mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 20, Prelude in C minor

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b. 8

composition: Op. 28 No. 20, Prelude in C minor

g tied in b. 8 in AB

No tying in remaining sources

g tied in b. 8 & 12, possible variant

g tied in b. 12, another possible variant
..

The version in AB with the tied g is undoubtedly authentic and recorded a year after the publication of the Prelude, which makes it necessary to treat it as a regular variant. It remains an open question, however, whether in the version extended by bars 9-12 it can also be used in bar 12 or even only in bar 12:

  • a clear strengthening of the dynamics in bars 11-12 of the published version can be considered as an argument against the sustaining of g in b. 12 – after all, in AB there is no crescendo at this passage, so the sustaining can be associated with the   dynamics;
  • in the 13-bar version, the pitch-rhythmic text of b. 9-12 does not differ from b. 5-8, which may justify the use of a uniform version of b. 8 and 12 – both times tying the g (or both times repeating it, as in main text);
  • perhaps Chopin did not associate the tie with either the dynamic progression or the preceding phrase, but treated it as an element of the work's conclusion, which would suggest tying only in bar 12.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

b. 13

composition: Op. 28 No. 20, Prelude in C minor

..

In A (→FC→GE) and AB Chopin inserted a fermata only above the upper staff. CGS also does not contain a fermata in the L.H. In the main text we add a fermata also for the bottom staff (in accordance with the contemporary editorial practices), particularly since it is present there also in ACh and FE (→EE).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions