mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : GE revisions

b. 25

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

..

In the majority of the sources, there are inaccuracies concerning the notation of accidentals, not having an impact on the interpretation of the text. In AI, A (→CDP) and FE, there are no naturals before the 3rd note in the L.H. (a) and the 4th note in the R.H. (e1), while in EE1, there is no  before the 3rd note in the R.H. (c2). GE and EE2 (→EE3) have the correct text. In some of the sources, there are additional cautionary accidentals – naturals before A in the middle of the bar and a1 in the last group in AI and before c3 in GE3 (→#GE4). 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in FE , Errors in EE , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 29

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

Accent on d2 in AI

 & accent on c3 in A

Accent on c3 in CDP

 & accent on c3 in FE & EE

 & accent on f2 in GE1

 & accent on c3 in GE2 (→GE3)
..

The earlier version of AI enables to observe the changes in the dynamics and accentuation of this bar – Chopin moved the accent from the first to the 4th beat of the bar and added  in the 1st half of the bar. The sign of accent in A, written inaccurately, was undoubtedly erroneously reproduced in GE1, which was only partially corrected in GE2 (→GE3). The interpretation adopted in the main text is confirmed by the signs in FE and EE.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Long accents , GE revisions

b. 32-33

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

f1-g1-f1-f1 in AI

e1-e1-e1-d1 in A (→CDP,GE), FE & EE
..

In the original version, written in AI, the bottom notes of the figuration in the R.H. doubled the melodic line – (e1)-f1-g1-f1-f1. In A, Chopin deleted four of them, writing the version which was eventually included in all editions. He performed a respective change – from c1 to f1 – also on the 3rd semiquaver from the end in the L.H. (f1 in the L.H. at the beginning of bar 33 is already written correctly). Cf. notes to bar 28 and 33-34.

In GE1 (→GE2), the 4th semiquaver in bar 33 is an f1 instead of d1. This patent error in this context was corrected in GE3 (→#GE4). 

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

issues: Errors in GE , Terzverschreibung error , GE revisions , Deletions in A , Accompaniment changes

b. 33

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

..

The flat raising d2 to d2 was added only in EE2 (→EE3) and GE2 (→GE3). There is no doubt that Chopin committed a mistake here, in face of the  before d1 in the L.H.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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

b. 35-36

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

One slur in AI & EE

Two slurs in A

Two slurs in CDP & FE

Two slurs in GE1

Two-bar slur in GE2 (→GE3)
..

In the main text we suggest an interpretation of the slurs of A based on the following observations:

  • the ending of the slur on the 1st semiquaver in bar 36 (and similarly in bar 38) is marked with an adamant movement of the quill, which cannot be said of the beginning of the next slur;
  • situations in which some of the small notes are not embraced with slurring in A are to be interpreted rather as an inaccuracy of notation – see the characteristics of A.

This is how the slurs in GE1 were reproduced. The slurring of the remaining sources is, according to us, either an attempt to interpret the slurs of A or a result of accidental or arbitrary changes.

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

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