mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 10, Etude in B minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors in EE

b. 26

composition: Op. 25 No 10, Etude in B minor

E in GC, FE, EE1 (→EE2) & GE2 (→GE3)

E in GE1 & EE3
..

In GC, FE and EE there are no accidentals before the 9th quaver, so it is not entirely clear whether it is to be read as e-e1-e2-e3 or e-e1-e2-e3. The comparison with the previous bar indicates a typical for Chopin oversight of naturals returning e and e2. GE1, however, added the  raising e3 to e3, which is certainly a mistake (yet it was repeated in EE3). The correctly written text is featured only in GE2 (→GE3).

In EE1 the top note of the part of the R.H. is mistakenly written as d3. 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

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

b. 32

composition: Op. 25 No 10, Etude in B minor

Octave in GC (→GE), FE & EE3

b1 alone in EE1 (→EE2)
..

The authenticity of the version of EE cannot be excluded, yet, according to us, a mistake is more likely here, e.g., due to the similarity of the 2nd half of the bar to bar 34. Chopin resigned from striking b in similar places only when the note was being performed by the L.H. (bars 34, 42 and analog.) or when the 1st finger of the R.H. remained on the d1 crotchet ending the phrase of the middle voice of the R.H. (bars 60 and 80). The preserved in EE 4th finger over this quaver also provides an argument for a mistake – a single b1 note is easier to be performed with the 2nd finger. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE

b. 113

composition: Op. 25 No 10, Etude in B minor

..

In GC (→GE1) and EE, there are no accidentals before the crotchets, so they should read as c and c2. In spite of the fact that the version does not raise any doubts as far as the sound is concerned, the omission of the naturals is proved by:

  • the logic of harmony – this and the previous triplet create an abbreviated version of the motif used in the progression in bars 109-112. In this abbreviated version it is then repeated twice in the further part of bars 113-114. There is no reason to resign from the semi-tone movement of crotchets filling the octaves in one place only;
  • misleading chromatic orthography – change from d to c despite preserving regular notation of the octaves in the F minor key;
  • signs added – probably by Chopin – in the proofreading of FE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Authentic corrections of FE , Errors of GC