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WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

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b. 15

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

No slurs in JC

Slurs in FEF

Ties in GEF

Slurs in PE

Slur in PE, no 'triplet' slurs
..

Lack of the slurs including each of the irregular semiquaver groups seems to be an error of JC. Generally, Chopin would provide such groups with a slur, most often together with a number determining the type of the group. Such slurs are most probably seen in FEF, while in GEF they have a form of ties sustaining the g1 crotchets. Also PE has here slurs which are a part of marking of irregular groups; however, due to the fact that Chopin additionally included the entire semiquaver figure under one slur, we omit the slurs in the main text (cf. General Editorial Principles, p. 16). 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Triplet slurs , Errors of JC

b. 15

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

..

The digits determining the number of semiquavers in each of the two irregular groups are featured only in PE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 15

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

e in JC

e in EF

f in PE

 f according to PE
..

The e note, which is present both in JC and in EF, is probably the bass note of the earlier version of this chord, while the f note, visible in PE – of the later one. However, it cannot be excluded that one of those versions is a result of an erroneous reading of the autograph. According to us, it is much more probable in relation to e. In EF, the note (e) is held with a tie until the e in the next chord.

In the main text we give f, provided with a cautionary natural. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

b. 15

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

Chord without c1 in JC & EF

Chord with c1 in PE
..

From the harmonic point of view, the four-note chord in PE is absolutely possible. However, the natural character of voice-leading in the triad version of JC and EF encourages to suppose that the version of PE may be erroneous. The engraver of PE could have taken an accidental ink spill on the intersection of the stem and ledger line for a note. The half correction also offers food for thought: adding the right note without deleting the wrong one. Such situations can often be found in Chopin's prints, which stems from the fact that adding a new note head was technically much easier than deleting the old one. In this case, it is c1 which was mistakenly left (cf. bar 65). For those reasons, in the main text we adopt the chord without c1. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in PE , Partial corrections

b. 15

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

Arpeggio sign in JC & PE

No sign in EF
..

In this context, lack of the arpeggio in EF must be considered as an inaccuracy of the notation. 

category imprint: Differences between sources