Main text
Main text
A - Autograph
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE2 - Later impression of GE1
GET - Toruń copy
FE - French edition
FE1 - First French Edition
FED - Dubois copy
FEJ - Jędrzejewicz copy
FES - Stirling copy
FEFr - Franchomme copy
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English Edition
EE3 - Later impression of EE1
compare
  b. 44

Different accents in A and FE

 in GE

Identical accents in EE

The notation of A is quite clear – despite a slight difference in length, both marks are definitely accents. We may only wonder whether the difference is meaningful and if not, whether the accents were meant to be long or short ones. In the editors' opinion, the musical and graphical reasons point to the differentiation of those accents. 

The version of GE is almost certainly inaccurate – the marks stretch from note to note, which was one of the rules characteristic for that publishing firm. 

Our reading of A finds additional confirmation in the version of FE, fairly meticulously proofread by Chopin. The French edition is much closer to A than GE.

In EE the marks were rightly interpreted as accents, but their shapes were made the same and their originally different length was considered an inaccuracy of notation. 

Compare the passage in the sources »

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE

notation: Articulation, Accents, Hairpins

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