mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 17, Prelude in A♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : EE revisions

b. 43

composition: Op. 28 No. 17, Prelude in A♭ major

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In A one can see that Chopin initially wrote the mordent with a conventional  mark. In the grace notes added instead of , the  before c2 merged with the arpeggio sign, resulting in a mark resembling a . Consequently, in FE (→EE1) the 2nd grace note is c2. Chopin reacted to this mistake in FES by adding a  in pencil (which Miss Stirling later wrote in ink). The correct text is also to be seen in EE2, probably on the basis of GE1.

In this place, FCI includes an earlier version – there are no ornaments on the 4th quaver in the bar, while b1 is linked with a tie to the dotted crotchet at the beginning of the bar.

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

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Errors in FE , Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , Deletions in A , Annotations in FES , Main-line changes , Inaccuracies in A

b. 44-45

composition: Op. 28 No. 17, Prelude in A♭ major

Tied notes in FCI & EE2

Repeated notes in A (→FC→GE, →FE→EE1)
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The version of FCI – tied b1 in b. 44-45 and c2 in b. 48-49 – as compliant with the rhythm of the majority of the phrases of the Prelude, can be, according to us, taken into account as a variant, although Chopin abandoned it while preparing the piece for printing. One can only suppose what the motivation of EE2 at the time of introducing that version was – perhaps it was a comparison with a number of similar ties in similar contexts (e.g., b. 4-17 and 27-30).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions

b. 44-46

composition: Op. 28 No. 17, Prelude in A♭ major

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In A (→FC,FE) accidentals were inserted very inaccurately – in total, 4 sharps and 12 naturals are missing – which, however, does not impede the determination of the correct text. Accidentals were being added in GE and EE, although it is only in EE2 that the notation is totally correct. The naturals before the b-b1 octave in b. 44 were also added in FED.
Interestingly enough, the notation of FCI is more accurate than the one of A – only one  and 5 naturals are missing.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Annotations in FED , Accidentals in different octaves , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 46

composition: Op. 28 No. 17, Prelude in A♭ major

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FE overlooked the  before the minim at the beginning of the bar (g2). The accidental was supplemented in EE and FED.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Errors in FE , Annotations in FED

b. 47-50

composition: Op. 28 No. 17, Prelude in A♭ major

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As in the previous four-bar section, accidentals in A (→FE) are written inaccurately – 9 sharps are missing. In FC Fontana added one of them, yet overlooked the  before the middle note of the 2nd L.H. quaver in b. 47. A comparable number of deficiencies are to be found also in FCI. The oversights are obvious, and the majority of the accidentals were supplemented in GE and EE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Errors of FC , Fontana's revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE