mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : GE revisions

b. 12

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

No sign in AI, CDP & EE1 (→EE2)

 in A (→GE1), GE3 & EE3

  in GE1a (→GE2)

 in FE
..

The longer hairpins in A may have concerned the renounced by Chopin (deleted in A) version where he would raise the fifth of the chord only on the 4th beat of the bar. In the main text, we give the hairpins corrected by Chopin in GE1a (→GE2). The version of GE3 is a result of a revision returning the state before the proofreading of GE1a; the version was introduced also in EE3.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 14-15

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

Broken slur in AI, FE, EE2 (→EE3) & GE2 (→GE3)

Continuous slur in A (→GE1→GE1a) & EE1
..

The compatibility of the slurring of AI and FE (here and in bars 15-16) is puzzling, as a coincidence seems to be highly unlikely. Chopin could have returned to the original slurring in the base text to FE or at the time of proofreading this edition, so the issue whether the long slur written in A is the expression of Chopin's final intention cannot be conclusively resolved.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions , Chopin's hesitations , GE revisions

b. 15

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

..

In A, CDP, and FE, there is no  raising d1 to d1. This patent oversight was corrected in GE and EE. AI also includes the correct text.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Inaccuracies in FE , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals

b. 15

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

No sign in AI & CDP

 in A & FE

 in GE

 in EE
..

An accurate determination of the range of  hairpins in A is impeded by different length of the sign's arms and inaccurately aligned first figures in the left and right hands. We assume that the sign is graphically correlated to the 3rd and 15th semiquavers, belonging to a secondary melodic motif.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

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

b. 15

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

No sign in AI & CDP

Long accent in A, literal reading

 in A (contextual interpretation →GE1→GE1a)

 in FE

 in EE & GE2 (→GE3)
..

The sign in A may be considered as a long accent, yet according to us, it is much more likely that Chopin had diminuendo hairpins in mind, closing the dynamic wave in this bar.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Scope of dynamic hairpins , GE revisions