mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

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b. 2-4

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

Slurs from 2nd quaver in A (→FE→EE)

Slurs from first quaver in FC (→GE)
..

The ending of the slur from b. 2 led to b. 3 is hardly visible in A, which probably convinced Fontana that the slurs of L.H. figures were supposed to end on the last quaver in the bar, like in b. 1 (it is likely that it was only after he had seen the slurs in b. 5-6 and 6-7 that he realised that he was wrong and prolonged the slur in b. 4). In the case of beginnings of the slurs, even the correct interpretation of the slurs in b. 5-7 did not make him correct the previously written slurs or keep the notation of A in further bars (in A it is only the slurs in b. 9 and 15 that can be considered vague in this respect; the remaining ones clearly begin on the 2nd quaver). In the main text we give the notation of A (also in further bars). 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FC

b. 3

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

..

In A one can see a crossing-out between the  and the 3rd quaver. It was most probably the  before a that was removed (superfluous), yet it seems that, for some reason, Chopin also crossed out the correctly written f-a third, which he then reintroduced next to it. If it was so, the reason could have been, e.g. accidentally blurred noteheads, even partially, as a side effect of removing the natural.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Deletions in A

b. 4

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

e1 on 6th quaver in A (→FE)

e1 on 6th quaver, L.H. finger 1 in EE1

e1 on 6th quaver, R.H. finger 2 in FES

e1 on 3rd beat, under slur in FC (→GE)

e1 on 3rd beat, no slur in EE2
..

Interpreting the top note of the 6th L.H. quaver, e1, as a R.H. crotchet on the 3rd beat of the bar is almost certainly Fontana's mistake. The copyist was most probably misled by the note having been written on the top stave, the poorly visible top fragment of the stem combining that note with c and the dot extending the g1 minim at the beginning of the bar having been crossed out in A (the crossing-out most probably provided for the discussed e1 to be performed with the right hand; in addition, it was probably to be completed by a crotchet rest, which Chopin, however, did not do). Having completed the rhythm of the R.H. melody with that note, Fontana also led to it the phrase mark encompassing the first phrase. The change in EE2 must have been introduced under the influence of GE1. In the main text we give the notation of A (→FE→EE1), supplemented by a crotchet rest.

To eliminate the possibility of creating incoherent combinations of variants from different notes, we include the fingering of EE and FES, which applies to the e1 quaver, here, in the variants including that quaver.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Rhythmic errors , Deletions in A , Errors of FC , Inaccuracies in A

b. 4

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

..

In FC (→GE) the slur reaches e1, which is a crotchet on the 3rd beat of the bar in these sources (filling the bar after the g1 minim), and not the top note of the last L.H. quaver.
See the next note.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors of FC

b. 4-5

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

Slur from 2nd quaver to bar 5 in A (→FE→EE)

Slur from first quaver to bar 5 in FC

Slur from first to 6th quaver in GE
..

In the main text we give the slur of A (→FE→EE). The slur of FC starts a quaver earlier, whereas GE also moved its ending, which made it resemble the previous slurs, thus consolidating a distorted image of articulation of these figures – see the notes in b. 1-2 and 2-4.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FC