Op. 50 No. 2, Mazurka in A♭ major

FE1 was based on A1, which is proven by, i.a. overall compliance of the texts of both sources and by the plate number of that edition written by the publisher at the bottom of the first page of A1 in the Mazurka in G no. 1. FE1 bears traces of Chopin's proofreading, most probably performed twice, since EE, which was based thereon, included some but not all changes introduced in FE1.

The changes included in EE – first stage of proofreading – cover, above all, the cautionary flats added before a¹ in b. 12, 20 and analog., e¹ in b. 16 and analog., and 25 and analog., as well as d² in b. 40. All those additions could have been performed by the reviser.

Among changes introduced in the second stage of proofreading (not included in EE) the most important are repeat signs added to both segments of the middle part of the Mazurka (b. 60-67 i 68-83). Moreover, a tie was added to A in b. 62-63 and 78-79, and pedalling in b. 63 and 79, as well as in b. 74 & 76.

In FE1 a number of mistakes were also committed, e.g. the slurs in b. 71-72, 76-77 were overlooked. Some erroneous changes resulted from the misunderstanding of the notation of A1, e.g. the vertical little slurs in b. 62, 65 and 73, marking most probably the arpeggio, was reproduced as conventional grace-note slurs. Others result from the transfer of slurs to the side of noteheads, e.g. in b. 63-64, 65-66 and 77-78 or 78-79. In few places this routine engraver's procedure turned the slurs into ties.

In mUltimate Chopin, we present a copy from the collection of Chopin's sister, Ludwika Jędrzejewicz (the copy does not bear handwritten annotations).