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WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

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b. 5

composition: WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

No grace notes in A1

Grace notes in CJ, CK (→CB) & EL
..

According to us, the fact that the ending of the trill is not written out does not mean that Chopin envisioned it being performed differently while writing A1. It is rather an element that was skipped in the working notation, since Chopin regarded it as obvious.

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 13

composition: WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

4 notes in A1, CK (→CB) & EL

3 notes in CJ
..

The arguments for adopting the version of CJ as the principal one are as follows:

  • the very "Chopinesque" differentiation between three analogous b. 5, 13 and 46 – the ending of the trill consists in them of 2, 3 and 4 notes, respectively (cf. the reverse change, i.e. addition of a note in the ending of the run in b. 52);
  • a possibility of Kolberg's revision in CK – the g2 note could have been added later, which is indicated by the spaces between the notes (cf. the notation of b. 46 in this manuscript).

The version of the remaining sources can be considered an equal variant, particularly since it cannot be ruled out that in spite of the awkward layout, it was Kolberg that faithfully copied [A2] and Ludwika that committed a mistake.
In CB the grace notes are written as small semiquavers.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Main-line changes , Errors of JC , Kolberg's revisions , Balakirev's revisions

b. 56

composition: WN 37, Lento con gran espressione

Grace notes in A1 & CJ

No grace notes in CJ (→CK) & EL
..

The missing grace notes opening the trill are almost certainly Kolberg's mistake, who interpreted them as a . This version was copied in CB and EL, yet Balakirev omitted the , completely superfluous in this context (on the crossed-out first version of the last page of CB, one can see that the Russian composer started writing this , yet after putting the first vertical line, he realised that it was pointless here and abandoned it).

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in CK