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Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

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b. 203-206

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

Slurs from 2nd to 4th semiquaver in FE (→GE,EE)

Slurs over whole motifs suggested by editors
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As in bars 199-200, we consider the FE slurs (→GE,EE) to have resulted from a misinterpretation (except the second one in bar 204). The slurs suggested in the main text are based on a possible reconstruction of the [A] slurs.

category imprint: Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccuracies in FE

b. 204-206

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

Alternating B major & minor chords in FE (→GE,EE)

Major chords suggested by editors

Major chords & 1 minor one, our alterna­tive suggestion
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According to us, when interpreted literally, the source text featuring B chords on the 1st quavers and B minor chords on the 4th ones resulted from the inaccurate notation – engrossed in carefully marking the oscillating basses in the seventh chords (g-g), Chopin did not notice that in spite of looking the same, the tonic chords sound differently, as their mode changes depending on their position with respect to the bar line. Therefore, in this context, we assume that the problematic notes are d1, which is natural, hence more likely, since d1 appears only in the passing chords and is clearly a foreign note (lower neighbouring note). Such omitted alteration cancellations belong to Chopin's most frequent mistakes.
As an alternative solution, we suggest one B minor chord in the middle of bar 206, which is a version containing a smaller number of additions to the source text, and yet acceptable from the harmonic point of view.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Errors in FE , Omissions to cancel alteration , Cautionary accidentals

b. 204

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

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In FE the last L.H. chord is provided with a superfluous  to b. On the other hand, the accidental to d1 is missing, which suggests a mistake, particularly in the context of the next two bars. This is how it was assessed in GE, in which the  to b was removed, while a flat to d1 was added, lowering it to d1. The mistake was also corrected in EE by adding the correct accidental yet without removing the harmless  to b.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in FE , GE revisions

b. 205

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

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The missing b note in the chord on the 3rd quaver is most probably an oversight by the EE engraver.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in EE

b. 205-206

composition: Op. 12, Variations in B♭ major

Accents in FE (→EE)

No marks in GE
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The absence of four accents in GE suggests that they were added in the last stage of proofreading FE, after the copy meant as the basis for GE had been sent to Leipzig. However, the marks could have also been omitted due to the GE1 engraver's inattention.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , Authentic corrections of FE