mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Accidentals in different octaves

b. 256

composition: Op. 16, Rondo in E♭ major

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In GE, the engraver overlooked the  raising a​​​​​​​3 to a3.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Inaccuracies in GE

b. 256

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

e notes in A, literal reading

E notes in AsI & A (contextual interpretation→GE→FE,EE)
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In the entire passage Chopin did not insert any accidentals except the naturals to the 1st and 3rd notes (e and a). The necessity to raise subsequent a to a is beyond dispute; however, the use of e1, e2 and e3 would be harmonically and pianistically possible. Nevertheless, the majority of the arguments support the use of e1, e2 and e3:

  • in figurations based on repeating a certain figure in various octaves (most often arpeggios or scales), Chopin considered the accidentals put in the first figure to be valid in the entire sequence. He would mark possible exceptions with cautionary accidentals, e.g. the flats to b2 in bars 60 and 62. If he had heard e1 in the discussed passage, most probably he would have provided it with a ;
  • the above reasoning is partially confirmed by AsI, which has a  before the penultimate note of beat 1 (e3);
  • the harmonic context is based on an F major chord (without e seventh), which is confirmed both by the orchestral part and the piano chords (on the 3rd quaver and at the end of the bar). The e notes in the arpeggio would be regarded chord tones, giving an impression of a dominant seventh chord (F7). By contrast, we hear the altered e notes as non-chord tones, which contributes to the impression that the F major chord is regarded as the harmonic basis;
  • the naturals raising e1 to e1 and e2 to e2 were added in GE (→FE,EE) (the latter also influences e3; a third  was added only by GE3), even if inserted by the reviser, were not questioned by Chopin in the stage of proofreading FE1.

As far as the missing naturals to a1 and a2 are concerned, in GE1 (→FE1,GE2→FESB) it was only the one to a2 that was added, which was supplemented by EE and GE3.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of GE , Inaccuracies in A

b. 256

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In the manuscripts there are no accidentals in the second triplet (on the 3rd beat of the bar). In the main text we include both added flats – perhaps by Chopin in GE (→FE,EE) – although it is only the  restoring a1 that is indispensable. Incidentally, also in the previous triplet, an octave higher, the  to g2 present in all sources is also of a cautionary nature.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Authentic corrections of GE , Last key signature sign

b. 257-260

composition: Op. 21, Concerto in F minor, Mvt III

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In A there is no  lowering g1 to g1 in bar 257 and both necessary flats in bar 260. The signs in bar 260 were added already in GE1 (→FE), whereas all three flats are included in EE and GE2.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Inaccuracies in A

b. 257

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In A there are no accidentals to the 2nd and 3rd R.H. chords. The missing accidentals were gradually added by the subsequent editions – in GE1 (→GE2) both accidentals to the 2nd chord were added, while in EE1 a  to the 3rd chord was also added (a  was not necessary due to the wrong pitch of the topmost note). The remaining editions – FE, EE3 and GE3 – include all the necessary accidentals.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in A