mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : EE revisions

b. 6-11

composition: Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

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As was the case in the Prelude No. 8 in F Minor, Chopin assumed that the middle notes of the triplets did not require an accidental if a respective accidental had been written before a top-voice note placed an octave higher. In A (→FC→FE) and CGS there is not a single out of 8 necessary accidentals –  before c and d in b. 6, g in b. 7, c in b. 9-10, d in b. 10-11 and a  before d in b. 11. The remaining editions added the majority of accidentals; however, none of them features a fully correct text:

  • GE1 added 6 accidentals – the  before c in b. 10 and the  before d in b. 11 were overlooked;
  • GE2 added to them only a  in b. 11;
  • EE1 added 5 accidentals – the  before d in b. 6 and 10 and the  before d in b. 11 were overlooked;
  • EE2 added to them only  before d in b. 6 and 10.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 8

composition: Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

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In A (→FC,FE→EE1) and CGS there is no  lowering b to b. Chopin's mistake, obvious in this context, was corrected in GE and EE2. The fact that Chopin was convinced of the presence of b in the preceding part of the bar is evidenced by the naturals written in A before B1 and b on the 4th beat of the bar. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Errors of A , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 11

composition: Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

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The cautionary sharp before f is present in all sources except for EE1. It means that the overlooked, and perhaps removed accidental, was then added in EE2, perhaps as part of the comparison of the text with GE1, undertaken in EE2.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: EE revisions , Errors in EE , Cautionary accidentals

b. 11

composition: Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

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In A (→FE) and CGS, there are no accidentals in the L.H. part in the entire bar. Chopin's patent inaccuracy was corrected by Fontana in FC (→GE), who added naturals lowering G1-G to G1-G and D1-D to D1-D. An identical addition was introduced in EE. The accidentals were also added in FED.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Annotations in FED , Accidentals in different octaves , Omission of current key accidentals , Fontana's revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE

b. 12

composition: Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

b tied in A (→FC→GE) & EE2

b repeated in FE (→EE1) & CGS
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The missing tie of b must be an oversight of the engraver of FE (→EE1). The absence of that tie in CGS is one of the arguments proving that the copy comes from FE. The tie in EE2 was most probably drawn from GE1.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE