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Op. 25 No 6, Etude in G♯ minor

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b. 4

composition: Op. 25 No 6, Etude in G♯ minor

..

FE, EE1 and GE1 misinterpreted the abbreviated notation of FC and of the remaining Stichvorlage manuscripts, giving the 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups of semiquavers without any accidentals. The mistake was corrected in EE2 (→EE3) and GE2 (→GE3). Similarly in almost all analogous places – cf. bars 8, 20 and 36, as well as 12 and 40.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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

b. 4

composition: Op. 25 No 6, Etude in G♯ minor

..

In front of a1, the bottom note of the 4th third, all sources include . The sign is totally unjustified in this place (we omit it in the main text), however, it reveals Chopin's doubt, as far as the notation of the a/a note in the Gkey is concerned (cf. the note to bar 7).

category imprint: Editorial revisions; Source & stylistic information

issues: Cautionary accidentals , Last key signature sign

b. 5

composition: Op. 25 No 6, Etude in G♯ minor

..

In FE (→GE1) the last two semiquavers in these bars were erroneously copied from the next group (the 3rd and 4th semiquaver in bar 6). The mistake was corrected in GE2 (→GE3).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , GE revisions , Errors of FC

b. 5

composition: Op. 25 No 6, Etude in G♯ minor

..

The sources differ in notation of the accidentals on the 1st and 4th semiquavers of the last group. Due to the regularity of the figurations, it can be assumed that Chopin was thinking about b2-d3 and d3-f3. When the group is written without the octave sign, the text does not require any signs and this is the notation we see in FE. In the remaining sources, an octave sign was used (same as in the main text), which leads to the need of making the notation more precise:

  • In FC (→GE1) the last third is written at an erroneous pitch, hence the problem concerns only the 1st third, which is not preceded by any sign.
  • In EE1 there are also no signs before the 1st third, in turn, there are sharps before both notes of the last third. It is undoubtedly a mistake, as the  next to d3 makes sense only before the 1st third. In EE2 (→EE3) the  concerning d3 was not moved, yet a  was added before b2.
  • GE2 (→GE3) includes the notation compatible with the contemporary standards, adopted also in the main text.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , Errors in EE , GE revisions , Errors of FC

b. 7-8

composition: Op. 25 No 6, Etude in G♯ minor

No accidentals in FC (→GE1), FE & EE

Naturals in GE2 (→GE3)

Naturals suggested by the editors
..

In front of the 2nd semiquaver in each of these bars, there are no accidentals in the sources except for naturals added in GE2 (→GE3), which cannot come from Chopin. Therefore, it seems that the top note is supposed to be a2. However, there are strong grounds, both source (proved also in other pieces Chopin's doubts concerning the notation of a/a notes in the G minor key) and stylistic (natural harmonic passage), for considering it as Chopin's mistake. Therefore, in the main text we suggest to add naturals to achieve the sound of a2.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors in FE , Errors in EE , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Last key signature sign , Errors of FC