mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Unclear hairpins in A

b. 4

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

No signs in CDP & EE

Accent &  in AI

 in A

 in GE1

  in FE & GE1a (→GE2)

 in GE3
..

In the main text we give a pair of   hairpins, being a result of Chopin proofreading of GE1a (→GE2); it is also FE that has identical indications. Hence Chopin returned – in a modified form – to the original idea written in AI. The abbreviated sign of GE1 is an attempt to interpret a not entirely clear notation of A; another attempt was made in GE3, ignoring the authentic proofreading of GE1a.

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

issues: GE revisions , Authentic corrections of GE , Unclear hairpins in A

b. 10-11

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

No sign in CDP & AI

 in A

 in GE & FE

 in EE

 suggested by the editors
..

The  hairpins in A are written inaccurately – at the right-hand end, their arms are of different length, hence in GE they reach up to the middle of the 3rd group of semiquavers. The beginning of the sign, at the end of bar 10, also seems to have been added too early, which is indicated by the  mark, contrary to it, added in bar 10 in a proofreading of GE2, as well as by the hairpins in FE and EE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Unclear hairpins in A , Inaccuracies in A

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. 21

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

No signs in AI & CDP

 in A

 in GE

  in FE

  in EE

  suggested by the editors
..

Although the  hairpins in A have arms of different length, it seems natural, however, to adopt that they begin only in the middle of the bar. Hence we consider the longer sign in GE to be inaccurate. In the main text we also include the  hairpins, probably added by Chopin in base texts to FE and EE.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Scope of dynamic hairpins , Unclear hairpins in A