mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Corrections in A

b. 9

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In A one can see traces of erasure of a  hairpin, replaced with ben marcato.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A

b. 14

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Long accent in A

in GE (→FE,EE)

No sign in FESB
..

The traces of erasure visible in A reveal that Chopin initially inserted the  mark under the bottom stave, more or less there where it is to be found in the editions. It can also be seen that the initial mark was longer, since it reached the first L.H. quaver. The corrected version of the mark was shortened and moved over the first chord. In this form, the mark is to be interpreted as a long accent, which we give in the main text. The engraver of GE (→FE1,EE) moved the mark, which he most certainly considered a diminuendo, under the stave, probably to avoid a contradiction with poco cresc. or simply due to lack of space over the stave (a hairpin on the stave is poorly visible; such a solution is applied only in exceptional cases).
The fact that the mark is absent in FESB is most probably due to an oversight, one of a few in this bar.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Long accents , Corrections in A , GE revisions

b. 22

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In A one can see traces of a correction concerning the range and placement of the slur; initially, it began from the grace notes and was placed under the notes.

category imprint: Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Corrections in A

b. 35-36

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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Although the "nonchalant" chromatic notation of A – at least 4 accidentals in the R.H. are missing as well as 7 in the L.H. – does not lead to any textual doubts, it requires to be completed, which was already performed, to a certain extent, in the first editions. Taking into account the manner (different from ours) in the case of the R.H. part on the 4th beat of b. 35, the accidentals on the top stave were already ordered in GE1, including the addition of a cautionary  to d1 at the beginning of b. 35 and removal of the unnecessarily repeated  to b1 at the beginning of the 2nd half of b. 36. However, the notation of the L.H. part can be considered complete only in FESB and EE (different in both). In the main text we add R.H accidentals on the 4th beat of b. 35; it was also performed in GE3. See also the note at the beginning of the 2nd half of b. 36.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations; Source & stylistic information

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , Corrections in A , Cautionary accidentals , Inaccuracies in A

b. 40-41

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

No markings in A (→GE→FE), contextual interpretation

    in EE
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In addition to the  mark at the end of b. 39, A (→GE→FE,EE) includes the same mark also before the 1st chord in b. 41. A more detailed analysis of A reveals that in the middle of b. 40 there were initially  marks, eventually erased and most probably replaced with the first  mark. Therefore, it seems that Chopin initially wrote two pedals in b. 39-40, one from the 2nd beat of b. 39 to the middle of b. 40 and another encompassing the 2nd half of b. 41 (to the preserved  mark) before shortening the first pedal and removing the second, inadvertently leaving the asterisk at the beginning of b. 41. EE added the allegedly overlooked  mark yet without taking into account the change of chord in the middle of the bar; this pedalling cannot come from Chopin.

category imprint: Editorial revisions; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions , Corrections in A , Errors resulting from corrections , Errors of A