It is unclear how the two curved lines written in A before the chord with a grace note should be understood. It is certain that they determine the division between hands; however, they can also indicate an arpeggio (both or the top one only). Both Fontana in FC (→GE) and the engraver of FE (→EE) interpreted Chopin's notation as an arpeggio. Nevertheless, although Chopin would often mark arpeggios with vertical curved lines, particularly later in life, in the autograph of the Preludes he still used conventional, vertical wavy lines – cf. the Prelude No. 10 in C
Minor, the endings of the Prelude No. 2 in A Minor, No. 3 in G Major, No. 5 in D Major, No. 8 in F Minor, No. 9 in E Major as well as b. 7 in the Prelude No. 13 in F Major and the beginnings of phrases in the Prelude No. 23 in F Major. Therefore, in the main text we leave the notation of A; according to us, it is most likely that it should be implemented in the form of a non-arpeggiated chord of both hands preceded by a grace note. The performance indicated by the remaining source versions – a continuous arpeggio of an entire chord of both hands and an arpeggio only in the R.H. – can be considered variants.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources
issues: Errors in FE, Fontana's revisions
notation: Ornaments