Op. 2, Variation IV, primitive version

In bars 1 and 5, in the principal AsI version, the R.H. hemidemisemiquaver figures do not advance in parallel to the semiquavers constituting the melody. In the 1st half of bar 1, Chopin already added an alternative version, close to the later A version. According to us, this version is to be considered a draft of a new idea, containing the default instruction 'and so on and so forth'. This is indicated by analogous bar 17, in which the A version is marked in the form of a similar addition throughout the entire bar. We provide the AsI addition interpreted as such as a variant of the later version in both bars (1 and 5). See also bars 2-6 and 7.

In AsI, the variation – like most of the others – is not given a title or number, and only has a metronomic marking to indicate the tempo. There are two metronomic tempo values entered – 58 (in ink), which, as written together with the text of the Variations, we consider to be the text of this source, and 60 (as in A), added later in pencil, which proves that the decision to slightly accelerate the tempo was made before A was created.

Except the metronomic tempo, the only performance marking in AsI is the slur over the 1st hemidemisemiquaver figure in bar 1. It was certainly put there as a model for all such figures, both in the right and in the left hand, which is proven by the A notation, in which these slurs were added to all figures. Due to the above, we do not consider this difference a variant, since it simply results from the working nature of this score. The version without markings can be seen by choosing AsI as the text source and, if necessary, by making some substitutions in particular notes. We adopted a principle according to which when substituting the versions, the markings are provided as in the output source, that is versions introduced into the AsI text are devoid of them, while versions introduced into the A text are provided with markings corresponding to the ones that were present in A.

In AsI the 4th hemidemisemiquaver figure in bars 1 and 5 is the same as the third one, although the semiquaver ending the passage is different – D instead of B₁. Moreover, this semiquaver was changed in the stage of writing AsI, which is proven by the visible corrections to this note in bars 1 and 21. Back then Chopin settled for the correction of the bass line only, since in the stage of writing AsI he would use other intervals than an octave between the last hemidemisemiquaver and the following semiquaver much more frequently than in the final version.

The reproduction of the AsI notation poses a number of difficulties:

• As was the case with the remaining variations, in many places we can see two versions (sometimes even more). The earlier one, written down in normal-sized font, is probably the initial, working version of this variation. The later one, sketched most often with small notes on the same stave as the principal version, contains variants overlapping with the final A version or close to it.
• Some repeating hemidemisemiquaver figures are written down in an abridged manner through beams without notes (inclined accordingly).
• Almost all R.H. semiquavers constituting the main melodic line are written without an octave sign (up to f⁴), as a result of which one can clearly see the leaps at the end of each passage; moreover, the natural graphic relation between the parts of both hands is maintained. Most of them are provided with letter names (for better legibility), which turned out helpful, as in many places the note text contains mistakes (mistakes in the notation of notes with a greater number of ledger lines belong to the most frequent mistakes in Chopinesque autographs).

We try to reproduce this notation, as far as possible, in the graphic transcription (version 'transcript'). On the other hand, in the content transcription ('edited text') we adjust the notation to the version Chopin used in A. Wherever alternative versions occur, we consider the initial notation to be the AsI text, providing other versions as variants.