mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 19, Prelude in E♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : GE revisions

b. 1

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

e1 in A (→FC→GE1, →FE→EE)

g1 in GE2 (→GE3)
..

The change of the 3rd quaver of the bar from e1 to g1, introduced in GE2 (→GE3), most probably originated from analogous b. 9, in which g1 is present in all sources. There is no question that g1 is more natural here from the pianistic point of view as well as more logical in terms of the structure of figurations. Therefore, did Chopin actually commit a Terzverschreibung mistake right at the beginning of a piece? An important argument against that hypothesis is a similar differentiation between b. 1 and 9 in the Etude in E Major, Op. 10 No. 11 (in the Etude, the notation rules out a mistake, since it would have had to encompass 5 chords). In both cases, it was a combination with the preceding figure (in b. 8-9) or its absence (in b. 1) that could have been the reason for the differentiation. Taking into account the above, in the main text we leave the version of A. A similar situation can be found in b. 33.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Terzverschreibung error , GE revisions

b. 2

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

e2 in A (→FC,FE→EE) & GE2 (→GE3)

g2 in GE1
..

The engraver of GE1 did not notice (considered it a mistake?) that the first two notes of the last triplet do not constitute the interval of an octave, unlike in the previous ones. The mistake was corrected in GE2 (→GE3).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , Terzverschreibung error , GE revisions

b. 3-11

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

..

In A (→FC,FE), there are no naturals raising b to b in b. 3 and 11. Similar inaccuracies in the notation of notes separated by an octave are often to be found in the Preludes; in this one and in some others, they are even a rule – cf. e.g. the Prelude in F Minor No. 8, b. 1-4. The accidentals were added in GE and EE.
Similarly in b. 35.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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

b. 5

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

..

The 3rd quaver in GE1 is a c2 (with a ). At this pitch, a natural does not cancel anything; in turn, it deprives the 6th and 9th semiquavers of necessary alterations, which points to a Terzverschreibung mistake, irrespective of the compliant version of the remaining sources. The error was corrected in GE2 (→GE3).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , Terzverschreibung error , GE revisions

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