mUltimate Chopin

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Issues : Enharmonic corrections

b. 20

composition: Op. 10 No 2, Etude in A minor

d-a-c1 in CLI (interpretation)

c-a-b in Ap

d-a-b in FE (→GE,EE) 
..

In the sources there are three enharmonically different forms of this chord. Two of them are inaccurately written: in CLI there are no flats lowering d to d and a to a and in FE there is no  lowering d to d (which was corrected both in GE and EE). In the main text we give the notation adopted by Chopin in the version for publication. Cf. bar 22.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Chopin's hesitations , Omission of current key accidentals , Accompaniment changes , Enharmonic corrections

b. 20

composition: Op. 10 No 6, Etude in E♭ minor

in A

in FE (→GE,EE)
..

The change of the notation introduced by Chopin in a proofreading of FE (→GE,EE) manifests both the harmonic progression and rhythmic values (shorter sound of g1). In EE2 (→EE3) the quaver flag is missing.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Different values of chord components , Enharmonic corrections

b. 22

composition: Op. 10 No 2, Etude in A minor

e in CLI & FE (→GE,EE) 

d in Ap
..

In Ap Chopin marked the enharmonic change of the bass note in the last chord, however, eventually he returned to the original concept in FE (→GE,EE). Cf. bar 20.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Chopin's hesitations , Enharmonic corrections

b. 22

composition: Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

..

In the figures of the last beat of the bar, AI has a g(1) converted into a(1), while A, CDP and EE have a g(1). The different enharmonic notations are most probably related to the change of the sound of the 1st beat of the next bar – in both autographs one can see that, originally, it included a(1) notes instead of g(1) notes, hence it was based on the A minor chord. In AI Chopin changed bar 23 and he modified the notation of the previous figure respectively. In turn, in A, perhaps due to haste, the enharmonic notation of the end of bar 22 remained unchanged, resulting in the g(1) present in CDP, GE1 and EE. Chopin most probably wanted to eventually change g(1) to a(1) both in the proofreading of FE1 and in GE1a, yet it was not fully and faultlessly achieved in any of these editions:

  • in FE1, it was also sharps that were transferred together with the note heads, which resulted in a completely false version with a(1);
  • GE1a changed only the part of the R.H.

FE2 returns to g(1), which should be rather ascribed to the revisers, as they reinstated the version Chopin wanted to change. In turn, the change to a also in the part of the L.H. performed in GE2 (→GE3) seems to be simply a finishing of the proofreading ordered by Chopin in GE1a.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Errors in FE , Enharmonic corrections

b. 22

composition: Op. 28 No. 8, Prelude in F♯ minor

..

The  (cautionary?) present in all sources before d1 in the 3rd L.H. figure is almost certainly a remaining part of the initial notation of the quavers in the 1st half of the bar, which were written down as d1. After the notation had been changed, the  was no more necessary, hence we omit it in the main text. In the same 3rd L.H. figure, one can see in A a crossed-out  before c2. The accidental is not necessary, yet, due to c3 in the R.H., we give it in the main text. It was most probably for the same reason that it was also added in FE2 (→EE), also in the 4th figure. EE repeated in the 4th figure also the  before d1.

category imprint: Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: EE revisions , Corrections in A , Cautionary accidentals , Deletions in A , Enharmonic corrections , FE revisions