mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 4, Prelude in E minor

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b. 17

composition: Op. 28 No. 4, Prelude in E minor

B in As

B1-B in remaining sources
..

The version of As – a single bass note – was also present in A, in which Chopin crossed it out and replaced with an octave.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A , Accompaniment changes , Bass register changes

b. 17-18

composition: Op. 28 No. 4, Prelude in E minor

No sign in As, FE (→EE1) & CGS

in A

in FC

 in GE, contextual interpretation

in EE2
..

The high position of the L.H. chords and the resulting lack of space between the staves contributed to inaccuracies and mistakes in the reproduction of the  hairpin – it was moved in FC (→GE, inaccurately) and overlooked in FE (→EE1). The mark in EE2 was added on the basis of GE1, overlooking its ending at the beginning of b. 18. In GE, there is a complete  mark at the end of the line (in b. 17), in spite of the fact that b. 18 contains its ending in the form of a new  mark – in times of Chopin, the contemporary, more accurate notation of such divided hairpins was not generally used yet. The absence of the mark in CGS is one of the arguments supporting the fact that the copy was prepared on the basis of FE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , Inaccuracies in FC , Hairpins denoting continuation

b. 17

composition: Op. 28 No. 4, Prelude in E minor

..

Initially, the 5th quaver of the bar in As was a f2, which offered a more schematic melodic sequence – counting from the beginning of b. 17, the melody consisted of 3 analogously structured four-note motifs.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Main-line changes

b. 17

composition: Op. 28 No. 4, Prelude in E minor

No a1 in chords in As

Three a1 in A (→FC→GE, →FE→EE) & CGS
..

As in the case of enhancement of the 1st quaver of the bar with an octave, the version of As was also present in A, in which, however, Chopin changed it by adding three a1 as the topmost notes. The change was introduced after the slur over the chords had been written, hence most probably in the last stage of proofreading of the manuscript.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Corrections in A , Accompaniment changes

b. 17

composition: Op. 28 No. 4, Prelude in E minor

No slur in As & CGS

Slur from 2nd quaver in A (→FC,FE→EE)

Slur from 1st quaver in GE
..

The slur in A, written still before the topmost notes of the chords on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quavers had been added, clearly starts from the 2nd quaver. In FC, although the copyist almost certainly wanted to accurately reproduce the notation of A, the beginning of the slur falls almost over the 1st quaver, which confused the engraver of GE. The missing slur in CGS is an oversight of the copyist, as was the case with the previous slur in b. 13-16.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FC , Errors in CGS