The precise Chopinesque articulation markings – wedges at the beginning of the bar and dots further on – were arbitrarily standardised in GE (→FE,EE). It was the entire finale of the Variations that was subject to this arbitrary unification of staccato markings. According to us, such a decision could have been influenced by both types of staccato intertwining in A, doubly burdensome for the engraver:
- when deciphering the text, since the differences between the marks are not always obvious at first sight, not to mention discovering the key Chopin followed when choosing one or the other type of marks;
- when engraving, due to the need to change the die often (or due to the need to develop a page twice, once for dots and subsequently for wedges).
The missing staccato mark over the crotchet in bar 271 is most probably the engraver's mistake.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Differences between sources
issues: Errors in GE, GE revisions, Wedges
notation: Articulation, Accents, Hairpins