mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 1, Etude in A♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Chopin's hesitations

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. 21

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

a1 in AI & GE1a (→GE2→GE3)

f1 in A (→CDP,GE1), FE & EE
..

Chopin changed the lowest note of the 3rd sextuplet in the R.H. twice:

  • AI has an a1, which in A was deleted and changed to f1. The change was somehow forced by the modification of the part of the L.H., in which Chopin renounced the f note. It is also GE1, EE (with a preserved G in the bass) and FE, which has F as the bass note, that have the changed version.
  • While proofreading GE1a (→GE2→GE3), Chopin changed this note again, this time reinstating a1. This version also seems to be related to the modification of the part of the L.H., in which it was the F note that became the bass one. We give this version in the main text, as it is the latest. However, Chopin was not consistent, as in FE – in spite of the change in the bass – he left a f1.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Chopin's hesitations , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 22-23

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

a1-b1 & g1-b1 in AI, A (→GE), FE & EE

f1-a1 & f1-g1 in CDP
..

The version of CDP may prove Chopin's hesitation, as far as the sound of the figures in the R.H. on the 2nd beat of each of these bars is concerned. While AI includes the final version, written without any corrections, in A, next to the final version, one can see the deleted version of CDP (in bar 23 written and deleted twice!).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Chopin's hesitations

b. 26

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

Large noteheads in AI

Big & small notehead in A (→GE1)

Small noteheads in FE, EE & GE2 (→GE3)
..

The deletions of the 1st note on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar, visible in A, suggest that Chopin hesitated whether to write these notes as big or small. The result of these corrections is not entirely clear (particularly on the 2nd beat); however, it seems to be more plausible that it concerned the transition to small notes, as it is in FE and EE.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Chopin's hesitations , Deletions in A