Issues : Errors of A

b. 4

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

a1 in A (→FCGE1), literal reading

a1 in FE (→EE) & GE2 (→GE3)

..

When interpreted literally, the version of A (→FCGE1), 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. 5

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

..

In A there is no accidental before the 1st note in the 4th group of demisemiquavers, which should therefore be interpreted as a1. A comparison with analogous b. 1 proves Chopin's mistake; it is also the  before the next a2 that confirms a1 as the intended pitch of that note. The natural was added in FC and FE (→EE); however, it is absent in GE, which is probably an oversight of the engraver.
We omit the cautionary  before a2 in the main text.

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

issues: Errors in GE , Cautionary accidentals , Errors of A , FE revisions , Fontana's 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. 9

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

g in sources, literal reading

g, our alternative suggestion

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The main text is the version of the sources (interpreted literally). However, the crossings-out and corrections in this figure, visible in A, allow us to assume that Chopin forgot to insert a  lowering g to g, especially if he introduced the changes already after having written the next figure, which undoubtedly features a g (with a ). We include this possibility, resulting in a version analogous to b. 10, as a variant.

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

issues: Corrections in A , Errors of A , Deletions in A , Accompaniment changes

b. 10

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

No slur in A

Slur in FC (→GE) & FE (→EE)

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The missing slur over the 1st L.H. figure must be Chopin's mistake. The slur was added in both sources based on A, perhaps not even having noticed its absence.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors of A , FE revisions , Fontana's revisions