mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Rhythmic errors

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. 28

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Dotted semiquaver in AsI, contextual interpretation

Semiquaver & rest in A (→GE→FE,EE,FESB)
..

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors resulting from corrections , Rhythmic errors

b. 45-46

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

Notation in A (→GE→EE,FESB)

Notation in FE1 (→FE2)
..

In the main text, we place a demisemiquaver under/over the last note of a semiquaver triplet in each of the 4 places where such a combination occurs, in accord with the notation of A (→GE→EE,FESB). In FE1 (→FE2) the demisemiquaver in these figures is placed after the last semiquaver of the triplet. This is certainly an arbitrary revision of the engraver of this edition, who had not yet seen that Chopin was using this Baroque-Classical convention, which in the 19th century was gradually superseded by a notation conforming with the strictly calculated nominal rhythmic values of the notes.
Chopin would use that convention throughout his entire oeuvre – see the chapter dedicated to that issue in: Jan Ekier, Introduction to the National Edition, Editorial Issues, p. 183.

In all places (as well as in bar 44) AsI notes a dotted rhythm in twice the rhythmic values, as . This is an obvious mistake.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Rhythmic errors , Dotted rhythms and triplets , FE revisions

b. 45

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

..

In A and all editions, the e1 note on the 3rd crotchet in the bar is wrongly a double dotted crotchet. In AsI the note has the correct rhythmic value.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Rhythmic errors , Errors of A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 56

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

6 notes on 5th quaver-beat in AsI

6 notes on 5th quaver-beat in AsI

5 notes in A (→GE→FE,EE,FESB), interpretation

5 notes in A (→GE→FE,EE,FESB), interpretation
..

In A and in all editions, over the 5-note 1st half of the figure on the 3rd beat of the bar, we can observe a seemingly wrong digit – 6. However, the error consists in a missing note – a2 between b2 and g2 – which is proven by:

  • the text of AsI, which includes this note – visible are 6 note stems, although the pitch of the penultimate one is unclear (the ledger line is inaccurately written). The figure begins with a written-out turn, like the three remaining similar phrases in b. 55-57;
  • discrepancy between the number of the notes and the actual number, which means that Chopin did not realise that he was entering a text containing a smaller number of notes. Therefore, it is not a change of concept but an oversight.

The mistake remained unnoticed, both by Chopin (who was probably proofreading GE1 and certainly FE1) and by the revisers, who did not check the rhythmic correctness of this figure.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Rhythmic errors , Errors of A , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE