Chopin hesitated whether to use dotted rhythms in the bass motifs in these bars. The analysis of the corrections introduced into AsI leads to the conclusion that the starting point were semiquavers only; next, the composer added dotted rhythms in bars 247 and 249 and in the piano part also on the 2nd quaver in bar 251. In A the corrected rhythm was written straight away. However, in further, pencilled corrections in AsI, Chopin returned to even values (except the viola part, which must be an oversight), and this is the version that is present in GEork→FEork. In the main text we give the version of A, since:
- the chronological relation between the corrections of AsI and the act of writing down A is uncertain;
- in the entire Variations there are also other minor rhythmic differences between the orchestral part and the Chopinesque piano reduction (e.g. in bars 242 and 244). It is difficult to say whether the fact that they were left in the published version was Chopin's inadvertence or a conscious decision reflecting perhaps his earlier dilemmas; however, it does not seem that it could be a basis for interference with any of those versions;
- the slur present in A only over the figure in bar 251 suggests that the different rhythms as part of one version were a thought-out idea, with the rhythmic energy being significantly attenuated in the last figure.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Corrections & alterations
issues: Dotted or even rhythm
notation: Rhythm