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Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

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Issues : Annotations in teaching copies

b. 500-504

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

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In the main text we add cautionary sharps before f2 in b. 500 and 502 and f1 in b. 504. In b. 502 Chopin started writing a  in A, yet he quickly abandoned it and crossed out the germ of that accidental. The accidentals were gradually added in GE: in b. 500 already in GE1, while in the remaining ones – in GE2 (→GE3). The sharp in b. 500 was added also in FESf.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions; Source & stylistic information

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Deletions in A , Annotations in FESf

b. 521

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

in A & GE

Shorter  in FC

in bar 521 in FE (→EE)

Long accent in FED
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According to us, the placement of the  hairpin under the L.H. chords in A was forced by lack of place over them: due to the notation of the topmost notes of the chords on the top stave, the mark must have been situated in a place already occupied by the R.H. slur and rests. It is confirmed by a teaching entry in FED, which we thus consider to be the most accurate expression of Chopin's intention. The hairpin of A was reproduced inaccurately both in FC and FE. In turn, the version of GE is close enough to the notation of A to be considered equivalent.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FED , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 521

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

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FE overlooked the  lowering c3 to c3. The mistake was rectified in EE and in two teaching copies, FED and FESf.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Errors in FE , Annotations in FED , Annotations in FESf

b. 522

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

g2 in A (→FC→GE, →FE→EE)

g2 in FESf
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The natural lowering g2 to g2, written in ink in FESf, defines a version that, according to us, may be considered a potentially authentic variant:

  • Relation to the preceding, ascending sequence (in b. 520) was not approached by Chopin rigorously – cf. the prototype of those motifs in b. 53-56, where a descending chromatic sequence corresponds to an ascending diatonic sequence.
  • The resulting figure is strictly analogous to the next segments of the progression in b. 530 and 534.
  • The intervals resulting between the transitional notes and the ones belonging to the chords in b. 520-521 are whole tone e2-f2, semitone g2-a2 and semitone b2-c3, respectively; the figure in b. 522-523 includes the same scheme of descending intervals when the 4th quaver is g2: whole tone b2-a2, semitone g2-f2 and semitone e2-d2.
  • In this context, the note is clearly of transitional nature, without prejudice to the E major key, consolidated since b. 516.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Authentic post-publication changes and variants , Annotations in FESf

b. 533-534

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Slur in A (→FC→GE), EE & FED

No slur in FE
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The L.H. slur overlooked in FE was added in EE. Chopin added it also in FED.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Errors in FE , Annotations in FED