mUltimate Chopin

Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Long accents

b. 6-7

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Long accent in A (→FC)

in FE (→EE)

Short accent in GE1

in GE2 (→GE3)
..

The analysis of the  or  markings, written by Chopin in A in these and analogous bars, leads to the conclusion that, despite significant differences in length (from a long accent to a two-bar hairpin), all of them most probably denote long accents. Due to that reason, in the main text we decided to unify them; we adopted a compromise  marking, which is more or less one-bar long. In the remaining sources Chopin did not interfere with the shape of those markings.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , GE revisions

b. 18-20

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Long accents in A (→FE)

Different accents in FC

Short accents in GE & EE
..

It was only the first of the three undoubtedly long accents of A that was reproduced as long in FC. In GE the marks were unified as short accents. Short accents, contrary to FE, are also given in EE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , EE inaccuracies , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 30-31

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

in A (literal reading→FE)

 in A (interpretation) & GE2 (→GE3)

Long accent in FC

Short accent in GE1

in EE
..

The interpretation of the notation of A is problematic here: b. 30 ends the line, and the  mark goes far beyond the bar line (in b. 31 there is already no mark). We assume that it is a one-and-a-half-bar mark, like in GE2 (→GE3). In the main text, in accordance with the analysis of the Chopinesque  or  marks in this and analog. pairs of bars (see b. 6-7), we give here an averaged, more or less one-bar hairpin of EE. According to us, all marks, regardless of their actual length, should be interpreted here as long accents.

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

issues: Long accents , EE revisions , Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 42-43

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

Long accents in A (→FE)

Short accents in FC (→GE) & EE
..

Both Fontana and the engraver of EE considered the longer marks of A (→FE) to be an inaccuracy and replaced them with common, short accents.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , EE inaccuracies , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 62-64

composition: Op. 31, Scherzo in B♭ minor

3 long accents in A

1 long accent in FC

3 short accents in FE (→EE)

1 short accent in GE1

in GE2 )→GE3)
..

Out of the three accents visible in A at the beginning of subsequent quaver motifs, it is only the third one that was repeated in FC. It can be explained by them having been added in A later or, which seems more likely, by the copyist's distraction. It is also unclear which accents Chopin meant: taking into account the whole-bar  hairpins in similar motifs in b. 53 and 55, we consider long accents to be more likely.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Errors of FC