mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Errors resulting from corrections

b. 28

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

leggieriss. in A

leggier. in GE (→FE)

leggiero in EE

leggierissimo suggested by the editors
..

It is difficult to say whether the change of indication introduced by GE (→FE,EE) was a result of the engraver's inattention, revision or even Chopin's proofreading. The change seems too insignificant to bother about, which eliminates the last two possibilities. According to us, we can take one other scenario into account, maybe the most likely – the visible traces of corrections in the L.H. part reveal that the parts of both hands were initially misaligned (while planning the L.H., the engraver did not take into consideration the final R.H. quaver). Had leggieriss. been in the area of the correction, the engraver could have then inaccurately reproduced it from memory.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccuracies in GE , Errors resulting from corrections , GE revisions

b. 40-41

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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

    in EE
..

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

b. 63

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

Starting from the f-c1-a1 chord, in EE the L.H. part is written down on the bottom stave in a treble clef. The clef was not cancelled until the very end of the bar, which is a patent oversight. We reproduce this notation in the graphic transcription (version "transcript"). In the content transcription (version "edited text"), we adjust the arrangement of EE to the remaining sources, which do not include clef changes.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: EE revisions , Errors in EE , Errors resulting from corrections

b. 174

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

In AsI the top note of the 2nd L.H. chord is written down as f1. In this manuscript, there are no more accidentals in this bar, which is a patent mistake, resulting from the draft nature of AsI. In A, Chopin replaced f1 with e1 and remembered to restore d1; however, he overlooked the fact that it was also e1 on the 4th quaver of the bar that should be restored. This mistake was already corrected in GE1. Consequently, the notation is correct in all editions.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors resulting from corrections , Errors of A , Enharmonic corrections

b. 207

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

4 wedges on 2nd & 3rd quaver in A

4 wedges on 2nd & 3rd quaver after A

4 wedges after A & FE

5 wedges in GE (→EE)

5 wedges after GE (→EE)

5 wedges after GE (→EE)

Wedge on 2nd R.H. quaver and 3 L.H. wedges in FE

Wedge on 2nd R.H. quaver and 3 L.H. wedges after FE

2 L.H. wedges in FESB

2 L.H. wedges after FESB
..

The additional wedge in GE is, according to the editors, most likely a mistake by the engraver of GE1 – there is no reason why Chopin's possible addition of marks should only apply to the L.H. In turn, omission of the last R.H. wedge in FE is probably a side effect of the correction of the pitch of this quaver – see the adjacent note. The absence of 3 out of 5 wedges in FESB is most likely the result of the carelessness of the engraver of this edition. In the main text we provide wedges according to A, taking into account Chopin's correction of the last quaver introduced in FE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

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