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Op. 25 No 9, Etude in G♭ major

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : EE revisions

b. 1

composition: Op. 25 No 9, Etude in G♭ major

Title & dedication in GC

Title & dedication in GE1

Title & dedication in GE2 (→GE3)

Title & dedication in FE

Title & dedication in EE1 & EE3

Title in EE2

Our suggestion
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In the main text we give the title and dedication after the title page of the entire opus in GC and FE.
See the Etude in A major, No. 1.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Dedications , GE revisions

b. 1-24

composition: Op. 25 No 9, Etude in G♭ major

Slurs in GC (→GE) & FE

Slurs in EE
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EE consistently displays a different slurring of the basic figure in the R.H. in the entire Etude. It is rather a result of a different interpretation of Chopin's autograph by the engraver or copyist than differentiated Chopin notation. In the main text we give the version of two sources – GC and FE – which does not yet mean that the shorter slurs of EE must be considered as inaccurate, particularly considering the fact that neither musical nor pianistic issues give grounds for considering one of these versions to be clearly better. However, the longer slurs are supported by the visible in GC minor corrections of the slurs (e.g., in bar 34), proving the general acceptance of the three-note slurs by Chopin.
In the figures as at the beginning of bar 5 (bars 5-7, 13-15 and 21-23), beginning the slurs in EE under the top note is almost certainly an arbitrary decision of the engraver.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions

b. 4

composition: Op. 25 No 9, Etude in G♭ major

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The cautionary  before c1, undoubtedly justified in this context, was added only in GE and EE3.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , GE revisions

b. 8

composition: Op. 25 No 9, Etude in G♭ major

a in chord in GC, FE, EE1 (→EE2) & GE2 (→GE3)

No a in chord in GE1 & EE3
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Omitting the a note in the 2nd chord could have been Chopin's correction, introduced together with the changes in the Etude in A major, No. 1. The composer could have considered the chord without a as an improvement, due to a slightly clearer sound, while maintaining both the completeness of the harmonic structure and logics of the voice leading. According to us, it is, however, the engraver's oversight that seems to be more likely here, as in this Etude – same as in the remaining ones, except for the first one – there are no other traces of possible Chopin interventions in GE1, while omissions of a clearly written note in the base text are to be found in the first German edition, e.g., in the Etude in A minor, No. 4, bar 37. The version of GE1 was repeated in EE3, whereas in GE2 (→GE3), the four-note version of the base text was introduced (GC).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions , Errors in GE , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 12

composition: Op. 25 No 9, Etude in G♭ major

g in chord in GC (→GE) & EE3

No g in chord in FE & EE1 (→EE2)
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The g note was added (in pencil) in GC (→GE). Therefore, it is highly likely an addition introduced by Chopin in the last phase of corrections in Stichvorlage manuscripts. The version was adopted in EE3.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions , Accompaniment changes , Authentic corrections in GC