Main text
Main text
A - Autograph
FE - French edition
FE1 - First French edition
FE2 - Corrected impression of FE1
FED - Dubois copy
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE2 - Revised impression of GE1
GE3 - Revised impression of GE2
GE4 - Corrected impression of GE3
GE1a - Album German edition
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English edition
EE2 - Amended impression of EE1
EE3 - Revised impression of EE2
compare
  b. 47

Rhythm in A, probable contextual interpretation

Rhythm in FE (→GE,EE)

On the available photograph of A, the notation of the bass g note is difficult to interpret:

  • at the beginning of the bar, it is separated from the chord and is a dotted semibreve. According to us, however, it may be an inaccuracy of notation resulting from the correction of the pitch of this note (initially, it was an f), while the intended rhythmic value could have been a dotted minim ;
  • there is a tie at the pitch of this minim/semibreve, yet it is unclear which note it is supposed to reach. Nevertheless, one can see there a trace that could be interpreted as a deletion of an f note.

On the basis of the described analysis of A and of the version of FE (→GE,EE), which was prepared on the basis thereof, one can conclude the following:

  • the notation of A is erroneous – either incomplete (no crotchet, which should be reached by the tie) or erroneous (superfluous tie); the mistake could have been caused by distraction while implementing the corrections;
  • the version of FE (→GE,EE) was probably the engraver's attempt to interpret the notation of A in the simplest way possible (omission of the vague element); therefore, it is uncertain whether it was introduced or at least accepted by Chopin.
  • Chopin's integrated approach to b. 45 and 47 – similar changes to the bass note (raised half a tone), change of rhythm in b. 45, making the bar resemble b. 47 – suggests that Chopin wanted to fully unify these bars in terms of rhythm and harmony.

Taking into account the fact that both the version of FE (→GE,EE) and other possible conjectures of the notation of A result in versions that are practically equal to a version fully analogous to b. 45 in terms of sound, this is the version we suggest in the main text.

Compare the passage in the sources »

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Errors resulting from corrections, FE revisions, Inaccuracies in A

notation: Rhythm

Go to the music

.