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Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

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b. 12

composition: Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

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.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Terzverschreibung error

b. 13

composition: Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

..

In A there is no  lowering g1 to g1 in the 1st triplet and no  raising f1 to f1 in the 3rd triplet. What is more, the crossing-out before the first note suggests that Chopin crossed out the initially written  (see b. 29). The accidentals were added in GE and EE2 (in EE1 only the ). 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 14-15

composition: Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

..

In A (→FC,FE) there are no naturals raising a1 to a1 in these bars. The accidentals were added in GE and EE.
In b. 14 Chopin put a cautionary  before g2; in the main text we also add a  before g1.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Errors repeated in FE

b. 14

composition: Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

..

In the main text we add a cautionary  before F.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

b. 17

composition: Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

..

In the main text we add a cautionary  before A at the beginning of the bar.

category imprint: Editorial revisions