mUltimate Chopin

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors resulting from corrections

b. 1

composition: Op. 10 No 10, Etude in A♭ major

Crotchet in A

Quaver in FE (→GE,EE)
..

A crotchet as the rhythmic value of the upbeat in A could have been related to the original accentuation of bars 1-4, determining the crotchet beat. Moreover, it cannot be excluded that Chopin had in mind a dotted crotchet – cf. minims in the L.H. in bars 1-3 and 5-6, as well as crotchets in bars 4 and 7). In each case a quaver flag in FE (→GE,EE) was probably added by Chopin, therefore we adopt the version with the quaver to the main text (in FE an uncorrected crotchet rest was left in the L.H., which was corrected in GE and EE).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Errors resulting from corrections , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 1

composition: Op. 25 No 8, Etude in D♭ major

a-e1 in A (→GE) & FE

g-e1 in EE
..

In A the bottom note of the 4th quaver was corrected by Chopin from g to a (similarly in bars 2, 5, 6 and 22). In the 1st bar, the result of this correction is not that obvious, at the first sight, and the version of EE proves that probably the copyist preparing the base text for this edition misinterpreted Chopin's intention.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , Accompaniment changes

b. 1

composition: Op. 28 No. 13, Prelude in F♯ major

3/2 in sources

6/4 suggested by the editors
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In the sources, the time signature is 3/2. It is Chopin's mistake (the correct time signature is 6/4), perhaps related to the change of notation – Chopin started writing the Prelude with half the rhythmic values, which is evidenced by the reduced number of beams (one of the beams was crossed out) in the 1st accompaniment figure and by the dotted crotchets constituting the 1st R.H. chord (which was crossed out). The initial time signature was carefully blacked out, hence its interpretation is uncertain; however, it was most probably 6/8. 

category imprint: Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , Rhythmic errors , Deletions in A

b. 3

composition: Op. 10 No 6, Etude in E♭ minor

No fingering in A

Fingering in FE (→GE,EE)
..

While proofreading FE, Chopin added the fingering of the L.H. in bars 3-4, particularly '3' over the first sustained a in bar 3. As, according to the benchmark fingering given in bar 1, the last semiquaver in bar 2 should be played with the 4th finger, such a notation could suggest a swap of the finger on this note. According to us, there is, however, a more plausible explanation for this notation – Chopin added the fingering in bar 3 before he decided to change the ending of bar 2, i.e. the 3rd finger at the beginning of bar 3 was added in the moment when the note was being struck and not held. Therefore, in the main text we propose to move the digit to bar 2, which was included in the neighbouring note.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors resulting from corrections , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 3-6

composition: Op. 10 No 10, Etude in A♭ major

Minims in A (→FE→GE,EE)

Crotchets suggested by the editors
..

The notation of e notes as minims, used by Chopin in bars 1-3 and 5-6, despite being formally incorrect in the case of the ones featured in the 2nd half of each of these bars, seems to be completely clear and it was not questioned. However, in bars 3 and 6 the 2nd minim means sustaining e also in the 1st half of bars 4 and 7, based on the B7 chord. Such a harmonic mix was rather not Chopin's aim. In A one can see that the minims were being added and probably the composer mechanically copied the notation, without considering the different harmonic situation. Due to this fact, in the main text we suggest to shorten the last e in bars 3 and 6 to a crotchet.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections