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WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

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b. 22

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

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JC has a cautionary  before the 4th semiquaver, a1. In the light of the currently binding rules, a sign in this position is superfluous.

category imprint: Source & stylistic information

issues: Cautionary accidentals , Last key signature sign

b. 22

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

..

In PE there is no  returning g1, which is a patent error. Similarly in bar 49, which is not written out in PE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors in PE

b. 23

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

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In JC, the third note counted from the bottom of the chord has a  on the level of c2, while its head is on the level of d2. This patent error could have been provoked by Chopin's way of writing the interval of second: due to their small size, note heads were put one over another, as in the case of bigger intervals. Similarly in bar 50, which is not written out in JC.

category imprint: Interpretations within context

issues: Errors of JC

b. 23

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

Four notes in JC & PE

Five notes in EF
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The additional f2 note in the chord in EF seems to be an arbitrary edition by Fontana, as the version without this note occurs both in JC and in PE. However, it cannot be excluded that Chopin hesitated between four- and five-note version of this chord. He could have added the note in [AI] after JC had already been completed and then resign from it, while writing [A]. In the main text we give the only or the latest authentic version, without f2. Cf. the Mazurka in G minor, Op. 24 No. 1, bars 20 and 28.

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 23

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

c3-c4 in JC (interpretation)

c3-c4 in PE; alternative interpretation of JC

c3-c3 in EF
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The version of JC seems to be erroneous, however, it is not clear how the notation of [AI] – probably ambiguous – was like and consequently, which elements of the notation of JC should be corrected. According to us, among the possible errors the most probable ones are the following two: lack of the  raising c4 into c4 or writing mistakenly a  instead of the  before the second grace note. We consider the first possibility as an interpretation of the copy's notation; the second one leads to the version of PE, adopted as the main text. The version of EF is probably a result of Fontana's revision, its correspondence to Chopin's intentions is highly unlikely.  

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors of JC