mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 14, Prelude in E♭ minor

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b. 1

composition: Op. 28 No. 14, Prelude in E♭ minor

Allegro in A (→FC→GE, →FE→EE)

Largo in FES
..

Largo written in FES instead of Allegro, which was crossed out, is most probably a teaching correction – it indicates the way the piece should be practised, and not a change of concept of the Prelude. Placing the Prelude in E Minor provided with Largo between the Preludes in F Major and D Major (Lento and Sostenuto, respectively) seems to be unlikely due to the structure of the entire cycle.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FES , Authentic post-publication changes and variants

b. 1

composition: Op. 28 No. 14, Prelude in E♭ minor

 in A (→FC→GE)

 in FE (→EE)
..

The change of time signature from  to  is a frequent inaccuracy of French editions – cf., e.g. the Etude in C, Op. 10 No. 1, b. 1. In the second book of Preludes, in all three provided with  in A, i.e. E Minor, No. 14, B Minor, No. 16 and F Minor, No. 18, it was reproduced as . 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , 4/4 or 2/2

b. 1

composition: Op. 28 No. 14, Prelude in E♭ minor

..

Chopin initially wrote marcato instead of pesante in A.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A

b. 1-2

composition: Op. 28 No. 14, Prelude in E♭ minor

Asymmetric     in bar 1 in A, literal reading

Asymmetric     in bars 1-2 in A, contextual interpretation

Symmetric   in bar 1 in FC (literal reading→GE)

Symmetric   in bars 1-2 in FC, contextual interpretation
..

The   hairpins are of different length in A, which we reproduce in the main text. Both Fontana in FC (→GE) and the engraver of FE (→EE) considered it an inaccuracy and inserted symmetrical, half-bar marks. Moreover, including those marks in b. 2 (written in an abridged manner with •/• marks, which mean that b. 1 should be repeated) is an issue. According to us, it would be opportune to repeat those marks, as it was performed in FE (→EE), since they are an integral part of the sonic shape of this figuration. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 2

composition: Op. 28 No. 14, Prelude in E♭ minor

..

This bar is written in the manuscripts as a repetition of the preceding one. Chopin used two •/• marks, written on the bottom stave, at the pitch of the parts of each of the hands. It could have suggested that it should be notes only that should be taken into account when writing out the abbreviation, since in b. 1 the dynamic marks are written over the top stave – see the note on them in b. 1.

category imprint: Source & stylistic information

issues: Abbreviated notation of A