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Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

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b. 172

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

..

In FE the  raising e3 to e3 was placed only just before the 8th semiquaver, which is a mistake. The accidental overlooked before the 5th semiquaver was added both in GE and EE. We also add it in the main text; moreover, we omit the already superfluous accidental in the 2nd half of the bar. We also add a cautionary  to b1 in the L.H. chord.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals

b. 173

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

g2 in FE (→EE)

g2 in GE
..

The FE version (→EE) is most probably wrong, since this and half of the next bar are a repetition of a respective fragment from bars 169-170, changed in terms of articulation. The sharp added in GE could be coming from Chopin, although such a change could have also been introduced by the reviser, on the basis of the analogy described above.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of GE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 173

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

..

In the main text we add a cautionary  to e1.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

b. 174

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

b2, b2 & b3 in FE (→GE)

b2, b2 & b3 in EE
..

In EE the flat restoring b2 on the 8th semiquaver was added in print, hence it was absent in the basis delivered from Paris. Therefore, it does not come from Chopin, who almost certainly did not proofread EE. It does not completely rule out the authenticity of this version, since the notation of accidentals is inaccurate in a number of places in the Variations, and an accidental placed too late would not be unusual – cf., e.g. bar 172. On the other hand, the FE version (→GE) actually does not contain a mistake (the  added to b3 in the main text is formally a cautionary accidental), while the melodic motif constituted by the first 4 semiquavers in the 2nd half of the bar was used two bars earlier, at the beginning of bar 172. Taking into account the above, in the main text we provide a supplemented version of FE (→GE). The EE text can be considered an acceptable variant.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves

b. 175-176

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

..

In FE (→EE) in bars 175-176 in the L.H. the naturals were placed next to the d1 notes. It must be a mistake, since d1 does not require a  in this case; the only note that could require a natural would be b, in each of these bars. In the main text we include a respective correction, introduced by GE, as well as add cautionary flats to b1 at the end of the bars. The change in GE could be attributed to Chopin, as the sound of the FE version (→EE) does not provide any grounds for intervention. However, it is uncertain, as a careful reviser could have noticed the unjustified nature of the naturals to d1, described above, and found an explanation suggested by us, taking into account a few other cases of misplaced accidentals in FE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE , Errors repeated in EE