mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

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b. 37-38

composition: Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

Two slurs in AI & EE

Two slurs in A

One slur in CDP

Two slurs in FE & GE1

Two-bar slur in GE2 (→GE3)
..

In the main text, we give the most accurate, according to us, interpretation of slurs of A, given in GE1 and compatible with the notation of FE. It seems to be highly unlikely that Chopin would have liked to then withdraw from the concept of slurring written in A.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Inaccurate slurs in A , GE revisions , Errors of CDP

b. 37

composition: Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

No sign in AI & CDP

 in A

 in FE

 w EE

 in GE

 suggested by the editors
..

Particular sources differ quite significantly, as far as the range of  hairpins is concerned. Taking into consideration the fact that the notation of A is not very precise in this respect and the fact that the signs in the base texts for FE and EE could have been written also by Chopin himself, in the main text we suggest hairpins of an average length and placement. Similarly in analogous bar 39.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Scope of dynamic hairpins , Inaccuracies in A

b. 38

composition: Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

..

In AI one can see that, initially, it was the one octave lower A1 that was the bass note at the beginning of the bar.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Accompaniment changes , Corrections of AI

b. 39-47

composition: Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

..

The final section of the Etude, plenty of repeating figures, is written in all manuscripts – AI, A and CDP – with as frequent use of // repetition signs as possible. Same as before (cf., e.g., bar 19), we consider the notation of A in bars 41-43, which does not include the difference of size of the bass notes' heads, to be inaccurate.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Abbreviated notation of A , Inaccuracies in A

b. 39

composition: Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

No markings in AI

 in CDP

 in A

 in FE

 in EE

 in GE1

 in GE2 (→GE3)
 
..

It is hard to state which of the differently placed  marks of different length is closest to Chopin's intention (see the note to analogous bar 37). In this situation, in the main text we suggest – similarly as in that bar – a compromise solution. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Scope of dynamic hairpins , Inaccuracies in A