mUltimate Chopin

WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Deletions in A

b. 15

composition: WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

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In A1 one can see a correction of the last semiquaver in the 1st half of the bar, which was initially written as c3. Chopin then crossed out the  and enlarged the notehead so that it reaches the line above and looks like d3. The original version is preserved in b. 48.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Enharmonic corrections

b. 16

composition: WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

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In A1 one can see a correction of the 2nd accompaniment figure in this bar. Initially, Chopin simply moved the hand an octave lower: .

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Deletions in A , Corrections of AI

b. 44

composition: WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

Crotchet, 2 quavers & triplets in A1

Triplets in CJ, contextual interpretation

Triplets in CK

Triplets in CB

Triplets in EL
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The rhythmic notation of A1 gives rise to doubts in this bar, since in spite of the change of time signature to , the bar contains 5 crotchets. Initially, Chopin most probably envisioned triplet movement, like in the version of [A2] (→CJ,CK), yet he eventually changed the first note from a quaver to a crotchet and added rests. Therefore, we adopt this notation, imprecise, yet suggestive, as the text of this autograph.

The rhythm of the sources coming from [A2] is generally unambiguous; although it is only in CB that the notation can be considered correct, minor inaccuracies in the remaining sources do not hamper its interpretation. In the main text we give the text of CJ, completed with a rest for the R.H. part, without which the notation could be misleading.

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

issues: Corrections in A , Chopin's hesitations , Errors resulting from corrections , Deletions in A , Main-line changes

b. 56

composition: WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

Unslashed grace note in A1 & CB

Slashed grace note in CJ, CK & EL
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In #A one can see that Chopin initially provided the trilled note with the value of a double dotted minim, whereas the c2 note ending the trill – with the one of a quaver. It was still in A1 that he changed it to a semibreve and a non-slashed grace note. Therefore, the notation of [A2] featuring a slashed grace note, confirmed by CJ and CK, may be considered the last stage of the process of delaying the moment of playing the final c2 note. However, the difference in the notation of the grace note does not have to be meaningful, since in the Chopinesque notation both versions can be equal.

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

issues: Deletions in A , Corrections of AI