mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 5, Etude in E minor

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b. 14

composition: Op. 25 No 5, Etude in E minor

c2-b2 in FC, FE, EE & GE2 (→GE3)

c2-c3 in GE1
..

In GE1 it is c3 that is the top note of the semiquaver on the 3rd beat of the bar. It is certainly a mistake, corrected in GE2 (→GE3).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , GE revisions

b. 14-16

composition: Op. 25 No 5, Etude in E minor

..

There is no  in bar 14 before the last note in the R.H. in FC, FE and EE1. Similarly in bar 16, where the sign is absent in FC and EE1, whereas it is present in FE (probably added still in the base text to this edition). These patent oversights of Chopin were completed in GE and EE2 (→EE3). 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Errors in EE , Omissions to cancel alteration , GE revisions , Errors of FC

b. 30

composition: Op. 25 No 5, Etude in E minor

..

The traces, visible in FC in the part of the L.H., show that the copyist initially wrote here the chords from bar 31, which, after having noticed his error, he erased and replaced with the correct ones.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Errors of FC

b. 36

composition: Op. 25 No 5, Etude in E minor

E in FC (→GE), FE & EE2 (→EE3)

f in EE1
..

Although Chopin at a certain stage – while correcting the base text to EE – most probably considered the version with f to be better, in the main text we leave the version with E, present in FE and FC (→GE). The version was introduced – most probably on the basis of FE – also in EE2 (→EE3). 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions

b. 42

composition: Op. 25 No 5, Etude in E minor

b-e1-g1 in FC (→GE) & EE3

b-c1-g1 in FE

b-c1-e1-g1 in EE1 (→EE2)
..

Determining Chopin's intention, as far as the sound of the grace note chord in the L.H. is concerned, seems to be impossible due to the lack of visible traces of performing changes in the sources. Each of the three source versions can be authentic, yet each of them can be a result of misinterpretation of the manuscript by the engraver or the copyist, as determining the presence of the middle note in a chord written on ledger lines can be very difficult in Chopin's manuscripts – cf. notes to bars 73 and 111 of this etude and, e.g., to the Etude in E major, Op. 10 No. 11, bar 43 or the Waltz in A major, Op. 42, bar 48. In this situation, in the main text we give the chord in the version of the basic source, i.e. FE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Uncertain notes on ledger lines