mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 8, Etude in D♭ major

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b. 7-8

composition: Op. 25 No 8, Etude in D♭ major

..

In A, FE and EE1 there is no cancellation of a few previously raised notes in chromatic passages:

  • in A and FE there is no  returning f2 at the end of bar 7 and two flats in bar 8 – returning a2 in the 8th sixth and e3 in the 10th sixth;
  • EE is missing the above three and flats returning g2 in the 10th sixth and d3 in the 12th sixth in bar 8.

The remaining editions introduced additions to these patent oversights (some of all):

  • GE1 added the  returning a2 in the 8th sixth in bar 8, while GE2 (→GE3) also the rest of the overlooked signs;
  • EE2 (→EE3) added the flats returning a2 in the 8th sixth, g2 in the 10th sixth and d3 in the 12th sixth in bar 8, which resulted in the same text as in GE1.

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 , Errors of A

b. 7-8

composition: Op. 25 No 8, Etude in D♭ major

..

In A (→GE1) and FE the only cautionary sign in these bars is the  next to d1 in the L.H. in bar 8 (in EE there is also a  before c3 in bar 7). The flat was omitted – not without a reason – in GE2 (→GE3), whereas a few others were added: before e2 and d2-b2 in bar 7 and g2-e3 and d3 in bar 8. In the main text we consider the first and last from the aforementioned signs, while still adding a  before g1 in bar 7 (due to the similarity of combination of bars 6-7 with bars 2-3).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals

b. 7-8

composition: Op. 25 No 8, Etude in D♭ major

  in A

  in FE

  in GE

  in EE
..

The sources generally do not differ in the moment of starting the  sign (in GE it was moved to the beginning of the triplet, adjusting it – according to its manner – to the rhythmic division), whereas the fact of ending the hairpins earlier in FE may influence the interpretation. In the main text we give the signs based on A (and very similar in this respect EE), yet the most probably authentic indications of FE seem to be equally justified. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE

b. 7-8

composition: Op. 25 No 8, Etude in D♭ major

One slur in A (→GE) & EE

Two slurs in FE
..

The divided slur is most probably a result of a misunderstanding of the notation of A by the copyist or of an inaccurate reproduction of the manuscript in FE. Cf. bars 3-4.

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 9-10

composition: Op. 25 No 8, Etude in D♭ major

Fingering (2-5, 2-5) in FED

Fingering (5, 2-5) in FES

No teaching fingering
..

One can wonder whether the 5th finger written in FES means the same fingering Chopin wrote in FED. In other words, whether the fingering of the d2-b2 sixth is to be understood as 2-5 or 1-5. According to us, the first possibility is much more likely, hence in the main text we do not differentiate between these indications.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FED , Annotations in FES