mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Omissions to cancel alteration

b. 4

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

a1 in A (→FC→GE1), literal reading

a1 in FE (→EE) & GE2 (→GE3)
..

When interpreted literally, the version of A (→FC→GE1), in which the 4th demisemiquaver on the last beat of the bar is an a1, is most probably a mistake, although the interval structure of the four middle demisemiquavers (from the 3rd to the 6th in the eight-note figure) is strictly analogous to the seven preceding figures. It is indicated by a broader tonal context of this phrase and of the entire Prelude – the second of those four notes is never altered, while the key to which Chopin returns in the 2nd half of that bar is F minor, and not F major. A natural was added – most probably by Fontana – in FE (→EE); an identical addition was also introduced in GE2.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , GE revisions , Errors of A , FE revisions

b. 7

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

..

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. 13

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

f1 in A (→FE1,FC→GE)

f1 in FE2 (→EE)
..

The version with f1, although harmonically possible, is, however, most probably erroneous – in the entire Prelude, in the vast majority of the eight-note figures, the 3rd demisemiquaver is placed a half a tone lower than the 5th one. Therefore, the natural added in FE2 (→EE) is most probably an accurate addition, although Chopin's participation in that intervention is uncertain.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A , FE revisions

b. 19

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

..

None of the sources includes a  restoring b1 in the 3rd to last demisemiquaver. A comparison with two previous appearances of that bar – b. 1 and 5 (b. 2 is marked in an abridged manner as a repetition of b. 1) – proves that it was Chopin's mistake in A, not noticed in any of the remaining sources.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 21

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

..

In the sources, there are no accidentals before the first and last notes of the 3rd L.H. figure. Therefore, the bottom one should be interpreted as a due to the  in the previous figure (it is particularly clear in the notation of the sources, in which the 3rd figure is still written in the bass clef). Naturally, it is Chopin's oversight – the harmonic context requires the notes to be interpreted as a1 and a; in such a situation, the top one does not need a , and Chopin considered an accidental next to the bottom one superfluous in such cases (cf. b. 3-4). In the main text we add a cautionary  also next to a1. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE