Deciphering Chopin's intention regarding the 4th quaver in this bar encounters serious difficulties. In the main text we give the undoubtedly authentic version of A (the d
1-g1-b1 chord). The b-d1-g1-b1four-note chord in FE (→GE,EE) may be a result of both Chopin's proofreading and the engraver's error (he could have erroneously inserted the chord from both adjacent, graphically similar, bars). However, the most plausible explanation of the discussed divergence is, according to us, the following: while proofreading this place in FE, Chopin wanted to replace b1 with b in the printed version of A, whereby the engraver performed only the easier part of the task (the then printing technique made adding a note much easier than deleting it). Similar "half-way" corrections are to be found in Chopin's works on several occasions, e.g., in the Etude in E major, No. 11, bar 4, the Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20, bars 135 and 292, the Polonaise in A major, Op. 40 No. 1, bar 93, the Ballade in G minor, Op. 23, bar 171. It leads to an alternative suggestion with the b-d1-g1 chord, as in analogous bar 57.
Both versions suggested by the editors include staccato dots added during the proofreading of FE (→GE,EE).
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Differences between sources
issues: Errors in FE, Authentic corrections of FE
notation: Pitch