mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : EE revisions

b. 25-28

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

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In A (→FC,FE) there are no flats lowering D to D in b. 25, d2 to d2 in b. 26 and g to g in b. 28. GE and EE2 added all necessary accidentals, whereas EE1 – only those in b. 25 and 28.

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. 26-27

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

Pedalling in A (→FE,FC→GE)

Pedalling in EE

Pedalling after bars 18-19 suggested by the editors

Our alternative suggestion

Our variant suggestion
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Performing the 3rd beat of b. 26 and the 1st beat of b. 27 with one pedal is inconceivable in the sonic atmosphere of the Prelude, although it is difficult to state what misled Chopin and which pedalling markings he wanted to insert here. According to us, it is most likely that it was to be the initial pedalling in b. 18-19: . Chopin could have wanted to forgo the first change of pedal in b. 27 (after b. 25: ), yet he wrote the pedal encompassing 2 beats a triplet too early.

In the main text we give the unequivocal, final pedalling of analogous b. 18-19. As an alternative solution, we give the literally interpreted version of A, supplemented with a pedal change between b. 26-27, as well as a variant version, which includes both aforementioned possibilities.
The version of EE is either an arbitrary revision or a mistake. 

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

issues: EE revisions , Errors of A

b. 29

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

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In A one can see crossed-out  and  before the 5th and 6th R.H. notes, which is yet another proof that the composer was convinced that accidentals were valid also in adjacent octaves (at least in such a context). The accidentals were added only in GE and EE.

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

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

b. 30

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

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A and the remaining sources contain 3 poorly justified cautionary accidentals in this bar – flats before e1 and e2 and a  before f2. We omit them in the main text; in turn, we add a  raising g1 to g1, which is necessary and which was overlooked in A. The sharp was added both in FC (→GE) and FE (→EE).
Moreover, FE overlooked the  raising f to f, which was corrected in EE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Accidentals in different octaves , Cautionary accidentals , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 31

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

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In A (→FC,FE→EE1) there is no  raising e to e. The inaccuracy was corrected in GE and EE2.
In the main text we add a cautionary  before g (Chopin added a respective accidental only before g1 in the R.H. part). It was already added in EE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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