mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors of FC

b. 4-5

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

Separate slurs in A (→FE)

Continuous slur in FC (→GE) & EE
..

The continuous phrase mark of FC (→GE) is a mistake of the copyist – the phrase marks in A are clearly separated, and their shape does not indicate that they should be combined. In FE b. 4 ends a line, while the phrase mark in b. 4 suggests that it should be continued, which, generally, is not confirmed by the phrase mark in b. 5 (cf. the beginning of the next line in FE). Considered as a whole, however, the notation of FE may be misleading, which explains the presence of a continuous phrase mark in EE.  

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Errors of FC

b. 12

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

c1 in A (literal reading→FE,FC→GE1)

c1 in EE, GE2 (→GE3), FED & FES
..

The version of A (→FE,FC→GE1), without a  before the 3rd quaver in the bar, almost certainly resulted from Chopin's mistake, which is confirmed by the flats he wrote in FED and FES. In FC there is also no  before the 7th quaver, most probably due to an oversight, since in A the accidental is poorly visible due to the crossing-out showing through the page. Admittedly, both flats are visible on the photo of FC; however, they were added there much later by H. Scholtz, which explains the absence of the former in GE1 (the latter was added thanks to the  in the R.H.). The fact that those flats were added later is evidenced by their font (they are clearly bigger than the ones written by Fontana) and by the intensity of blackening, pointing to a pencil.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Annotations in FED , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Errors of A , Annotations in FES , Errors of FC , Errors repeated in FE

b. 12

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

Separate slurs in A (→FE→EE)

Continuous slur in FC (→GE)
..

The continuous phrase mark of FC (→GE) resulted from an erroneous interpretation of A. Due to reduced ink flow, the endings of phrase marks in A are often very poorly visible, which could have misled the copyist – not seeing them, he assumed that the visible fragments of the phrase marks were supposed to form one phrase mark. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors of FC

b. 15-16

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

Slur to bar 16 in A (→FE→EE)

Slur to end of bar 15 in FC (→GE)
..

The phrase marks in A are definitely separated after the 1st note in b. 16, as it was 4 bars before. However, the notation may be misleading – the final part of the phrase mark, over b. 15, is very poorly visible (due to low ink levels), while the new phrase mark in b. 16 starts very flat. Consequently, the correct interpretation of notation requires a careful analysis thereof, and Fontana, who was in haste, could have misjudged the moment the phrase marks were divided.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , Errors of FC

b. 17

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

f1 in A (→FE→EE1)

e1-f1 in FC (→GE) & EE2
..

The 7th quaver in A (→FE→EE1) is a single f1 note. The e1-f1 second featured in FC (→GE) most probably resulted from a misinterpretation of A. It can be difficult to determine the presence of a middle note of a chord placed on a ledger line in Chopin's autographs; however, this place was written quite clearly – it differs visibly from, e.g. the e1-f1 second in b. 15.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors of FC