatic scale. In turn, in the less typical figuration in the R.H., an indication could have warned of, e.g. using the 3-2 fingering (to avoid the 1st finger on a black key).

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FED

b. 321

composition: Op. 11, Concerto in E minor, Mvt I

Fingering written into FEFo

No teaching fingering

..

In the main text, we include the fingering digits of FEFo, probably coming from Chopin. They define the fingering scheme for the R.H. for three subsequent bars.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FEFo

b. 322-324

composition: Op. 11, Concerto in E minor, Mvt I

Fingering written into FEH

No fingering in FE (→GE)

Fontana's fingering in EE

..

The fingerings of FEH and EE are totally compliant, probably also with the Chopinesque fingering. In FEH, encompassing almost the entire three-bar sequence with the entry suggests that such fingering, not taking into account differences in the arrangement of black and white keys, was something new for the performer.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Annotations in FEH

b. 322-324

composition: Op. 11, Concerto in E minor, Mvt I

Fingering written into FEH

No fingering in FE (→GE)

Fontana's fingering in EE

..

In the places where FEH and EE give fingering for the same notes, the indications are totally compliant, which results from the consistent use of the 1st finger on a white and 2nd finger on a black key on the 1st note of each group of semiquavers. However, according to us, it does not mean that the fingering is identical, since Fontana copies the fingers 3-4 for the middle semiquavers of each group, whereas in FEH, the notes are devoid of indications (with one exception), which suggests the use of subsequent fingers, hence 2-3 after the 1st finger and 3-4 after the 2nd one. This conclusion is confirmed by the aforementioned exception – the 4th finger on a in bar 323 naturally stems from the 2nd finger marked on the initial c1; indicating it in this place most probably means that it was another finger that played the 3rd semiquaver of the group, i.e. the 3rd one. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Differences in fingering , Annotations in FEH

b. 324

composition: Op. 11, Concerto in E minor, Mvt I

Fingering written into FEH

No fingering in FE (→GE)

Fontana's fingering in EE, contextual interpretation

..

In FEH, the fingering digits for the 5th and 4th last semiquavers – 1-2 – are written twice, with different pencils. Since it was the same digits that were written twice, it seems that the person who was writing them for the second time did not notice the notation or wanted to enhance its legibility. In both cases, one of the writing persons could have been Chopin, hence we include those digits in the main text. The fingering digit given for the 9th semiquaver in EE is most probably erroneous – we are almost certainly talking about the 2nd finger and not third, as the digit '2' should be understood in the English system of marking fingers.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Errors in EE , Annotations in FEH