mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

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b. 365-366

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

  in AsI

No signs in A (→GE→FE,EE)
..

It is difficult to say whether Chopin consciously omitted the dynamic hairpins emphasising the line of this brilliant passage while writing A. Perhaps their omission should be linked to the change of  to  at the beginning of bar 365 – see the respective note. According to us,  and  marks can be included regardless of the general dynamic level.
As in the previous bar, we place the hairpins of AsI between the staves. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

b. 365

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

in AsI

 in A (→GE→FE,EE)
..

The  in AsI is not written very clearly – it cannot be ruled out that the mark was supposed to be removed and perhaps replaced by  in bar 367. Incidentally, these are first indications marking the absolute dynamic level in the entire Alla Polacca finale (there is only one more  in bar 375). In the main text we naturally provide , present in A and in the editions and constituting an element of a thought-out, holistic dynamic concept.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

b. 366

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

 under G1-G in A

No sign in GE (→FE)

at end of bar in EE
..

The absence of an  asterisk in GE (→FE) must be of an accidental nature. The engraver of GE1 probably omitted it, since it was difficult to squeeze it in the right place. The reviser of EE was close to guessing Chopin's idea.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in GE

b. 367

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

pédale de la basse in AsI

 after first quaver in A, literal reading

 under 2nd quaver in GE (→FE,EE,FESB)

 under 1st quaver suggested by the editors
..

The placement of the  mark in A does not allow us to reproduce Chopin's intention unequivocally. Statistically speaking, Chopin would write a  mark more often – especially in the case of low-placed bass notes – before the note it was supposed to concern than after such note, but his autographs include both situations. Therefore, we assume that in this case it is the pianistic context that is decisive – bass pedal notes belong to Chopin's favourite harmonic procedures, hence the doubled F1-F octave held with pedal seems to be more likely than the solution adopted by the editions. This conclusion is confirmed by the notation of AsI – the 'bass pedal' indication written under the semiquaver figuration undoubtedly refers to the reverberation of the initial octave, which in the orchestral part is sustained by the f note, played in bars 367-368 by the bassoon, while in bars 369-370 by the French horn. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 367-368

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

In A a few necessary naturals restoring the right pitch to the previously altered notes are missing – to g2, c3, e3 in bar 367 and to c3 in bar 368. In GE1 (→FE,EE,GE2→FESB) only the second one was added, while in GE3 a third one was also added.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Omissions to cancel alteration , GE revisions , Errors of A