mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Inaccuracies in A

b. 287

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

The top notes of the chords on the 2nd beat of the bar, d1-f1, are written down in A (→GE→FE,FESB) on the top stave, as a result of which they came within range of the R.H. part octave sign. If they were to be included by the octave sign, it would be impossible to perform them with the L.H., which is clearly indicated by the stems and the beam shared with the f-b fourths. The awkward notation most probably resulted from the initial version of this tutti, written down in AsI. The unequivocal version adopted to the main text was also introduced by EE.

category imprint: Interpretations within context

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 287-288

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In AsI and A, accidentals were put only next to the top notes of the octaves – a  to a in bar 287 and naturals to e3, e and a  to g in bar 288. All necessary accidentals were already added by GE (→FE,EE).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 294

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

c1 in chord in AsI & A

No note in GE (→FE,EE)
..

The absence of c1 in the last chord is most probably an oversight by the engraver of GE (→FE,EE) caused by the notation of A, which is not entirely clear. The presence of this note in AsI, however, is a strong argument for a similar interpretation of the notation of A.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , Uncertain notes on ledger lines , Inaccuracies in A

b. 298-300

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In R.H. figurations Chopin considers accidentals to be valid also in adjacent octaves. Therefore, in A there are no flats to the 9th, 12th and 15th semiquavers in bar 298 (a2, d3, g3), the 14th semiquaver in bar 299 (d3) and the 2nd and 18th semiquavers in bar 300 (d1, c1). All necessary flats were added already in GE (→FE,EE).
There are more accidentals in #ApI than in A, both necessary (3rd, 4th and 6th among those mentioned above, with the omitted flats to d2 in bar 299 and to a1 in bar 300), and unnecessarily repeated ones (flats to g2 at the end of bar 298 and to c2 on the 3rd beat of bar 300, and also a  to a2 in bar 299), as well as a cautionary  to a1 in bar 299).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 304

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

No slur in sources

Slur added by the editors
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In this bar, we consider the absence of the first out of two slurs present in previous two, analogous bars to be Chopin's inadvertence (the composer's distraction probably also impacted the  mark). What is determined by this slur – the motif's structure and articulation – must be compliant with the previous bars, which excludes the possibility that the slur was omitted on purpose. Taking into account the above, in the main text we add a relevant slur. Cf. the notes in bar 300.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccuracies in A