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Chopin changed his mind on using mordents on d
2, the 3rd quaver in bars 2-3 and analogous, several times:
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In AI the ornaments appear as an integral part of the melody, appearing over each d2 in bars 1-16 (they are written out only four times, in bars 2-3 and 6-7, as in bars 9-15 they are marked as repetitions of bars 1-7). In the reprise (from bar 37) there are no marks but it does not clearly indicate lack of ornaments, as the notation of this section is of a totally draft nature.
- In A the mordents are written out in bars 2-7 (same as in AI), yet in the next 8-bar section – written out with notes – they are already absent. It can be interpreted as a new shaped concept of the theme, in which lack of ornaments differentiates the 2nd 8-bar section from the 1st. However, it cannot be excluded that when writing bars 10-15, Chopin simply realised that the theme of the Etude may carry a greater expressive load without ornaments, yet he was not convinced enough to delete the marks in the previous 8-bar section. The mordent is also in bar 42 (in the form of a double grace note).
- In a proofreading of FE all ornaments written in A were removed, yet mordents in bars 38-39 appeared. It is undoubtedly the latest decision of Chopin and most probably final, as nothing indicates that the composer was involved in this issue in a later stage.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations
issues: Authentic corrections of FE
notation: Ornaments