Taking into consideration the fact that the melodic climax of the phrase that begins in b. 9 occurs in b. 21, one can ponder whether Chopin did not lead the dashes marking the range of cresc. and stretto one bar too far. The possible mistake could have been caused by the layout – in A b. 21 closes the line, which suggests an end of a certain section or process. On the available recordings of the Prelude, the vast majority of pianists do not continue either crescendo or stretto in b. 21. In the main text we leave the version of A (→FE→EE), since it is irrefutable, as far as the sources are concerned; moreover, according to us, stylistic criteria concerning performance indications, even supported by statistically prevailing performance practice, do not authorize us to directly intervene in the source text.
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category imprint: Source & stylistic information
issues: Inaccuracies in A
notation: Verbal indications