mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

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b. 38-39

composition: Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

Slur to bar 39 in A, possible interpretation (→FE,FC→GE)

Slur in bar 38 in A, contextual interpretation

No slur in EE
..

Bar 38 ends the line in A. Both the R.H. and L.H. slurs that begin in that bar clearly indicate that they should be continued. However, there is no trace of continuation of those slurs in b. 39; what is more, in the R.H. part the bar begins with a rest, which proves that the notation of A in b. 38 is inaccurate. Due to the above reason, in the main text we suggest an interpretation according to which the L.H. slur also encompasses only the 5 last quavers in that bar. Nevertheless, we can regard the interpretation of FC (→GE) and FE as equal. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Errors in EE , Inaccurate slurs in A , Uncertain slur continuation

b. 39

composition: Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

Wedge in A (→FE)

Staccato dot in FC (→GE)

No mark in EE
..

In A the staccato mark under the 1st quaver is in the form of a wedge, and this is how we give it in the main text. In FC (→GE) Fontana must have assumed that the top part of the mark was an unintentional trace of a pen, which cannot be ruled out completely, although such defects in the notation of dots are very rare in Chopin's autographs – cf., e.g. dots in the Prelude in G Minor No. 12: out of 79 staccato marks, 77 are dots (only R.H. marks in b. 65 and 73 should rather be regarded as wedges), among which only two in b. 9 are not round or punctual.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE , Wedges

b. 39-40

composition: Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

No slur in A (→FC→GE1, →FE→EE)

Slur in GE2 (→GE3)
..

Adding a slur in the L.H. part, moving in parallel to the R.H., is a frequent revision in German editions (especially later ones) – cf., e.g. the Concerto in F Minor, Op. 21, II mov., b. 65-68.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions

b. 41-44

composition: Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

No fingering in A (→FE,FC→GE)

Fingering in EE
..

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions

b. 42-44

composition: Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

..

Chopin used in these bars cautionary naturals before a(1) and g(1) in b. 42 and d(1) in b. 43. FC (→GE) and EE also added a  before G in b. 44. In the main text we include all the above naturals; moreover, we suggest naturals before d1(2) in b. 42 and g(1) in b. 43.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions; Source & stylistic information

issues: EE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Fontana's revisions