mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 4, Etude in A minor

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Articulation, Accents, Hairpins

b. 9-10

composition: Op. 25 No 4, Etude in A minor

Different accents in A

Short accents in FC (→GE), FE & EE

Long accents alternatively suggested by the editors
..

It is not entirely clear which type of accents Chopin had in mind in these bars (similarly in bars 39-40). The second of them is undoubtedly a long accent, yet the first one, in spite of a seemingly analogous situation, can hardly be considered to be such an accent. As the notation of accents in the Etudes is not very precise, we consider it to be acceptable to see both signs as long accents.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Inaccuracies in FC

b. 11-12

composition: Op. 25 No 4, Etude in A minor

No signs in A (→FE)

  in FC (→GE) & EE
..

In the main text we give a pair of   hairpins added most probably by Chopin in FC and base text to EE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Authentic corrections of FC

b. 11

composition: Op. 25 No 4, Etude in A minor

Wedge in A & EE

No marks in FC (→GE)

Two wedges in FE

Our variant suggestion
..

Adding the second wedge under this chord in FE seems to be an argument for an intention to leave this sign. On the other hand, Chopin did not add it in FC, as he probably did with the wedges in bar 16. Therefore, in the main text we leave the inclusion of this sign at the discretion of the performer.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Authentic corrections of FE

b. 14-15

composition: Op. 25 No 4, Etude in A minor

 in A (→FE)

 in FC (→GE)

 in EE
..

The moment of beginning  hairpins falls in another place in each of three sources certainly (A) or possibly (FC and EE) representing the signs written by Chopin. At the same time, while the sign in EE may be considered to be compatible with A, crescendo in FC (→GE) clearly defines another dynamic nuance. In the main text we follow A (→FE), in which the range of the sign corresponds to the hairpins in analogous bars 6-7.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in FC

b. 15-16

composition: Op. 25 No 4, Etude in A minor

 in A (→FE)

 in FC (→GE)

Two  in EE

 in EE, possible interpretation
..

The presence of two  signs in EE may be explained as a revision, in which the sign in bar 16, compatible with the remaining sources, was completed with hairpins in bar 15 following bar 7. However, both signs can be authentic and it cannot be excluded that they are to be interpreted as one longer diminuendo.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Hairpins denoting continuation