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Op. 2, Variations, complete

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Verbal indications

b. 295

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

The term staccato is already in AsI, added in pencil. It is placed slightly earlier than the indication in A, from the beginning of the bar, which is probably related to the arpeggio starting from the 2nd semiquaver (without a rest) – see the note below.
In GE (→FE,FESB) the abbreviation stacc. was used, and in EE this abbreviation was expanded. These are the arbitrary revisions by the engravers, in this case without affecting the meaning of this indication.

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category imprint: Source & stylistic information

b. 300

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

No markings in sources

[ten. ten.], our alternative suggestion
..

Both bass notes are certainly to be played tenuto, as in the previous bars. The missing slur could be understood as an indication that the articulation should be other than legato; however, the tenuto markings are of a reminding nature: they indicate that the rhythmic value should be held to the end, which results from the context though – separating these notes as an independent voice written in long rhythmic values would be pointless if they were not to be held in full. Due to the above, we refrain from burdening the main text with indications that do not carry new information.

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category imprint: Editorial revisions

b. 306-307

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

cre - scen - do in A

cresc. in GE (→FE,EE)
..

In the main text we roughly reproduce the notation of A, in which crescendo is written out as a full word, divided between two bars (without dashes). The part of the indication falling on bar 307 was left out in the editions, probably due to the transition to a new page (both in A and in the editions), which, however, does not generally influence its meaning, yet it is less suggestive.
The editions also left out the  hairpin – see bar 112.

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category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , GE revisions

b. 306

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

 on first chord in A

after first chord in GE (→FE,EE)
..

It is uncertain what led to the difference in the position of the  indication. It is unlikely that we could be dealing with Chopinesque proofreading of GE1; moreover, there are no traces of the indication having been moved in print. However, the interpretation of this mark makes us consider the version of the editions to be more accurate. In A the mark is also written in the solo part, although repeating it only for its last chord does not seem intentional. Therefore, according to Chopin,  must have referred to the connecting passage marked as Tutti as well, which is confirmed by the full version of the Variations – the orchestral Tutti starts already at the beginning of the bar, whereby  marks are written in the parts of wind instruments at the beginning of the bar, and in the ones of string instruments – on the 2nd quaver. When copying  probably from the parts of the wind group, Chopin did not notice a possible ambiguity resulting from the lack of synchronisation of this indication with the beginning of the Tutti, which in the version for one piano is marked only just on the 2nd quaver in the bar. 

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category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Authentic corrections of GE

b. 337

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

No indication in AsI & FE

Instrumantation tip after A (→GE→EE,FESB)
..

In the main text we provide the indication concerning instrumentation written as a full word, as it is in A. In GE (→EE,FESB) the Fl. abbreviation was used, which we do not regard as an independent variant. The absence of the indication in FE could be attributed to the changes entered into the basis for this edition – see the adjacent note. The possibility that Chopin could have omitted this piece of information on purpose is less likely – although in the version of FE the bottom voice of the R.H. octaves does not correspond to any instrumental part, the top voice remains an equivalent of the flutes. One can even assume that this indication is all the more justified, since in this version it was the flute voice that was reinforced at the expense of the other instruments that were not included in the piano reduction.

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category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Errors resulting from corrections , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE