Main text
Main text
A - Autograph
FC - Fontana's copy
FE - French edition
FE1 - First French edition
FE2 - Corrected impression of FE1
FED - Dubois copy
FEJ - Jędrzejewicz Copy
FES - Stirling copy
FESch - Scherbatoff copy
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE2 - Revised impression of GE1
GE3 - Corrected impression of GE2
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English edition
EE1a - Corrected impression of EE1
EE2 - Revised impression of EE1a
compare
  b. 12

c in sources

e, our alternative suggestion

There are indications that the c note, present in all sources, could have been erroneously inserted instead of e:

  • in combination with the next bar, parallel fifths in the outer voices occur: c-g2 and c-g2,
  • no pedalling in b. 9-12 suggests that Chopin expected here the same harmonic course as in b. 1-4,
  • another possibility is a lapsus calami of Chopin consisting in the anticipation of the 1st note of the next bar (cf. the commentary on the Prelude in F Major, Op. 28 No. 13, b. 32).

The above statements, however, do not tip the balance in favour of the composer's mistake:

  • parallel fifths in outer voices, unquestionable in terms of sources, can be found in Chopin's oeuvre, especially when the chords share a common note and when at least one is dissonant, e.g. in the Prelude No. 4 in E Minor, b. 3-4 or in the Scherzo in E Major, Op. 54, b. 55-56,
  • Chopin committed a few inaccuracies in the pedalling markings in this Prelude in A, even a few evident mistakes, which could mean that it was written down hastily; therefore, it undermines the arguments based on it.

Therefore, in the main text we keep c, which is present in the sources; we suggest the version with e, assuming Chopin's mistake, as an acceptable variant.

Compare the passage in the sources »

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Terzverschreibung error

notation: Pitch

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