The interpretation of the slurring of A presents difficulties. The most important issue is the fact whether Chopin wanted to preserve double slurs or whether one of the versions (probably the long slur above the entire phrase) was supposed to replace the second one. The latter seems to be indicated by the absence of ending in bar 48 of two out of four slurs written at the end of bar 47 (corrections without erasing the eliminated version do happen in manuscripts, including in autographs, e.g. in the Etude in G
major, Op. 10 No. 5, bar 83). In any case, this is how it was interpreted in GE1 (except for the slur in the L.H., which started inaccurately, too late) and then (after correcting this inaccuracy) in FE (→EE). GE2 included the double slurring of A.
In all editions, the crotchets in bar 48 are embraced with separate slurs, which rather does not correspond to the notation of A (the engraver may have been influenced by adjacent bars). However, when considering the portato articulation and the accent, the difference is of no practical meaning.
In the main text, we give an interpretation closest to the notation of A, with double slurs. The version of FE (→EE) may be considered a fully-fledged alternative interpretation.
If in bar 45 the version with the harmonic accompaniment was chosen, one of the versions for the R.H. is to be selected.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Interpretations within context; Differences between sources
issues: Inaccuracies in GE, Inaccurate slurs in A, GE revisions, FE revisions
notation: Slurs