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Op. 28 No. 4, Prelude in E minor

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Verbal indications

b. 1

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

in A (→FE→EE) & CGS

No indication in As & FC (→GE)
..

The omission of  at the beginning of the piece must be a mistake of the copyist, perhaps provoked by the indication having been placed in A still before the time signature.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors of FC

b. 1-24

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

..

As is devoid of the tempo indication and all further performance indications, which is related to the fact that this manuscript remained unfinished. Therefore, we do not regard those shortcomings as variants and – if an indication is present in the remaining sources – we do not record it in separate notes.

In A one can see a crossing-out of an earlier indication, most probably Lento.

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

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A

b. 1

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

..

The indication espressivo is written in the sources in the form of an abbreviation: espres. in A, espress. in FC (→GE), FE and CGS and esp. in EE. In the main text we explain the abbreviation, which was probably used due to lack of space in A to write an entire word.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Abbreviated indications

b. 16-19

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

stretto - - - in A

stretto - - - in FC

stretto - - - in GE

stretto - - - in FE

stretto - - - in CGS
..

In the notation of A it is not entirely clear where Chopin wanted to begin stretto or how far the dashes marking its range are supposed to reach. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the remaining sources reproduce those details differently, which we consider inaccuracies, with the exception of the version of GE, in which the dashes are led as far as to the beginning of b. 19, which is clearly contrary to the notation of FC. In the main text we assume that stretto is to be combined rather with g2 than a1 and that the dashes reach f1 in b. 18. The major divergence from the Chopinesque notation is to be seen in CGS, in which stretto is written in the middle of the 1st half of b. 16 and the dashes only just in the 2nd half of b. 17, as a result of which it is actually unclear how they are to be considered jointly (in that copy, just like in FE, the entire indication is placed between the staves). It was probably caused by lack of space between the staves.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , EE inaccuracies , Inaccuracies in FC , Inaccuracies in A , Errors in CGS

b. 22-23

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

Dashes up to bar 23 in A

Dashes in bar 22 in FC

No dashes in FE (→EE), GE & CGS
..

The missing dashes marking the range of smorzando is an inaccuracy of FE (→EE) and GE, quite frequent in Chopinesque first editions.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Errors in GE , Inaccuracies in FC