mUltimate Chopin

Op. 10 No 6, Etude in E♭ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Authentic corrections of FE

b. 47-49

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

Slur in A, contextual interpretation

Slurs in FE (→EE, →GE1→GE1a→GE2)

Slur in GE3 (→GE4→GE5)
..

A does not include slurs in bars 47-48, while the slur in bar 49 is unclear and blurred. The slurs adopted in the main text were added by Chopin in a proofreading of FE (→EE,GE1→GE2). In subsequent GE,s the slurs in bars 47-48 were overlooked, which is most probably a mistake.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 49

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

No indication in A

in FE (→GE,EE)
..

Chopin added the sostenuto indication at the time of proofreading FE (→GE,EE).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Authentic corrections of FE

b. 50

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

Rhythm & c1 in A, interpretation

Supplemented interpretation of A

Rhythm & c1 in FE (→GE1→GE1a)

Additional fingering in EE

Rhythm & c1 in GE2

Rhythm & c1-c1 in GE3 (→GE4) & EE4

Rhythm & c1 in GE5
..

The final version of the beginning of this bar is not entirely clear. A features a version with grace notes, yet written with a rhythmic error – the c1-f1 fourth is only a crotchet, without extending dots. It is most probably this error that caused that in FE the grace notes were interpreted as common semiquavers: . The traces of this version, rhythmically correct from the formal point of view, are visible in FE, yet Chopin corrected it afterwards, moving c1 to the beginning of the bar. According to us, at the time of performing this correction, the composer wanted to return to the intended version of A, which was however performed only in relation to the arrangement of c1 in the lower voice.

All accidentals added in GE and EE come from the revisers of these editions, while the  changing c1 to c1 in GE2 (→GE3→GE4) distorted the harmonic content of this bar.

In the main text we add cautionary flats before a1 and c1; the first of them is already included in EE and GE2 (→GE3→GE4→GE5).

The accents and the fingering are discussed separately. 

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

issues: Chopin's hesitations , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 50-51

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

No fingering in A

Fingering in FE

GE1 (→GE2→GE3)

GE4 (→GE5)

EE

Our suggestion
..

The given in the main text fingering in the 2nd half of bar 50 was added by Chopin in a proofreading of FE. In this edition the 1st finger is repeated also over g at the beginning of bar 51, which seems to be an error (the digit was deleted in GE4 and GE5). In GE Chopin's indication of division between the hands with the use of digits under and above the notes was misunderstood. In EE Fontana modified and completed authentic indications.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in GE , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 51-52

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

No fingering in A

Fingering in FE (→GE1→GE2)

GE3 (→GE4→GE5)

EE2

EE3 (→EE4)

Fingering written into FES

Our variant suggestion
..

The given in the main text fingering of bar 51 was added by Chopin in a proofreading of FE (→GE1→GE2). Apparently, the deletion of the '2' digit (in ink) visible in FE should be understood as the '1' digit and this is the interpretation we include in the main text as a variant suggestion. The copy includes other signs (in pencil), which are probably also '1's over the 7th and 12th semiquavers in bar 51 and the 1st one in bar 52. However, the signs could be interpreted in another way, e.g., as an indication of performance with the R.H., therefore, we do not include them in the main text. In EE2 the final fragment of the Etude was provided with additional fingering and indications for the division between the hands contrary to the one written by Chopin. In EE3 (→EE4) those indications were removed, and four digits were added in bar 51.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Inaccuracies in GE , Annotations in FES , Authentic corrections of FE