Strange notation mark in pedal notation - what does this mean???

[deanalangraham]

Hello everybody,

I'm currently learning Chopin's Op 69 No 2 (Valse in B Minor) and in my copy (from AMSCO's Library of Piano classics) there is a circle with a capital I (or roman numeral '1') inside it under the 'ped' instruction at bar 49 (bar 16 of the con anima / b major section).

I've searched the internet for over and hour and a half now and I just can't find ANYTHING that points to what this might mean.

It could be AMSCO's own notation or a typo or maybe it meant to refer to something else (like an asterisk) but...please!!! I'm going mad!!

Isn't spoiling my enjoyment of the piece too much, but need to know if it means something specific.

PLEASE HELP!!

[stevebob]

I think you can be assured that this mark, mysterious as it is, has no significance.  Though I have no idea how (or why) it was placed there, it has no recognized meaning for pedaling or for any other performance aspect of piano music.

[jimbo320]

Hey Deana,
Check out this site....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_musical_symbols#Time_signatures

Musically, Jimbo

[stevebob]

None of the symbols in the Wikipedia article matches what the original poster describes.  I guess that's because a capital I inside a circle beneath a Ped. mark isn't a musical symbol.

[lelle]

Hello everybody,

I'm currently learning Chopin's Op 69 No 2 (Valse in B Minor) and in my copy (from AMSCO's Library of Piano classics) there is a circle with a capital I (or roman numeral '1') inside it under the 'ped' instruction at bar 49 (bar 16 of the con anima / b major section).

I've searched the internet for over and hour and a half now and I just can't find ANYTHING that points to what this might mean.

It could be AMSCO's own notation or a typo or maybe it meant to refer to something else (like an asterisk) but...please!!! I'm going mad!!

Isn't spoiling my enjoyment of the piece too much, but need to know if it means something specific.

PLEASE HELP!!

Couldn't it be a different way of writing una corda ie use of the left pedal? I'm just guessing though

[stevebob]

Couldn't it be a different way of writing una corda ie use of the left pedal?

No.

[jimbo320]

Oh well! I tried. I take it as sustaining.....

[quantum]

That edition is extremely unreliable.  There are often ridiculously obvious errors in notation.  Try to get another edition of it. 

[pianowolfi]

In my Chopin Institute Edition from 1950 there is actually not even any pedal mark at this spot. I also think it has no relevance. Some editors use to link footnotes that way,  for instance Henle in their Gieseking edition of the Schubert Impromptus and Moments Musiceaux from 1948, but these appear on top of the staff and not below.