mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 5, Etude in E minor

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Issues : Uncertain notes on ledger lines

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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

b. 73

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

No c1 in chord in FC (→GE) & EE

c1 in chord in FE
..

The version without c1 in the last chord is probably a result of misinterpretation of [A]. There is no reason, neither sound nor piano, which would justify the distortion of regularity of the harmonic progression in this place. Moreover, the slurs over the pairs of chords in bars 73-76 also prove a slightly more accurate development of the text of FE in this fragment.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Uncertain notes on ledger lines

b. 111

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

c1 in chord in FC (→GE) & EE

No c1 in FE
..

Lack of the c1 note in the 2nd chord is most probably an oversight of the engraver of FE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Uncertain notes on ledger lines