A
Main text
A - Autograph
FC - Fontana's copy
FE - French edition
FE1 - First French edition
FE2 - Corrected impression of FE1
FED - Dubois copy
FEJ - Jędrzejewicz Copy
FES - Stirling copy
FESch - Scherbatoff copy
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE2 - Revised impression of GE1
GE3 - Corrected impression of GE2
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English edition
EE1a - Corrected impression of EE1
EE2 - Revised impression of EE1a
compare
  b.

a3-b3-a3 in A (→FC,FE), contextual interpretation & EE

a3-b3-a3 in GE, contextual interpretation

In A (→FC,FE) there is not a single accidental before the 13th and the 15th semiquavers. In the face of the  before the 3rd semiquaver, placed graphically at the same pitch (a2), one can have doubts whether Chopin meant a3 or a3. However, the arguments in favour of double a3 are definitely more numerous:

  • formally speaking, the notation of A determines that very version, since in this context a  is not necessary;
  • oversights of cancelled alterations are one of the most frequently committed mistakes by Chopin;
  • the absence of accidentals indicates that Chopin heard the same sound twice; in this melodic and harmonic context, a3 as the 15th note would be awkward;
  • in analogous – despite the differences – b. 23 a3 is present twice.

EE features the version adopted by us (with a  before the 13th note in the bar). In turn, the addition introduced into GE – a  only just before the 15th note – does not dissipate all doubts concerning the sound of the 13th one, yet it suggests that they should differ, resulting in a3-b3-a3-g3, which, in turn, seems to be highly unlikely due to the close proximity of the altered and the natural notes.

Compare the passage in the sources »

category imprint:

notation:

Go to the music

.