mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 17, Prelude in A♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Omission of current key accidentals

b. 19

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

f1 in FCI

f1 in A (→FC→GE, →FE→EE)
..

In the version prepared for print, the top note of the chord on the 5th quaver in the bar, interpreted literally, is an f1, since it is not accompanied by a relevant accidental in this bar. The following arguments prove that it was almost certainly Chopin's mistake:

  •  put before that note in FCI, confirming the authenticity of the version with f1,
  • presence of e1 (played with the L.H.) in that chord,  which, together with f1, would result in an unpleasant cluster – cf. b. 21, in which Chopin avoided a similar cluster by omitting g1.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Omission of current key accidentals , Errors of A , Deletions in A

b. 22

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

..

In FCI there are no sharps before the middle note of the 2nd L.H. quaver (c1) and before the outer notes of the 3rd quaver (g and g1). In the final version Chopin corrected that patent inaccuracy.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Omission of current key accidentals

b. 23

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

..

A natural before the bottom note of the 1st bottom R.H. voice quaver (e1) is present only in EE, the only one in which this patent inadvertence of Chopin was corrected. Similarly, the  before the bottom note of the 2nd L.H. quaver (b), overlooked in A (→FE,FC→GE), was supplemented only in EE. As far as FCI is concerned, it is difficult to decipher the accidentals here based on the photocopy available to us – it seems that out of 3 necessary accidentals, the top one was overlooked, raising a1 to a1.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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

b. 26

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

..

On the last quaver in A (→FC→GE1) there are no accidentals before the middle notes of the chords in both hands – a  before b1 and a  before d2. The patent inaccuracies were corrected in FE (only the ) and EE (both). In turn, in GE2 (→GE3) naturals were wrongly added before both notes.
(NB: both correct accidentals are present in FCI.) 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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

b. 44-46

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

..

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