NOTATIO

I like the second example here. It speaks directly to me what voices are and what it shoudl be done.
The third example looks like "bad Finale"-hanglig ties.

Thanks, OCTO. You are very persuasive.

Before I make my final decision. Anyone out there in favor of no. 1? Going once, going twice...

It's a hard call, but I do ever-so-slightly err on the side of 1 in this case, not because of its particular legibility but because of the lack thereof with the other two. 2, in my mind, doesn't follow the melody and is too far from the notes to aid legibility, while 1 is the only option that seems to follow the notes in any meaningful way.

That was my thinking exactly, Schonbergian. I guess I will wait to make my decision. Maybe time will bring clarity.

For what it's worth, John, I'm definitely sympathetic towards your desire for authenticity and wanting to 'follow your heart', but I do think the conventional sluring in example 2 is clearer and more pleasing to the eye. (Keep in mind that I'm generally a big proponent of S-shaped slures where appropriate. Also, I don't really think the s-shaped slur clarifies the role of voice in any significant way.

However, since I haven't seen the entire piece, or even the page spread in question, I have some reservations, but from what you've shown, I think the conventional approach is the best solution.

The S-shaped slur immediately reminded me of the minuscule wrist swing a pianist might do in order to slur the two notes, and I very much like it in the manuscript. For an engraved version, however, I agree with Octo and Knut. I tried it myself with a few bars of the Etude and I found that the S-slur (even when quite thin) interferes way too much with the staff lines. Thus it reduces the readability of the octaves significantly.

Thanks, Knut. I was hoping that you would give an opinion.

Florian, that is a most interesting point. The S-slur does look like an arm motion connecting the two notes while simultaneously shaping the octaves.

This may be one of those cases where representing the autograph completely faithfully is an impossibility. I may go with no. 2, but discuss the matter in a footnote with an example.

Thanks everyone for your input. It has been very helpful.