mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : FE revisions

b. 14

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

h2 sustained in A (→GE→FE,EE)

No prolongation in FESB
..

The b2 note, provided with a ten., is prolonged to a crotchet in A (→GE→FE,EE). It seems to be Chopin's mistake, since such a long value would have to be held also at the beginning of the 2nd half of the bar, which would certainly be a mistake. To avoid doubts, we change it to a quaver, almost exactly corresponding to its actual length. The fact that FESB omitted that extension could have resulted from that erroneous notation, with which the engraver did not know what to do.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Rhythmic errors , Errors of A , FE revisions

b. 25

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

e in A, FE, FESB & GE3

e in GE1 (→GE2,EE)
..

The version of GE1 (→GE2,EE), featuring e, is almost certainly erroneous – there are no traces of removal of the , despite the numerous traces of corrections visible in this and adjacent bars (very clear in GE2) related to the misinterpreted L.H.-part rhythm. The overlooked  was added by FE and FESB.
EE revised the version of GE1 by removing the  to e in the 2nd half of the bar, unnecessary due to the missing  at the beginning of the bar.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in GE , Authentic corrections of FE , FE revisions

b. 25-28

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

4 longer & 3 shorter slurs in A, literal reading

7 longer slurs in A, contextual interpretation

6 shorter slurs in GE1 (→GE2)

7 shorter slurs in FE, EE 7 GE3
..

The range of the small slurs under the groups of grace notes differs in A; however, they must be accidental inaccuracies, getting bigger as similar marks repeat themselves. The first 4 slurs prove that Chopin almost certainly meant slurs reaching the respective main notes, and this is the interpretation we adopt to the main text. In the editions, the slurs encompassed only the grace notes; moreover, GE1 (→GE2) overlooked the second slur in b. 26 (which was added in the remaining editions).

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Inaccuracies in GE , Inaccurate slurs in A , Errors in GE , GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE , FE revisions

b. 39-40

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

As in b. 35-36, in A Chopin overlooked some necessary accidentals, mainly in b. 40 – a  to d2 and a  to e2 in the R.H. and a  to e1 and a  to d2 in the L.H. (the use of accidentals in b. 39 is not fully codified due to the octave sign, as a result of which the  to e3 and the  to d2 could be considered superfluous). All necessary accidentals – subject to the situation described in the brackets above – were already added in GE1 (→FE1,EE,GE2→GE3). In EE a  to d2 before the 6th semiquaver in b. 39 was also added.
FESB repeated the accidentals of GE1; however, it was a  instead of a  that was placed to the 6th semiquaver in b. 39, which resulted in an erroneous e1 note; moreover, a  to d2 was added before the 8th semiquaver in this bar, which does not make sense – the accidental, if necessary at all, should be before the 6th semiquaver.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , FE revisions , Inaccuracies in A

b. 44

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Notation in A (→GE→EE,FESB)

Notation in FE
..

The notation of FE, with a demisemiquaver going beyond the 3rd note of the semiquaver triplet, is contrary to the Chopinesque understanding of such a combination of a dotted rhythm with a triplet – see the note on b. 45-46.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: FE revisions