mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : FE revisions

b. 22

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

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The  (cautionary?) present in all sources before d1 in the 3rd L.H. figure is almost certainly a remaining part of the initial notation of the quavers in the 1st half of the bar, which were written down as d1. After the notation had been changed, the  was no more necessary, hence we omit it in the main text. In the same 3rd L.H. figure, one can see in A a crossed-out  before c2. The accidental is not necessary, yet, due to c3 in the R.H., we give it in the main text. It was most probably for the same reason that it was also added in FE2 (→EE), also in the 4th figure. EE repeated in the 4th figure also the  before d1.

category imprint: Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: EE revisions , Corrections in A , Cautionary accidentals , Deletions in A , Enharmonic corrections , FE revisions

b. 22

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

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FE and GE did not use the abridged notation of the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar applied in A (→FC); however, none of the accidentals was repeated on those beats in FE1, which resulted in a mistake in the 4th R.H. group – first, c3 was not raised to c3, and then c3 was not restored. It was corrected in FE2 (→EE) by adding respective accidentals (the traces in some copies might be regarded as indicating that initially a  was also added before e3). In turn, GE repeated all accidentals in both hands, which is not a mistake, but it unnecessarily makes the notation denser. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , FE revisions

b. 22

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

2 slurs in A

4 slurs in FC

Continuous slur in FE (→EE) & GE
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In A each of the two R.H. slurs encompasses – unlike in the L.H. – the repeat sign, marking the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar, respectively. Therefore, they are two half-bar slurs, which we give in the main text. In FC the slurs are clearly shorter, hence they are to be interpreted as encompassing only one group of demisemiquavers, which, after taking into account the repeat signs, results in 4 slurs in this bar. Both FE (→EE) and GE misinterpreted the slurs of the manuscripts as one slur over an entire bar.  

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 23

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

d3 in A (→FC→GE1), literal reading

d3 in FE (→EE) & GE2 (→GE3)

Our variant suggestion
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In A (→FC→GE1) there is no accidental before the 4th demisemiquaver in the 3rd group, as a result of which it is to be interpreted as a d3. In FE (→EE), as well as in GE2 (→GE3), a  was added, thus lowering it to d3. In this case, Fontana's addition seems arguable, since there is a number of source and music arguments for d3: 

  • the crossings-out and corrections visible in the adjacent bars prove that Chopin controlled the accidentals in A, cf. b. 22 and 24;
  • the use of d1 and d2 after the C minor chord in b. 24 was marked by Chopin with naturals both in the R.H., where this accidental is necessary, and in the L.H., where it is only of a cautionary nature;
  • Chopin used a similar combination of notes enclosing a major chord in b. 24 (a1 and c2 next to the G major chord).

However, since we cannot rule out an accidental oversight of a natural by Chopin in the discussed place (and hence the accuracy of Fontana's revision in FE), in the main text we include both possibilities in a variant form, giving preference to the literally interpreted version of A featuring a d3.

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

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , GE revisions , FE revisions