A
Main text
½A - Semi-autograph
A - Autograph of the piano part
Morch - Manuscript of the orchestra part
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE1a - Retouched impression of GE1
GE2 - Second German edition
FE - French edition
FE1 - First French edition
FE2 - Corrected impression of FE1
FED - Dubois copy
FEJ - Jędrzejewicz copy
FES - Stirling copy
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English edition
EE2 - Revised impression of EE1
EE3 - Corrected impression of EE2
compare
  b. 485

c4 & c3 in A (literal reading→GE)

Thirds in A (contextual interpretation) & FE (→EE)

In A it is not obvious whether the 1st and 4th quavers include a3 and a2. In similar situations, the presence of a middle note on a ledger line may be very difficult to determine in Chopin's autographs. However, both the harmonic progression and the piano grip suggest that in this culminant moment () both quavers should be thirds, like in two subsequent bars. This assumption is confirmed by a detailed analysis of the notation of A, in particular in the case of the 4th quaver of the bar, in which one can see bold in the place where the stem overlaps with the ledger line, but it is not related to the notation of either of them (it is even less clear in the case of the 1st quaver). Therefore, it cannot be surprising that both the engraver of GE1 and the reviser of GE2 did not include these notes. The fact that both notes were added in the proofreading of FE (→EE) dissipates all doubts regarding Chopin's intention.

Compare the passage in the sources »

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Authentic corrections of FE, Uncertain notes on ledger lines, Inaccuracies in A

notation: Pitch

Go to the music

.