Sustaining the e
notes in bars 1-3 and 5-6 with minims is formally incorrect in the case of these which are featured in the 2nd half of each of these bars. However, the sense of this notation, which avoids excessive complication, is beyond any doubt. One can only ponder whether Chopin had in mind accurate minims (= 4 quavers) or whether the notation is simplified and the notes should be sustained during 6 quavers. According to us, it is the 2nd possibility that is more plausible, as such holds also, or maybe even above all, have a pianistic sense – the 4th finger constitutes a point of reference, stabilising the hand's position, as well as the motion axis, enabling to grasp a figuration's broad position.
In bars 3 and 6 sustaining e on the 10th quaver in the bar results in it being included in the B7 chord, which is the base of the 1st half of bars 4 and 7. It does not seem that Chopin could have had a particular interest in such harmonic mix in this place, hence most probably he mechanically repeated the notation of previous figures in these places. A possibility of mistake is increased by the fact of adding minims to the already finished notation of bars 1-3 (while introducing corrections, one generally controls only the corrected detail, without paying attention to the overall situation). In order to avoid doubts, in the main text we shorten these notes to crotchets.
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category imprint: Editorial revisions
issues: Corrections in A, Errors resulting from corrections
notation: Rhythm