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Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

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b. 6-13

composition: Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

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As was the case in b. 3-4, in A Chopin generally omits accidentals next to the bass quavers if the accidentals have been written an octave higher next to one of the preceding semiquavers. In the discussed bars it concerns f in b. 6, c1 and b in b. 7, g and g in b. 8, f in b. 9 and 11, B and G in b. 11, B in b. 12 and G in b. 13. That notation was literally repeated in FE; in FC almost without changes (only one  added next to B in b. 11). The remaining editions added the majority of the necessary accidentals – in EE1 all except for the  next to G in b. 13, while in GE1 all except for the naturals next to f in b. 6 and G in b. 11 (in GE2 the former was added). It is only EE2 that includes a fully correct notation.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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

b. 6

composition: Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

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In the main text we add a cautionary  before f2. We also keep the cautionary  before d1 in the L.H. part, present in all sources.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Cautionary accidentals

b. 7

composition: Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

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There are no accidentals before the last pair of demisemiquavers in A. Therefore, they should be interpreted as c2 and c3 (the  before the 5th demisemiquaver of the bar is in force), which is, of course, impossible. In this Prelude Chopin took it for granted that the second and last demisemiquavers in each group are an octave higher than the preceding melodic note, thus he marked precisely only the pitch of the melodic notes (cf. b. 1-4). Therefore, there are no doubts that it is the bottom note that is written correctly, c2, and the inaccuracy concerns the top note, which must be a c3. Interestingly enough, the absence of a  restoring c3 was not noticed in any of the remaining sources, even in GE2, in which a cautionary  was added before c2.

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

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A

b. 7

composition: Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

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In A one can see a crossed-out  before g2, the 5th demisemiquaver in the last group, which proves that Chopin verified the accuracy of accidentals.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Deletions in A

b. 8

composition: Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

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In contrast with A, in FE (→EE) the last L.H. figure was written in the treble clef, thanks to which it was not necessary to repeat the flats next to the 2nd and 3rd semiquavers. However, FE1 misinterpreted the  before f1 as a , which changed that note into f1. The erroneous accidental was removed in FE2 (→EE). We reproduce both that mistake and the changed layout only in the graphical transcription ("transcription").

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , FE revisions