mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

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Verbal indications

b. 26

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

No indication in A (→FC→GE, →FE→EE)

in FED

(), our variant suggestion
..

In the main text we include – in a variant form – the marking added in FED and coming from Chopin.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FED

b. 43

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

 under 3rd quaver  in A (→FC→GE)

No marking in FE (→EE1)

on 2nd quaver in EE2
..

The missing  indication in FE (→EE1) must be the engraver's oversight. Dynamic gradation is undoubtedly an integral part of the 16-bar section that ends here; as a result, the dynamics of the beginning of its repetition should be tantamount to sotto voce in b. 28. It is also confirmed by  present in the next bar in FED.

In EE2 the indication was probably repeated after GE. Moving it a quaver earlier was an arbitrary decision; however, it may comply with Chopin's intention, since he would sometimes place markings within the range of their scope, and not at the beginning.  

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE

b. 44

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

No indication in A (→FC→GE, →FE→EE)

in FED

(), our variant suggestion
..

 added by Chopin in FED confirms that the absence of  in the preceding bar in FE was an oversight of the engraver. According to us, both indications, although neither of the sources contains both at the same time, are not mutually exclusive; what is more, they could be considered complementary. Therefore, in the main text we include the addition of FED in a variant form. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FED

b. 60

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

No sign in A (→FE,FC→GE)

in EE
..

At the beginning of the bar, EE1 has an additional  below the L.H. part, possibly by mistake.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions

b. 84

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

 from 2nd quaver in A (literal reading) & FE2

 from beginning of bar in A (contextual interpretation) & EE

No marking in FC (→GE) & FE1
..

The placement of the  indication is ambiguous in A – the mark is written close to the L.H. part (partially on the bottom stave), after the quaver rest at the beginning of the bar, hence it seems that it concerns the repeated a quavers. However, a more thorough analysis of the notation of A opens an alternative interpretive possibility – in relation to the R.H. part  is written before the first chord, i.e. at the beginning of the bar. Moreover, the indication is preceded by a quite significant crossing-out (probably ), which makes it impossible to write  more to the left. Taking into account the above, in the main text we put  at the beginning of the bar as a general indication, concerning all voices.
The missing indication in FC (→GE) must be an oversight of Fontana, who also overlooked a few dynamic markings in b. 83-87 (see the note in the previous bar). The indication was also overlooked in FE1, yet added in FE2, next to the 2nd quaver in the bar, most probably as a literal interpretation of A. Chopin did not question that version in any of the teaching copies, hence it can be considered an equal variant. Our solution was already introduced in EE, which seems to be a coincidence, since that edition most probably did not have access to A.

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

issues: EE revisions , Errors of FC , Inaccuracies in A