mUltimate Chopin

Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : EE inaccuracies

b. 494-507

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

7 five-note slurs in A (contextual interpretation→FC→GE)

6 five-note slurs & 1 longer in FE

5 five-note slurs & 2 longer in EE
..

The analysis of the slurs of A used in the ostinato figures of the R.H. bottom/middle voice leads to the conclusion that slurs other than 5-note long – the shorter slur in b. 498 and the one in b. 502 suggesting continuation at the end of the line – are most probably a result of inaccurate notation. Therefore, it is the 5-note slurs that we give in the main text as the only version. In FE (→EE) the slur in b. 502 was led to b. 503, while in EE it was also the slur in b. 504-505 that was extended in a similar manner. Taking into account a broader context – longer slurs in b. 508-515 as well as in similar b. 310-333 and 412-435 – we suggest six-note slurs as an alternative solution in all discussed bars.

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

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , EE inaccuracies , Uncertain slur continuation

b. 552-559

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

6 shorter, 2 longer slurs in A

4 shorter, 4 longer slurs in FC

3 shorter, 5 longer slurs in FE

4 shorter, 4 longer slurs in FC

5 shorter, 3 longer slurs in EE

8 shorter slurs in GE2 (→GE3)

8 longer slurs, our alternative suggestion
..

In A the slurs over the characteristic quaver motifs generally encompass only the quaver groups in these bars (the only exception are the slurs in b. 554-555, reaching the crotchet at the beginning of the next bar). The remaining sources do not show traces of Chopin's influence on the range of those slurs. Therefore, taking into account the fact that the discussed figures are identical, in every respect, in the main text we unify the slurs, giving always the ones Chopin wrote in A more often. Such a solution was also adopted in GE2 (→GE3). Alternatively, we also suggest 6-note slurs, which are more frequent in similar motifs in the entire Scherzo.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions , EE inaccuracies , Inaccuracies in FC , Uncertain slur continuation

b. 560-579

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

8 longer, 6 shorter slurs in A, literal reading

8 longer, 6 shorter slurs in FC, literal reading

14 longer slurs in FE (contextual interpretation→EE, contextual interpretation)

7 longer, 7 shorter slurs in GE1

14 longer slurs in GE2 (→GE3)
..

The slurs encompassing the ostinato quaver figures in A are of different length: some reach the following crotchet, some do not. Statistically, it is the former that clearly prevail: 8 longer, 6-note slurs to only 4 shorter and 3 questionable ones (we interpret the questionable ones literally as short). The remaining sources do not show traces of Chopin's influence on the range of those slurs; except for minor inaccuracies, FC and GE1 reproduce the text of their Stichvorlagen, while FE (→EE) contain longer slurs only (we discuss b. 574-575 separately due to FE having overlooked the slur). In this situation, we base the main text on the above analysis of the notation of A; taking into account a high degree of structural and functional similarity of the discussed motifs, we suggest uniform, 6-note slurs in all figures.

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

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions , EE inaccuracies , Uncertain slur continuation

b. 589-590

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Long accent in A (→FC,FE)

Short accent in GE1 & EE

in GE2 (→GE3)

 suggested by the editors
..

In accordance with the analysis of the Chopinesque  or  marks in this and analogous pairs of bars (see b. 6-7), in the main text we give an averaged, more or less one-bar  hairpin. According to us, all hairpins, regardless of their actual length, are to be interpreted as long accents.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , GE revisions , EE inaccuracies

b. 776-778

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Long accents in A (→FC,FE)

Short accents in GE & EE
..

The accents in b. 776 and 778 in A are clearly longer than the 3 previous ones, which was not reproduced in EE and GE. Moreover, EE in b. 778 and GE2 (→GE3) in both bars assigned separate accents to each of the hands.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , EE revisions , Inaccuracies in GE , GE revisions , EE inaccuracies