mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

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b. 1-5

composition: Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

No teaching fingering

Our suggestion based on FES
..

We give the fingering digit over the 1st R.H. note in the main text on the basis of the Chopinesque entry in FES in analogous b. 76 (see General Editorial Principles, p. 17). The first of the digits written in the same copy over the a1 minim in b. 1 is not very legible, yet the respective entry in b. 5 dissipates any possible doubts.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FES

b. 2

composition: Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

41 written into FES, probable reading

51 written into FES, alternative reading

No teaching fingering
..

It is difficult to decipher the first of the two digits describing the change of fingers on the c2 minim in FES. At the first glance, it seems to be a three, which, however, cannot be obviously combined with the 2nd finger on a1 in b. 1. A close look reveals that the topmost part of the mark is vaguer, which suggests that it was written with a separate move. Therefore, a possible interpretation of that digit could be a five. It is also likely that it does not form a part of the mark at all, since it could be merely a trace of the pencil's move before the very act of writing. Such traces can occur when the writing person is in an inconvenient position, e.g. standing in front of a score placed on the music desk. In turn, the more distinct part of the entry resembles a four. The second and third interpretations result in pianistically natural solutions, i.e. the change of fingers from 5 to 1 or 4 to 1.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FES

b. 2

composition: Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

b in A (→FC,FE) & GE2 (→GE3)

a in GE1
..

The version of GE1 must be the engraver's mistake, corrected in GE2 (→GE3).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , GE revisions

b. 3-7

composition: Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

Fingering written into FED

Fingering digit written into FES

No teaching fingering
..

In the main text we give the undoubtedly Chopinesque fingering entered into FED in b. 3 and 7. The key element of that fingering – the 4th finger for the g2 minim – was also added in FES. The 4th finger crossing over the 5th (typical of the Chopinesque fingering) and the 4th finger slipping down from a black to a white key were also indicated in analogous b. 22 and 78. See also b. 14, 15-16 and, e.g. the Sonata in B Minor, Op. 35, 3rd mov., b. 31 or the Nocturne in B Major, Op. 32 No. 1, b. 37.
According to us, indicating the 1st finger twice means that the notes should be performed by the R.H., but it is not explicitly marked (as it was done, e.g. in b. 9); they could also be performed by the L.H. However, the following reasoning is an argument in favour of the R.H. – all notes with beams on the bottom stave should be generally performed by the L.H., which, in this context, implies this very fingering, which, therefore, would not need to be marked at all. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FED , Annotations in FES

b. 4

composition: Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

Fingering written into FES

Fingering in FES, less certain reading

No teaching fingering
..

In FES there is a small, diagonal line before a distinct fingering digit (2), which may be interpreted as 1, which would then refer to the e grace note. We do not include that possibility in the main text, since the meaning of that line is uncertain (not all pencilled marks in the Chopinesque teaching copies are interpreted in a satisfactory way; there are also some that probably do not carry any meaning at all – they are random traces of gestures of a hand holding the pencil – see, e.g. the 4th line on this page of FES, b. 17-21).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FES