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Issues : Chopin's hesitations

b. 200-202

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Semiquavers in AsI

Semiquavers after AsI

Dotted rhythms in A (→GE→FE,EE)

Dotted rhythms after A (→GE→FE,EE)
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The semiquavers appearing in bars 200 and 202 in AsI are the original version, since dotted rhythms appear both in A and editions, as well as in printed orchestral parts. However, in the orchestra part of AsI, the situation is not so clear. Its notation in bars 200-202 is short – only the part of the first violins and cellos with double basses and "as above" repeated several times, which probably refers to the previous Tutti. In bar 200, the violin part has a dotted rhythm (written incorrectly, perhaps added in a hurry), and the bass part has a semiquaver rhythm.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Chopin's hesitations , Main-line changes

b. 201-202

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

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The corrections visible in AImaz reveal that initially the topmost note of the 1st chord in b. 202 was g1, which Chopin then changed to a1, tied from the previous bar. The final version features g1 again, which, however, was related to the fact that the next phrase (from the 2nd quaver) was moved an octave higher. The fact that in analogous b. 143 and 163 Chopin introduced the version with a tie only just while proofreading FE proves that he hesitated; actually, he hesitated to the very end of the creative process. 

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Chopin's hesitations

b. 202-204

composition: Op. 38, Ballade in F major

1. Original version in A

2. Later version of A (→FE1,EE)

3. GC, contextual interpretation

GE

4. FE2 (→FE3)

Our variant suggestion
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The ending of the Ballade has a few versions proving Chopin's hesitations. We present them below in a chronological order:

  1. The original version in A.
  2. The later version in A (→EE), added by Chopin under the deleted version No. 1. This version was copied to GC, where Chopin would then modify it (with an erroneous c1 instead of d1 in bar 203).
  3. The version of GC changed by Chopin. This version was adopted by GE by correcting the bottom note in bar 203 and adding an erroneous slur combining the grace note and the g minim.
  4. The version of FE2, corrected by Chopin.

As it can be seen, Chopin had two main concepts of the Ballade's endings, "open" and "close." According to us, it is the version No. 1 that presents the first of them in the most thoughtful manner, while in the case of the latter it is the version No. 4. In the main text we give the version No. 1, enriched with variant, characteristic for Chopin grace note added in GC.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Chopin's hesitations , Errors resulting from corrections , Terzverschreibung error , Deletions in A , Authentic corrections of FE , Errors of GC , Authentic corrections in GC

b. 204-205

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

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In AImaz a dotted rhythm is to be found three times here – on the 1st beat of b. 204 and on the 2nd beat of b. 205 and  further on in b. 204. In the case of the latter, the dots prolonging the crotchets and the quaver flags were most probably added as a change of the initial version with two crotchets. In the final version of the Polonaise, this motif appears twice (also in b. 145-146), in which a dotted rhythm was used only at the beginning of b. 145.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Chopin's hesitations , Dotted or even rhythm

b. 262

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Chord in AsI, FE & EE3

Supplemented FE version suggested by the editors

Chords & 'Violini' in Af

Chords &  in A

Solo part only in GE (→EE1→EE2, →FESB)
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The versions of Af and A, identical in terms of the way they sound, differ only in additions – an indication specifying the instrumental group in Af and a  in A. As was the case with the previous such insert between bars 261-262, this replica was left out by GE (→FESB,EE1→EE2). In this case, however, it is difficult to indicate the probable cause of why this edition diverts from the basis. The fact that this insert was restored to FE in the initial version proves that Chopin hesitated whether to recall a chord being the basis of the first three beats of the bar at the expense of blurring the shape of the solo part.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Chopin's hesitations , Errors in GE , Accompaniment changes , Authentic corrections of FE