Main text
Main text
GC - Gutmann's Copy
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
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE2 - Corrected reprint of GE
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English edition
EE2 - Revised impression of EE
compare
  b. 71-72

Repeated octave in GC (→GE)

Tied octave in FE (→EE)

Both in these bars and in the respective place of the recapitulation (bars 199-200), sustention of the topmost note of the phrase led in octaves (bars 65-80 and 193-204) is not clearly indicated in the sources. Although in both places there are convincing arguments for considering the absence of the slurs to be a mistake, one cannot be absolutely certain, particularly considering the fact that each of the source versions seems to be completely convincing from the musical point of view: 

  • Repetition of the octaves in both places, as it is in GC (→GE), may be considered to be a rhetoric emphasis of the climax; in this version bar 72 (200) integrates already into the crotchet movement of the descending section of the phrase.
  • Repetition of the octave only for the second time (in bar 200), as it is in FE, reserves the above effect for the second appearance of this fragment, creating a differentiation, so enjoyed by Chopin.
  • In the version of EE, a progressive repetition of the motif together with its characteristic syncopation, develops this phrase, leading to a climax, in the most natural manner.

Compare the passage in the sources »

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors of GC

notation: Rhythm

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