Initially, Chopin – in AT and AW – considered Agitato to be a more important indication characterising the Etude than Presto, which he wrote only in AT. However, eventually, while preparing the work for print, he decided to leave Presto only. According to us, it can reflect the change of the piece's character, perhaps together with clarification of the concept of the entire opus.
In the earlier manuscripts there is no metronome tempo.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Differences between sources
issues: Metronome tempos, Changes of tempo markings
notation: Verbal indications