It is not certain whether the small slur, visible in A from the last a
in bar 43 to the beginning of bar 44, was supposed, in Chopin's intention, to be a part of the notation of the Etude. The a semiquaver, deleted at the beginning of bar 44, suggests that it could have been, e.g., a tie, which Chopin rejected but either forgot to delete or considered that it is not visible enough to be included (in fact, it was not repeated in any of the preserved sources). We give this small slur in the main text, leaving its interpretation and a possible inclusion at the discretion of the performer.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources
notation: Slurs