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WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

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b. 1

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

No repeat sign in JC & EF

Repeat sign in EF
..

The repetition of bars 1-24 is marked only in EF. While the repetition of the initial segment of the Polonaise seems to be justified, the way it is notated – beginning the repeated segment at the start of bar 1 and two voltas of final bar 24 – is probably non-authentic.

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 8

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

Double bar-line in JC & EF

Single bar-line in PE
..

The eight-bar introduction is separated with a double bar line in the sources based on the earlier autograph, [AI]. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

b. 11

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

..

In PE – certainly in accordance with the notation of the manuscript base text – there is an indication of the beginning of the repeated section at the end of the main part of the Polonaise (bars 38-51). In [AI] (→JC), a relevant shorthand begins only in bar 13. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

b. 13

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

..

In JC – certainly in accordance with [AI] – the beginning of the repeated section at the end of the Polonaise (bars 40-51) was marked here. Cf. the remark in bar 11.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

b. 24

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

No repeat in JC & EF

Repeat in EF, notation uniformized with remaining sources
..

The repetition of bars 1-24 is marked only in EF, yet the adopted there notation with the use of two voltas is essentially unjustified and certainly does not correspond to Chopin's notation. In spite of that, the repetition itself of the initial section of the piece seems to correspond to the composer's intentions. The need for such a repetition is clearly indicated by the form of other polonaises by Chopin, both the unpublished and published during Chopin's life. Therefore, it suggests that the notation of the remaining sources may be inaccurate in this respect. An imprecise notation of the repetitions is not a rare situation in the autographs of such dance forms as polonaises or mazurkas, cf., e.g., the Polonaise in A, WN 3, the Polonaise in C, Op. 26 No. 1 or the Mazurka in A, WN 45. According to us, the visible in JC and PE double bar line after the 5th quaver in bar 24 could, in Chopin's intentions, determine exactly the repetition of the entire previous part of the Polonaise, written in the simplest possible way. Taking into consideration the above mentioned arguments, we adopt the repetition into the main text.   

category imprint: Differences between sources