mUltimate Chopin

Op. 25 No 12, Etude in C minor

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b. 33-39

composition: Op. 25 No 12, Etude in C minor

cresc. - - in FC, FE & GE2 (→GE3)

cresc. in FE

cresc. - - in bars 33-34 in GE1
..

The twelve-bar crescendo (bars 31-42) was precisely marked in FC, EE and GE2 (→GE3). Shortening the range in GE1 is certainly a mistake of the engraver – the dashes were led only to the end of the page. The lack of dashes in FE has also to be considered an inaccuracy of notation.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , GE revisions

b. 40-43

composition: Op. 25 No 12, Etude in C minor

- -  in FC, EE & GE2 (→GE3)

No indications in FE

 in GE1
..

The missing  in FE is most probably the original version – in FC the indication is written with Chopin's hand. The omission of dashes determining the range of poco a poco cresc. in FE and GE1 – see bars 31-39. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 41-42

composition: Op. 25 No 12, Etude in C minor

Accents between notes in FC, FE & GE2 (→GE3)

2 different accents in EE1 (→EE2)

2 different accents in GE1

3 different accents in EE3

Pairs of accents suggested by the editors
..

All source notations certainly mean the same – an accent referring to both notes struck in the middle of the bar. In the main text we adopt the version with two accents – see bars 13-14.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: EE revisions , GE revisions

b. 42-43

composition: Op. 25 No 12, Etude in C minor

..

In FC one can see corrections of the 10th and 13th semiquavers in both bars and of the 5th and 8th semiquavers in bar 43. Everywhere, c2(3) notes were erased and b1(2) added. It is most probably an auto-correction of the copyist, which is proved by the typeface of naturals before the added notes and lack of visible corrections (although they are not entirely excluded) in the notation of three b notes. On the other hand, if the text was clear in the copied manuscript (probably [A]), without corrections, such a significant mistake of such an experienced copyist as Fontana (after all, a professional composer and pianist) seems to be inexplicable. Therefore, what we see may be a preserved trace of the authentic original version of these bars, in which the middle note in the R.H. was always c (in different octaves).

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Accompaniment changes , Authentic corrections of FC

b. 43-44

composition: Op. 25 No 12, Etude in C minor

Different accents in FC

Accents below L.H. part in FE & GE1

Pairs of accents in EE

Accents between notes in GE2 (→GE3)
..

Same as in the previous two bars, all source notations certainly mean the same – an accent referring to both notes on the 9th semiquaver of the bar. Marking it with a pair of accents could have been introduced into the base text to EE by Chopin, although additions of single accents by the editor also seem to be likely.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions