Musical considerations clearly support the version of A as the only correct one – this is not only evidenced by an identical progression in bar 55, but also by regular chromatic progressions in all the similar expressions (bars 35 and 39, and also bar 11 in the part that ascends to the culminating d flat2).
Still, the occurrence of the FE version requires a thorough explanation, as that version appeared in the edition proofed by Chopin. In our opinion, this can be an overlap of two mistakes:
-
the
that was supposed to raise e flat2 to e2 in the last-but-one semiquaver was mistakenly printed before f2 in the last semiquaver; -
when reviewing the proof copy of FE, Chopin asked for a to be added in the right place;
-
making that correction, the engraver made another mistake putting one semiquaver too early.
The proofing of FE also included the adding of a cautionary before c2 in the last but one semiquaver triplet. Both added naturals are written in a thicker font, which evidences that they were added later.
The correction entered by Franchomme in FEFr additionally confirms the existence of the mistake in FE. The change in EE3 was most probably introduced on the basis of GE.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Differences between sources
issues: EE revisions, Errors in FE, Annotations in FEFr
notation: Pitch