mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in D♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in A

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

b. 86

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

Pedalling in A, literal reading

FC (→GE) & FE (→EE)

Our suggestion
..

The interpretation of pedal markings in this bar presents difficulties. The  sign occurs before the 2nd beat, and the  sign seems to pertain to the 3rd beat, which we give as the literal reading. However, the slight distance between the signs does not suggest a gap in pedalling. The remaining sources interpreted this as a pedal change in the middle of the bar, which may be considered justified in the light of the above observations. In the editors' opinion, the pedal change should be linked rather with the d1 suspension being resolved to c1, and therefore, we suggest the appropriate notation in the main text.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Inaccuracies in FC , Inaccuracies in A