mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

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b. 13

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

..

In AI one can see a pencilled correction – d written in ink (the 1st note in the bar) was changed to D.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

b. 14

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

No sign in AI & CDP

 in A

 in GE

 in FE

 in EE
..

In the main text we determine the range of  hairpins on the basis of the notation of A. In GE the notation was considered to be inaccurate, which make us cautiously approach also the versions of the remaining editions.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in 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. 15-16

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

Broken slur in AI & FE

Continuous slur in A (→GE) & EE
..

The slurring of AI and FE points to one-bar motifs in the internal voices.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Chopin's hesitations

b. 15-16

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

AI

A (→GE), FE & EE

FES

Our variant suggestion
..

The version of AI suggests that Chopin initially heard a monophonic melody in these bars or that he at least wanted to include all audible motifs as part of one melodic line. Eventually, he rejected this idea, probably unwilling to blur the polyphony-like structure of these bars. The additions in FES prove that this scarce notation was not understandable to everyone.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FES