mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Omissions to cancel alteration

b. 2

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In the sources, there is no  restoring d1 on the 4th beat of the bar. The mistake resulted from the way the piano reduction was prepared – the R.H. top voice corresponds to the Violin II part, in which there is no need for a , since it does not feature a d1.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A

b. 15

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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The  restoring b1 in the 2nd half of the bar is absent in all sources. It must be Chopin's mistake, one of his most frequent errors.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 19

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

e3-g3 in sources, literal reading

e3-g3 suggested by the editors
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Even though none of the sources features an accidental to the top note of the last semiquaver, the use of g3 is much more likely, considering the melodic and harmonic context. Overlooked accidentals in such situations are one of Chopin's most frequent mistakes, cf., e.g. the Etude in F minor, Op. 25 No. 2, b. 4 or the Impromtu in A, Op. 29, b. 3 and 71. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A

b. 58

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Spelling in sources

Spelling suggested by the editors
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The authentic chromatic notation of the descending part of the roulade takes into account the validity of the previously entered accidentals only to a minimal extent:

  • In a few places Chopin chose enharmonic variants requiring a greater number of accidentals than necessary – c4 as the 15th note, b3 (18th), g3 (25th), f3 (29th), e3 (33rd), c3 (39th), b2 (43rd). As in such a chromatic sequence enharmonic variants of notation practically do not impact the understanding of music, we exceptionally change this orthography in the main text to avoid excessive complications. It allows us to reduce the number of accidentals on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th beats of the bar by 8 (in the authentic notation we also count the 3 accidentals overlooked by Chopin – see below).
  • Assuming a regular structure of the figuration – which is almost impossible to challenge – Chopin overlooked a  cancelling an alteration that has occurred earlier in the bar three times – no naturals to c4 (14th note), a3 (20th note) and f3 (31st note).
  • The  to g3 was unnecessarily repeated (22nd note).

This notation was repeated without any changes by the majority of the editions. Only in FESB a  restoring c4 was added (14th note).

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

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , FE revisions , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 70

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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The flat restoring e1 is only in AsI, which means that neither Chopin nor the revisers of the editions noticed this obvious mistake.

category imprint: Interpretations within context

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE