mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in GE

b. 14

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Staccato dots in A

Wedges in GE (→FE,EE,FESB)
..

As was the case with b. 10, the change of dots to wedges in GE (→FE,EE) does not seem to have been inspired by Chopin; however, he could have accepted it – cf. the note on slurs at the beginning of this bar.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Wedges

b. 15

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

in A

 cresc. in GE (→FE,EE,FESB)
..

The shorter  hairpin in the editions must have been an arbitrary decision of the engraver; upon seeing a cresc. within a mark, he considered that doubling synonymous indications would be a problematic yet unnecessary complication to the notation.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE

b. 16-17

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Longer slur in A

Shorter slur in GE (→FE,EE)

No slur in FESB
..

Both source slurs make musical sense, hence it is difficult to evaluate whether the difference is an inaccuracy, a correction or a revision. According to us, as the difference would have a minimal impact on the performance, it is hard to assume that Chopin would have wanted to correct this very detail. Due to the above, in the main text we keep the notation of A.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE

b. 17

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Slur to bar 18 in A

Slur to c2 in GE (→FE,EE)
..

In this case, it is almost certain that the shorter slur in the editions resulted from a routine approach of the engraver of GE, who adjusted the slur to a half of the bar, thus avoiding the need to engrave its ending in a new line.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Inaccuracies in GE

b. 18-29

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Crotchets after minims in AsI & A (→GE)

Various rhythms in FE

Crotchets mostly after minims in FESB

Crotchets and minims together in EE1

Notation with rests in EE2 (→EE3)
..

As it was described in the note concerning b. 16-17, due to the notation of the harmonic legato in the L.H. part, the engraver of GE1 misunderstood the rhythm; consequently, the notation became more or less compliant with A only after corrections to a printed version. Generally, the dotted crotchets are separated from the minims; however, wherever there are no small rhythmic values in the R.H., the gaps are very small, while in the 2nd half of b. 18 the notes almost touch each other. Consequently, it contributed to the clearly erroneous versions of notation of FE and EE1:

  • in FE it is only b. 19 and 23 and the 2nd half of b. 28 that are correct;
  • in FESB it is only the 1st half of b. 26 that is an exception to a generally correct version of notation;
  • in EE1 the erroneous combinations of minims with dotted crotchets were introduced into all bars;
  • in EE2 (→EE3) a quaver rest was added above the minim that begins each half measure. Additionally, the dotted crotchets have been shifted in several places to make it clear that they should be struck on the 2nd or 6th quaver of the bar. These shifts were done imprecisely, with the dots extending some of the crotchets omitted.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccuracies in FE