On the 3rd beat of bars 9 and 17 we give a dotted rhythm after PE, based on the later autograph. In JC and EF, based on the earlier autograph, there are equal quavers in this place. An identical differentiation also appears in analogous bars 36 and 44, which may suggest a permanent character of the rhythm's change. It is worth mentioning Chopin's consistency, as far as the rhythm of this motif is concerned: both in the earlier version (equal quavers) and in the later one (a dotted rhythm), the same rhythm is present in all appearances of this phrase.
Replacing one of those rhythms with another or their variant appearance in analogous phrases in the course of the piece is a frequent phenomenon in Chopin's music, cf. e.g. the Prelude in C
minor, Op. 45, bars 67 and 71 or the Mazurka in G minor, Op. 24 No. 1, bars 7 and 15.
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Differences between sources
issues: Dotted or even rhythm
notation: Rhythm