The slurs in bars 109-119 and 276-286 bring a number of editorial problems resulting from the A notation (not always precise) and the differences between this autograph and FE, indicating possible corrections or Chopinesque additions to [FC] or while proofreading FE1. Below we discuss the problematic places broken down by similar issues:
- The slurs over the octave sequences are least problematic – only at the end of bar 109 and 280 the range of the A slur may be questionable due to the transition to a new line starting from bar 110 (281), in which the slur was not continued. A similar inaccuracy is also to be found in FE in bars 276-277. Except these cases, the slurs encompass entire octave sequences (7 octaves in total).
- The slurs in bar 110, 112 and analog. (12 places in total) start either from the syncopated minim or from the following chord. In A the latter prevails – the slur encompasses the minim only in bar 110. It is a stark contrast to the FE version (→EE), in which both possibilities are used more or less half the time – the slur begins 7 times from the minim (bar 110, 112, 114, 279 and 283-285), 5 times in the remaining ones. However, there is some regularity – the first time longer slurs appear in bars separated by octave sequences, the second time – in three final bars of this section. This could be an indication of Chopin's corrections, perhaps random – it is particularly the slur in bars 114-115 that could have been extended by Chopin, since the A slur in this place and in all sources in analogous bar 281 encompasses only the triplet that ends the bar. Extended triplet slurs, so that they encompass an entire motif, are often to be found in Chopin's pieces – cf., e.g. the Etude in C minor, Op. 10 No. 12, bars 52-62 or in A minor, Op. 25 No. 11, bars 50-52. Generally, the slurs in bar 110, 112 and 114, as well as in the entire first fragment (bars 109-119), seem to be carefully developed and logical in FE. This version can be treated on a par with the A slurs adopted to the main text.
- The above discussed group of slurs differs in their endings as well. In A the majority of the slurs end between the semiquaver and the 1st chord in the next bar, while determining whether the slur reaches this chord or not is problematic in many places. Assuming that a slur ending beyond the bar line reaches the next note, such slurs hold a slight majority (7 to 5), among which some are very clear. The only situation in which the slurs undoubtedly end on the last chord in the bar are bar 114 and 281, ending with a triplet. In the main text we reproduce these triplet slurs in these bars; as far as the other slurs are concerned, we lead them to the beginning of the next bar. In FE longer slurs prevail too – 9 end in the next bar, while only 3 (including the triplet slur in bar 281) do not go beyond the bar line.
GE and EE reproduced the versions of their respective bases (that is A and FE) with minor inaccuracies or mistakes. They did not influence the editorial decisions.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Differences between sources
issues: Inaccurate slurs in A, GE revisions, FE revisions, Uncertain slur continuation
notation: Slurs
