mUltimate Chopin

Op. 28 No. 21, Prelude in B♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies 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. 18-20

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

..

In A (→FE) there is not a single  lowering d to d in these bars. Chopin's patent inaccuracy was corrected in FC (→GE) and EE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , Fontana's revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE

b. 19-23

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

..

In A Chopin overlooked a few necessary flats in the R.H. part: in b. 19 d2, in b. 21 d3 and g2, in b. 22 d2 and d3. FC added only the first  in b. 21; in addition, the copyist overlooked the  of g2 in b. 23. FE also added only some of the necessary flats, next to d2(3) in b. 21-22, and – which is puzzling – also overlooked the  of g2 in b. 23. GE and EE added all necessary accidentals.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in FC , Fontana's revisions , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in FE

b. 28

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

..

In the sources there is no  lowering d1 to d1. Chopin's attention was caught by the beginning of the bar – he removed g1 from the 1st quaver; he also crossed out the second one and rewrote it next to it. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

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