mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 16, Prelude in B♭ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in FE

b. 14

composition: Op. 28 No. 16, Prelude in B♭ minor

in A

No sign in FC (→GE)

Longer  in FE (→EE)
..

The missing  hairpin in FC (→GE) resulted from an oversight of the copyist. In FE (→EE) the mark is longer due to it having been adjusted to the 2nd half of the bar.

category imprint: Differences between sources

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

b. 27-28

composition: Op. 28 No. 16, Prelude in B♭ minor

  in A, contextual interpretation

  in FC

  in FE (→EE)

  in GE
..

In both  marks in A the top arm is clearly longer than the bottom one. We adopt the range of the top arm, written first, in accordance with the more carefully written mark in similar b. 26. The relatively minor inaccuracies in the reproduction of the   marks in FC were exaggerated in GE, in which attempts were taken at placing the marks in such a way that they fill the entire bars. A similar manner, although only in b. 27, can also be seen in FE (→EE).

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

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , GE revisions , Unclear hairpins in A , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 32

composition: Op. 28 No. 16, Prelude in B♭ minor

Long accent in A (→FC→GE)

Short accent in FE (→EE)
..

The mark in A has all the characteristics of a long accent, which was reproduced in FC (→GE), but not in FE (→EE).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in FE

b. 42-45

composition: Op. 28 No. 16, Prelude in B♭ minor

cresc. - - - till bar 45 in A & FE2 (→EE)

No indication in FC (→GE)

cresc. - - in bar 42 in FE1
..

In the ending of the Prelude Fontana overlooked a few various performance markings; in addition to cresc. - - - , it was also  and  the L.H. slur in b. 40-41, the accent in b. 42, the staccato dots at the beginning of b. 40 and at the end of b. 45 and  in b. 45. No further dashes in FE1 is an oversight of the engraver, corrected in FE2 (in accordance with A).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , FE revisions , Errors of FC

b. 45-46

composition: Op. 28 No. 16, Prelude in B♭ minor

 in A (literal reading→FE1)

 in A (contextual interpretation→FE2→EE)

No marking in FC (→GE)
..

The  mark is placed in A between the pair of the final chords, hence the fact that FE1 assigned it to b. 46 is formally justified – markings are not retroactive. However, it seems much more likely that Chopin applied here the manner of writing indications within the scope of their range, and the mark is supposed to concern both chords, as it was performed in FE2 (→EE). Cf., e.g. the Concerto in E Minor, Op. 11, 1st mov., b. 16.  

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FE , FE revisions , Errors of FC , Centrally placed marks