A CHOPIN PRELUDE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 40, 16 August 1937, Page 4

A CHOPIN PRELUDE

MISTAKE IN THE SCORE

Because Chopin neglected to make a correction in his manuscript of the Twentieth (C minor) Prelude, successive generations of pianists have been incorrectly playing the last chord in the third bar, says the "Manchester Guardian." All editions of this work,. whether published in London, Paris, or Berlin, show the E natural in this chord instead of-the E flat, and there has always-been controversy,as to which note Chopin intended. , Some pianists, including Cortot, insisted on playing it as shown; others, including Paderewslri, always used the E flat. The argument is now settled beyond j doubt. Mr. Frank Merrick, the pianist and composer, has discovered the truth in an old manuscript in the British Museum Reading Room. "I was looking up some details of Chopin's Preludes," he. ' said to a reporter, "and accidentally came across a reference that proved conclusively that Chopin intended the E flat in this chord. •-■■.•■■■■ /'The discovery gave irie considerable satisfaction, because of the doubt that had always existed as to ,which, was correct. I'ha've even proved Mikuli to be wrong. He was Chopin's pupil and published a complete edition of his works. There were other great authorities like him who also included the wrong note, and if was really their influence that caused the mistake to persist all these years. "I doubt if it can be stated definitely how the error was made in the first place. Chopin generally had three published works, one each in England, France, and Germany. He may have made the mistake in his own manuscript, or the publisher may have been responsible. I rather favour the theory that Chopin himself was at fault. Ths reference I found in tin British Museum indicates that he knew of. the mistake he had made in his manuscript, and although he.always played it as we now know was the correct way, he carefully neglected to make the alteration .in the score," Mr. Merrick was formerly professor of the pianoforte at the Royal Manchester College of Music.