Issues : Partial corrections

b. 15

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

Chord without c1 in JC & EF

Chord with c1 in PE

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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 cwhich 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. 57

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

g3 in JC & EF

e3-g3 in PE

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PE has the e3-gthird as the 2nd quaver of the bar. Admittedly, the version is acceptable, as far as the sound and piano performance are concerned, yet the enote burdens and blurs unnecessarily the melody's line; therefore, a misreading of [A] or a proofing (adding the correct note without deleting the wrong one) seem to be much more probable.  

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Terzverschreibung error , Errors in PE , Partial corrections

b. 65

composition: WN 17, Polonaise in B♭ major

No b1 in JC & EF

b1 in PE

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From the piano performance's point of view, the four-note chord of PE is awkward (without using pedal, almost impossible to perform). Moreover, the bnote also does not contribute to the harmonic content and burdens the chord's sound rather unnecessarily. Due to those reasons, we consider it to be erroneous – most probably it was left after an inaccurate proofing: the correct note (d2) was added in order to change binto d2, but the wrong one (b1) was not deleted. This kind of "half" proofings can often be met in first editions of Chopin's works, cf., e.g., the Ballade in G minor, Op. 23, bar 171 or the Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20, bars 135 and 292. Cf. also bar 15.

 

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in PE , Partial corrections