Main text
Main text
GC - Gutmann's Copy
Afin - Autograph fragment of Finale
FE - French edition
FE1 - First French edition
FE2 - Second impression of FE
FE3 - Third impression of FE
FE4 - Fourth impression of FE
FESch - Scherbatoff Copy
FES - Stirling copy
FED - Dubois copy
FE5 - Second French edition
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE2 - Corrected impression of GE
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English edition
EE2 - Revised impression of EE
compare
  b. 12

e(1) in Afin

e(1) in GC (→GE) & FE (→EE)

The authenticity of the published version is unquestionable – the naturals raising e(1) to e(1) appear accordingly in all sources except for Afin. On the other hand, the same can be said of the version of Afin, with the cautionary  before e1, written, after all, with Chopin's hand. According to us, it is, however, questionable to consider e(1) to be an equal alternative to e(1) of the published version:

  • Afin was written six years after the Sonata's publishing, probably from memory – Chopin would play the piece in public still in the summer of 1848 – and with a visible haste. Therefore, nothing indicates that the composer paid any attention to the accuracy of the notation;
  • the aim of this autograph was not to provide a score which could be used during a performance – it was a typical polite gift, a souvenir of a meeting with the Master;
  • it is likely that e(1) is a common mistake, a mechanical repetition of the model of progression as a result of distraction.

Compare the passage in the sources »

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Cautionary accidentals, Authentic post-publication changes and variants

notation: Pitch

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