mUltimate Chopin

Op. 10 No 4, Etude in C♯ minor

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b. 40-42

composition: Op. 10 No 4, Etude in C♯ minor

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In AI there are a few additional or unnecessarily repeated accidentals ( before a, the 11th note in the L.H. in bar 40 and  before f, the 11th note in bar 41), or totally unjustified ( before d2, the 6th note in bar 40 and before d, the 2nd note in bar 41). In FE (→EE,GE1→GE1a→GE2→GE3) only  before f, the 11th note in bar 41 remained, first removed in GE4 (→GE5).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: GE revisions , Last key signature sign

b. 40

composition: Op. 10 No 4, Etude in C♯ minor

No marks in AI & FE (→EE,GE1→GE1a→GE2→GE3)

 in GE4 (→GE5)

Accents suggested by the editors
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No accents in FE (→EE,GE1→GE1a→GE2→GE3) is probably a result of an oversight (Chopin's or the engraver's). In GE4 (→GE5) the first of the overlooked sign was added (in the form of  hairpins).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: GE revisions

b. 41-42

composition: Op. 10 No 4, Etude in C♯ minor

No fingering in AI & FE (→GE)

Fingering in EE
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The fingering added in EE comes from Fontana.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions

b. 41

composition: Op. 10 No 4, Etude in C♯ minor

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In AI Chopin overlooked the  before the last semiquaver (A).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Omission of current key accidentals , Errors of A

b. 42

composition: Op. 10 No 4, Etude in C♯ minor

AI, literal reading

AI, possible interpretation

FE (→GE,EE)

Our suggestion
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When interpreted literally, AI has in the last group of semiquavers two notes different than in the published version: the 2nd semiquaver a (without ) and the 4th semiquaver A. According to us, it is a result of overlapping of inaccuracies and corrections, while the text intended by Chopin does not differ from the text of the remaining sources:  

  • at the time of writing a Chopin most probably had a in mind and he even started writing a  before this note. Instead of finishing the sign, he probably decided to change it to g, although the remade (?) note still is more similar to a/a;
  • the last semiquaver is probably written inaccurately, too low.

In the main text we give the version of FE (→GE,EE), completed with the cautionary  before g.

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

issues: Enharmonic corrections , Inaccurate note pitch in A