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b. 1
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composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete
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The fact that Chopin did not provide in the title of his Variations either the composer or the title of the opera from which the theme was coming proves the duet's huge popularity in the musical world of both Warsaw and Vienna. It was the English publisher who added the relevant pieces of information; moreover, he embellished the title with a few impressive phrases – the piece was described as an "homage to Mozart" (Hom[m]age à Mozart), the variations were "grand and brilliant" (Grandes variations brillantes), while the duet from Don Giovanni was the composer's favourite (Duo favorit). Chopin tried to deal with Wessel's pompous, arbitrary titles in later years, yet without much success – cf. the letter to Fontana of October 9, 1841: "if he [Wessel] made losses on my compositions, it must have been for the silly titles he provided them with in spite of my telling him not to and in spite of Mr Stapelton mocking them several times; had I listened to my heart, I would not have sent him a single piece more after those titles." Therefore, it could be concluded that Chopin also did not have any influence on the changes Wessel made to the dedications, although in this case there are no traces of the composer's possible protests to confirm it. category imprint: Differences between sources issues: EE revisions , Dedications |
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b. 1
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composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete
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The GE1 and GE2 copies were provided with two types of covers – some gave no information that the piece was intended for piano with orchestra (the phrase "avec accompagnement d'orchestre" was removed). The title page of GE3 explicitly informs us that it is a piece for one piano ("pour le piano seul"). The titles of the remaining editions do not contain a mention of the orchestral accompaniment, although in the case of FE1 (→FE2) one can guess that it is included due to the given prices of the orchestral material (in a full version and in a version reduced to string quartet). category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information issues: GE revisions |
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b. 1-7
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composition: Op. 63 No. 1, Mazurka in B major
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Probably in [A], or perhaps only just while proofreading FE1, Chopin changed the rhythmic notation of the first eight-bar section – he replaced the crotchets at the beginning of bar 1, 3, 5 and 7 with quavers filled with quaver rests. In the remaining three similar phrases he left crotchets (bar 9, 11, 13, 15, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81 and 83). According to us, such a change is probably to be regarded as a clarification of performance, marked the first time but generally valid in all these places. See also bar 3. category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations |
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b. 1
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composition: Op. 30 No. 1, Mazurka in C minor
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In all sources the number of mazurkas in the opus is expressed in full word – Quatre Mazurkas, yet in the main text we provide a digit, understandable regardless of the language. What is more, it cannot be excluded that in the autograph (lost) Chopin wrote a digit, as he did in the preserved autographs of opuses 24 and 50, which the French publisher did not respect in opus 24, replacing the digit with a word. In FC the title contains a mistake – Quatre Mazurka. The title having been expanded in EE was an arbitrary decision of the publisher – all opuses of Chopinesque Mazurkas were named like that. category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources issues: EE revisions , GE revisions , Errors of FC |
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b. 1
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composition: Op. 30 No. 1, Mazurka in C minor
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The absence of dedication in FC (→GE) suggests that Chopin decided to dedicate the Mazurkas to the Duchess of Württemberg already after having sent the copy to Leipzig; afterwards, he no longer dealt with the issue. The Duchess came to Paris the year the Mazurkas were published (1837), hence the decision concerning the dedication could have appeared relatively late in the publishing process. category imprint: Differences between sources issues: Dedications |
