mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

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b. 20

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

..

The fourth semiquaver in the R.H. in A is written too low, so it resembles rather a d1 than an e1. This is how it was interpreted in GE1 (→GE1a). The erroneous d1 is also present in CDP and EE, while the visible traces in FE prove that initially also this edition included d1. It constitutes a strong argument for – indirect or direct – provenience of all these sources from A. Apart from AI and FE, the correct text is also to be found in GE2 (→GE3).

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Inaccurate note pitch in A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 21

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

Bass G in AI, A (→CDP,GE1 & GE3) & EE

Bass E in FE & GE1a (→GE2)
..

The version of the 1st half of the bar, written in AI, A (→CDP,GE1) and EE is undoubtedly earlier. Chopin introduced the final version in proofreadings of FE and GE1a (→GE2), probably in order to avoid parallel octaves at the transition from the previous bar (cf. the commentary to the Etude in A minor, Op. 25 No. 4, bar 60). GE3 arbitrarily reinstates the version of A.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Authentic corrections of FE , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 21

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

a1 in AI & GE1a (→GE2→GE3)

f1 in A (→CDP,GE1), FE & EE
..

Chopin changed the lowest note of the 3rd sextuplet in the R.H. twice:

  • AI has an a1, which in A was deleted and changed to f1. The change was somehow forced by the modification of the part of the L.H., in which Chopin renounced the f note. It is also GE1, EE (with a preserved G in the bass) and FE, which has F as the bass note, that have the changed version.
  • While proofreading GE1a (→GE2→GE3), Chopin changed this note again, this time reinstating a1. This version also seems to be related to the modification of the part of the L.H., in which it was the F note that became the bass one. We give this version in the main text, as it is the latest. However, Chopin was not consistent, as in FE – in spite of the change in the bass – he left a f1.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Chopin's hesitations , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 21

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

6 notes in AI

4 notes in A (→CDP,GE1) & EE

F in FE & GE1a (→GE2→GE3)
..

The third group of semiquavers in the L.H. was changed by Chopin twice (cf. the note concerning the R.H.), hence it appears in the sources in three various versions. In the main text we give the latest of them, introduced in FE and in a proofreading of GE1a (→GE2→GE3).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Authentic corrections of FE , Authentic corrections of GE

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