mUltimate Chopin

Op. 50 No. 3, Mazurka in C♯ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description
Select: 
Category
All
Graphic ambiguousness
Interpretations within context
Differences between sources
Editorial revisions
Corrections & alterations
Source & stylistic information
Pitch
All
Pitch
Rhythm
Slurs
Articulation, Accents, Hairpins
Verbal indications
Pedalling
Fingering
Ornaments
Shorthand & other
Importance
All
Important
Main
Undo Clear

Pitch

b. 111

composition: Op. 50 No. 3, Mazurka in C♯ minor

Short accent in AF (literal reading→FE→EE) & GE

Long accent in Af, contextual interpretation
..

Just like in b. 19, the notation of AF is inconclusive as to which type of accent was meant here by Chopin. According to us, due to Chopinesque proofreading of analogous b. 115, a long accent is more likely. However, we recommend a short accent as an alternative solution.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness

issues: Long accents

b. 134

composition: Op. 50 No. 3, Mazurka in C♯ minor

G without slur in AF

Rest in GE

G with slur in FE (→EE)
..

It is difficult to say which version of the 1st beat of the bar is later and whether Chopin considered any of them to be final. According to us, when the G bass note is played, it distorts the rhythmic scheme of this phrase, in which the accented quaver triplet, which is the local climax, is exposed against the L.H. rest. Chopin could have inserted this crotchet to compensate its absence in the previous bar – cf. b. 9 and 101 – later, however, in [AG] (→GE) he considered keeping the phrase's rhythm to be more important.
A similar issue can also be found in b. 139.

In FE (→EE) this G note is the starting point of a slur, which is a mistake. Moreover, the bass clef was not reintroduced here in AF (→FE→EE), which is Chopin's patent mistake.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Errors of A , Accompaniment changes , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 137-140

composition: Op. 50 No. 3, Mazurka in C♯ minor

No upper part in AI

Upper part, notation AF

Upper part, notation FE

Upper part, notation GE

Upper part, notation EE
..

In AI these bars follow b. 101-104 and continue the R.H. homophonic texture present in these bars. Apart from the missing additional voice over the quaver figuration, the differences with respect to the final version include:

  • the regular b1-c2-d2 sequence at the beginning of b. 137,
  • the initial version of the 2nd and 3rd beats of b. 140 – a1-e1-d1-c1.

Discussion of the differences in the notation of the two-part fragments in b. 138-140 – see the note to b. 134 and 136.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

b. 138

composition: Op. 50 No. 3, Mazurka in C♯ minor

Sixths in AI

3-note chords in AF (→FE→EE) & GE
..

The version of AI is original and most probably connected to the original version – except for the top voice – of the R.H. part.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Accompaniment changes

b. 139

composition: Op. 50 No. 3, Mazurka in C♯ minor

Rest in AI & FE

G in AF (→FE→EE)
..

It seems that both published versions of the beginning of this bar were already present in AI, in which one can see a crossing-out of the crotchet, probably G, next to the rest. It means that Chopin hesitated presumably until the very end of the work on the publishing of the Mazurka, and maybe even later. In the main text we give the version of GE, just like in b. 134, in which a similar discrepancy appears. Both bars implement the same rhythmic and melodic scheme (co-creating the entire eight-bar section), which, according to us, implies that an analogous version should apply to both places.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Chopin's hesitations , Accompaniment changes , Corrections of AI