Op. 10 No 7, Etude in C major

In the first English edition the entire Opus 10 is divided into two books, six Etudes each, while EE3 is the earliest known impression of the 2nd book. On the basis of comparison with the sources of the 1st book (see the Etude in C major, No. 1), one can, however, suspect the existence of two earlier impressions:

[EE1] – first impression of August 1833, perhaps without Fontana's additional fingering;

[EE2] – counterpart of EE2 of the first book, generally reproducing the score of FE1, yet with significant number of errors and inaccuracies.

We indicate the doubts concerning [EE1] already in the 1st book, the existence of [EE2] raises similar doubts, as the copies of EE3 of the 2nd book are kept together both with the copies of EE2 and EE3 of the 1st one. It cannot be excluded that in the case of the 2nd book the editor succeeded at avoiding publication of an impression containing numerous inaccuracies. Solving the issues related to mutual relations and chronology of the first English editions probably requires detailed research, which is currently outside of the area of interest of the editors of mUltimate Chopin.

EE3 generally reproduces the text of FE1, however, we can find there a significant number of revisions, e.g.:

• corrections of rhythmic errors in bars 22 and 26 and pitch in bars 25 and 27;
• additions of accidentals, e.g., in bars 15, 50;
• additions of slurs, generally as a result of comparison with analogous fragments (e.g., bars 5-11, 18, 46 and 47);
• addition of a  mark at the end of the piece.

Certain errors of the base text remained unnoticed, e.g., accidentals were omitted in bars 33 and 48, new ones were also committed, e.g., the overlooked bass clef in bar 58.

In accordance with the information on the title page – "edited with additional fingering by his pupil, I. Fontana" – Chopin's fingering was significantly completed in EE3 (in 13 bars in total), see the remark on bars 1-2.

EE3 was renewed on a number of occasions with numerous covers, as contrary to the 1st book of the Etudes, in the 2nd one, hence also in this Etude, no changes were introduced to the score over the period of more than 20 years. In these copies, which appeared already after the publication of the Etudes, Op. 25 around the turn of 1837 and 1838, the information on this fact is given on the cover. In even later copies, provided only with the collective cover of the "Wessel & C^o's Complete Collection of the Compositions of Frederick Chopin" series, the dedication is shortened – without "ses amis" and only with the initial of (F) Hiller.

The scarce annotations made in pencil, which are visible in the presented copy, are of no source value.