mUltimate Chopin

Op. 10 No 6, Etude in E♭ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Chopin's hesitations

b. 2-11

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

No a in A

a in FE (→GE)

a & fingering in EE
..

Chopin changed the version of the last semiquaver in bars 2 and 10 written in A while he was proofreading FE (→GE,EE). Traces of this proofreading are clearly visible in both bars. What is interesting is the fact that in bar 2 A had initially another version, in which a was probably involved, although without the tie sustaining it to the next bar.

In bar 2 the added note a was provided in EE with a fingering digit '3'. We include it in the main text instead of the identical direction at the beginning of the next bar.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions , Chopin's hesitations , 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