EE1
Main text
A - Autograph
FC - Fontana's copy
FE - French edition
FE1 - First French edition
FE2 - Corrected impression of FE1
FED - Dubois copy
FEJ - Jędrzejewiczowa's Copy
FES - Stirling copy
FESch - Scherbatoff copy
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE2 - Revised impression of GE1
GE3 - Corrected impression of GE2
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English edition
EE1a - Corrected impression of EE1
EE2 - Revised impression of EE1a
compare
  b. 21

Dashes after cresc. & stretto in A (→FEEE)

Dashes after cresc. in FC (→GE)

No dashes – our alternative suggestion

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 (→FEEE), 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.  

Compare the passage in the sources »

category imprint: Source & stylistic information

issues: Inaccuracies in A

notation: Verbal indications

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