mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in A

b. 188

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

No ornament in AsI

 in A (→GE→FE,EE,FESB)

 with  suggested by the editors
..

The missing trill in AsI is most probably related to the different shape of melody and rhythm in the ending of the bar – see the next note.

As in the case of b. 184, none of the sources includes a mark that would specify the sound of the trill's top note. The prevailing key in b. 184-190, F major, requires the use of e2, which in the main text we indicate with a . 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations

issues: Main-line changes , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 255

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

As far as the naturals raising e to e in the 2nd half of bar 255 are concerned, in A Chopin was satisfied with accidentals to the L.H. chord (e1) and the 3rd demisemiquaver (e3). The remaining 3 naturals necessary later in the passage were added by GE (→FE,EE).
In EE the  to the L.H. chord, which was placed slightly too low in GE1, was interpreted as a natural raising d1 to d1.
In A the  to e3 is written too low, at the pitch of c3. Such inaccuracies are often to be found in Chopin's autographs, generally – as is the case here – with no influence on the interpretation of the text.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Inaccuracies in GE , Errors in EE , GE revisions , Accidental below/above the note , Inaccuracies in A

b. 256

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

e notes in A, literal reading

E notes in AsI & A (contextual interpretation→GE→FE,EE)
..

In the entire passage Chopin did not insert any accidentals except the naturals to the 1st and 3rd notes (e and a). The necessity to raise subsequent a to a is beyond dispute; however, the use of e1, e2 and e3 would be harmonically and pianistically possible. Nevertheless, the majority of the arguments support the use of e1, e2 and e3:

  • in figurations based on repeating a certain figure in various octaves (most often arpeggios or scales), Chopin considered the accidentals put in the first figure to be valid in the entire sequence. He would mark possible exceptions with cautionary accidentals, e.g. the flats to b2 in bars 60 and 62. If he had heard e1 in the discussed passage, most probably he would have provided it with a ;
  • the above reasoning is partially confirmed by AsI, which has a  before the penultimate note of beat 1 (e3);
  • the harmonic context is based on an F major chord (without e seventh), which is confirmed both by the orchestral part and the piano chords (on the 3rd quaver and at the end of the bar). The e notes in the arpeggio would be regarded chord tones, giving an impression of a dominant seventh chord (F7). By contrast, we hear the altered e notes as non-chord tones, which contributes to the impression that the F major chord is regarded as the harmonic basis;
  • the naturals raising e1 to e1 and e2 to e2 were added in GE (→FE,EE) (the latter also influences e3; a third  was added only by GE3), even if inserted by the reviser, were not questioned by Chopin in the stage of proofreading FE1.

As far as the missing naturals to a1 and a2 are concerned, in GE1 (→FE1,GE2→FESB) it was only the one to a2 that was added, which was supplemented by EE and GE3.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of GE , Inaccuracies in A

b. 257

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

f3 in chord in AsI & A

d3 in Af, FE1 (→FE2) & GE2 (→GE3,FESB)

es3 in GE1 (→EE)
..

The version of AsI and A with f3 as the topmost note of the chord on the 2nd beat of the bar is almost certainly erroneous, and it was d3 that was intended by Chopin from the very beginning. It is supported by:

  • d3 here in Af, written almost certainly earlier than A;
  • melodic analogy between the motifs at the beginning of bars 255 and 257 and the ascending sixths, d1-d3-b3 and f1-f2-d3, respectively;
  • d3 in FE1 (→FE2), which, with respect to the erroneous version of GE1 (see below), must have resulted from proofreading, most probably Chopinesque;
  • the natural character of the octave piano position.

What is more, the discussed note is written in A inaccurately, hence in GE1 (→EE) it was reproduced as e3. In GE2 (→GE3,FESB) it was changed to d3, which could have been one of the changes suggested by Chopin, if we were to assume that he took part in the editing of GE2.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Terzverschreibung error , GE revisions , Errors in the number of ledger lines , Errors of A , Inaccurate note pitch in A , Authentic corrections of FE , Inaccuracies in A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 257

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

In A there are no accidentals to the 2nd and 3rd R.H. chords. The missing accidentals were gradually added by the subsequent editions – in GE1 (→GE2) both accidentals to the 2nd chord were added, while in EE1 a  to the 3rd chord was also added (a  was not necessary due to the wrong pitch of the topmost note). The remaining editions – FE, EE3 and GE3 – include all the necessary accidentals.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in A