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Op. 11, Concerto in E minor, Mvt I

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Articulation, Accents, Hairpins
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Articulation, Accents, Hairpins

b. 211-212

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

6  in FE (→GE,EE)

6 long accents suggested by the editors
..

Six consecutive  signs visible in FE (→GE,EE) can denote only long accents in this context. In the group of the first pieces published by Chopin in Paris, long accents, whose meaning the engravers generally did not understand, would be often deformed – cf. e.g. the Etude in A minor, op. 10, no. 2, bar 12 (a similar context to the one of the discussed place of the Concerto is to be found in the Etude in C major, op. 10, no. 1, bars 69-70).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Long accents

b. 236

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

No marks in FE (→GE,EE)

Strokes in FED, literal reading

Wedges in FED, possible interpretation
..

We reproduce the four horizontal dashes written in FED, perhaps by Chopin, as wedges, since the Chopinesque wedges generally look like that in the autographs. However, it seems to be unlikely that Chopin would actually mean staccato in this place (not to mention staccatissimo). These marks are most probably to be interpreted together with the slur, as an indication of the portato articulation, close to the one the composer would usually mark with dots under a slur, e.g. in bar 231.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FED

b. 249

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

Short accent in sources

Long accent suggested by the editors
..

In this context, a short accent is almost certainly a result of misunderstanding Chopin's notation. In bar 225, Chopin used a long accent, in bar 233 – a vertical one; therefore, in the discussed bar he probably meant a long accent. 

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Long accents

b. 258

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

 in FE (→GE,EE)

Long accent – our alternative suggestion
..

A few subsequent  marks in bars 258, 259, 261 and 263 mean that these hairpins have most probably a double meaning: long accent and diminuendo. In the case of bars 258-259, however, according to us, the best compliance with the phrasing is achieved by separating both functions – the mark in bar 258 denotes a long accent, whereas the next one – a common diminuendo. It cannot be excluded that Chopin did write a long accent in bar 258 () – if the octave, filling the entire bar, was written according to his custom, i.e. in the middle of the bar, then, after moving it to the beginning of the bar in print, the long accent mark, considered by the engraver to be a  hairpin, was proportionally extended. Taking that into account, we suggest an alternative notation with long accent. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context

issues: Long accents

b. 269-270

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

Short accent in FE (→EE)

Long accent in GE1 (→GE2)

Short  in GE3

Long accent suggested by the editors
..

Interpretation of the mark of FE (→EE) is unclear. When interpreted literally, it is a short accent under a tied note, which does not make sense on the piano. According to us, the course of music suggests a long accent on the syncopated g1-g2 octave as the most likely interpretation of this mark. Alternatively, one could also consider it a diminuendo mark, like it was performed in GE3. The presentation autograph of the Etude in A minor, op. 10 no. 2 abounds in marks of a not very clear meaning resembling short or long accents. Some of them almost certainly denote long accents, which substantiates such an interpretation. See also the adjacent note.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , GE revisions