mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 18, Prelude in F minor

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Articulation, Accents, Hairpins

b. 1-6

composition: Op. 28 No. 18, Prelude in F minor

..

In A we can see that the pairs of chords in b. 1-2 and 5-6 were initially provided with staccato dots and not slurs. In b. 1 the dots were deleted and replaced with a slur; in the remaining ones, Chopin wrote the slurs in a way so as to cover the dots.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A

b. 9-10

composition: Op. 28 No. 18, Prelude in F minor

2 wedges in A (→FC), literal reading

Dot & 2 wedges in FE (→EE)

2 dots in GE

4 wedges suggested by the editors
..

A (→FC) feature distinct wedges above the R.H. chords. With the layout of the manusripts – lower notes of the R.H. chords wirtten on the lower staff – those marks pertain certainly to both hands, hence we also add wedges below the L.H. octaves. This solution was adopted already in FE (→EE), although only in bar 10. EE (→EE) in bar 9 and GE in both bars reproduce the mark as a staccato dot (in the R.H. only).
Similarly in bars 11-12.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE , FE revisions , Wedges

b. 11-12

composition: Op. 28 No. 18, Prelude in F minor

2 wedges in A, literal reading

Wedge in b. 11 in FC

4 wedges in FE (→EE)

Staccato dot in b. 11 in GE
..

In the main text, we add – as in bars 9-10 – separate wedges to the :\L.H. octaves. In the discussed bars, this notation also occurs in FE (→EE). The mark in b. 12 was overlooked in FC (→GE), and the other (a wedge in b. 11) was reproduced in GE as a staccato dot.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: GE revisions , FE revisions , Wedges , Errors of FC

b. 13-14

composition: Op. 28 No. 18, Prelude in F minor

Dots & wedges in A (→FE→EE)

4 dots in FC

3 dots in GE

4 wedges suggested by the editors
..

Each of the chords on the 2nd beat of these bars is provided with a pair of staccato marks in A (→FE→EE), one for each hand. The change of notation with respect to the previous bars can be explained by the change of layout – the R.H. chords are written entirely on the top stave here, as a result of which the validity of the marks placed over the R.H. in the L.H. is not so obvious anymore. According to us, it is another argument confirming the accuracy of our interpretation of the marks in b. 9-12.
The use of staccato dots in b. 13 is problematic – taking into account the fact that both before and after (b. 15) Chopin wrote wedges, we consider the notation of this bar to be inaccurate in this respect; therefore, in the main text we suggest wedges in both discussed bars. The versions of FC and GE resulted from inaccuracies of the copyist and from an oversight of the engraver of GE.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors in GE , Wedges , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 15

composition: Op. 28 No. 18, Prelude in F minor

R.H. wedges in A

4 staccato dots in FC (→GE) & EE

3 dots in FE

4 wedges suggested by the editors
..

In this bar Chopin again marked the articulation of the chords only over the R.H. part. As the performance cannot differ from the one in b. 13-14, in the main text we add marks also under the L.H. chords. Such a solution was adopted both by FC (→GE) and FE (→EE).
In FE, the missing mark for the 1st R.H. chord must be an oversight of the engraver.
Both FC (→GE) and FE (→EE) interpreted the marks of A as staccato dots. Although they are not as pronounced as those in b. 9-12 or 14 (the R.H. mark), we consider them to be wedges.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Inaccuracies in FE , Wedges , Inaccuracies in FC