mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 20, Prelude in C minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors of FC

b. 11-12

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

cresc. - - in A (→FE→EE)

cresc. in bar 12 in FC

No indication in GE

cresc. in ACh

cresc. -, cresc. in CGS
..

In the main text we give the indication after A (→FE→EE). In A its correct placement is not possible due to the abridged notation of those bars; however, we consider the interpretation adopted in FE (→EE) to be accurate – due to the dashes marking the range of the crescendo, all that matters is to determine its starting point, which falls more or less in the middle of the bar. Placing cresc. (with no dashes) only in bar 12 is undoubtedly a mistake by Fontana, aggravated in GE by the omission of the indication.
In the 9-bar version of AB the dynamic course could have been different, hence the missing cresc. does not have to be considered an inaccuracy. An earlier beginning of the crescendo, as it was marked by Chopin in ACh, may be considered an equal variant.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , Errors of FC , Inaccuracies in CGS

b. 12-13

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

 in A (→FE)

No sign in FC (→GE), AB, ACh & CGS

  in EE
..

The position of the  mark is not strictly determined in A due to the missing musical text in the abridged marking of this bar. We assume the only reasonable solution, adopted in FE (→EE). The mark was omitted in the remaining autographs and overlooked by the copyists. EE arbitrarily added a  asterisk at the end of b. 13, almost certainly against the intention of Chopin – cf. the note to the Prelude No. 7 in A Major, b. 16.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors of FC , Inaccuracies in A , Errors in CGS