mUltimate Chopin

Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccurate slurs in A

b. 249-250

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Slur to f in A

No slur in FC

Slur to d1 in FE (→EE) & GE
..

When interpreted literally, the slur of A encompasses only the quavers. A comparison with the analogous figures proves Chopin's inaccuracy, corrected already in FE (→EE). The missing slur in FC must be an oversight of the copyist, corrected already in GE1 (→GE2→GE3).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions , FE revisions , Errors of FC , Inaccuracies in A

b. 280-281

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Slur to bar 280 in sources

Longer slur suggested by the editors
..

In A the R.H. phrase mark ends abruptly between the last two notes in this bar, so both FC (→GE) and FE (→EE) led it to the last crotchet. However, a comparison with analogous b. 382-383 shows that such a literal interpretation of the phrase mark of A is incorrect, since the second time Chopin dragged the slur further, to the beginning of b. 383. At the same time, the way the ending of the slur is written down there, differently than in b. 280, suggests a conscious, deliberate movement of the pen. Therefore, in the main text we suggest a longer phrase mark.

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

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A

b. 281

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Slur from 2nd note in A, possible reading

Slur from 1st note in A (different reading→FC→GE, →FE→EE)
..

The beginning of the phrase mark in A is unclear, since it blends with the L.H. slur. However, it is most likely that the phrase mark begins more or less midway between the first two quavers. It is also in analogous b. 383 that it is uncertain from which note the phrase mark should start according to Chopin. In the main text we include the notation of the remaining sources, with a phrase mark led from the 1st note of the bar.  

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A

b. 283-284

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

..

When interpreted literally, the right-hand ending of the phrase mark does not go beyond b. 283, yet its shape clearly suggests that it should be led to the last note of the passage. This is how it was understood in the remaining sources, which, being both musically and pianistically natural, we adopt in the main text. The righteousness of this decision is confirmed by the phrase mark of A in analogous b. 385-386, which was extended and clearly led to c4.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A

b. 295-297

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Slur to e1 in A (→FC→GE1, →FE→EE)

Slur to bar 297 in GE2 (→GE3)

Slur to end of bar 295 suggested by the editors
..

The range of the top phrase mark in A is not entirely certain: its ending falls between e1 and a. In accordance with the majority of the remaining sources, we assume that it was to be e1. However, a comparison with the remaining analogous places prompts us to lead the phrase mark slightly further (the tenuto-slur emphasising the hold of e1).  The longer phrase mark of GE2 (→GE3) is modelled after the phrase mark in b. 274-276.

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

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions