mUltimate Chopin

Op. 26 No 1, Polonaise in C♯ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Annotations in teaching copies

b. 52

composition: Op. 26 No 1, Polonaise in C♯ minor

No tie in FE (→GE1,EE1)

Tie in GE2 (→GE3→GE4→GE5), EE2 & written into FED
..

A does not include a tie combining both a1 at the beginning of this bar. Chopin completed this defect in FED and in analogous bar 84 in the proofreading of FE1. The fact of leaving this bar without correction is to be considered Chopin's oversight. A tie was added also by the revisers of GE2 (→GE3→GE4→GE5) & EE2, most probably while comparing two bars.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , EE revisions , Annotations in FED , Omitted correction of an analogous place

b. 56

composition: Op. 26 No 1, Polonaise in C♯ minor

Fingering written into FEJ & FES.

No teaching fingering
..

Chopin added the fingering in pencil in FEJ. A similar annotation is also in FES.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FES , Annotations in FEJ

b. 69

composition: Op. 26 No 1, Polonaise in C♯ minor

'4' written into FEJ

No teaching fingering
..

The not too legible sign in FEJ, written in pencil, is most probably a digit indicating the 4th finger for e2. We do not give it in the main text, as the application of this fingering depends on including other entries in this copy, discussed separately, concerning the bottom notes of the chords on the 5th and 6th quavers.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FEJ

b. 69

composition: Op. 26 No 1, Polonaise in C♯ minor

No teaching fingering

Possible interpretation of annotation in FEJ

Another interpretation of annotation in FEJ
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Two slashed dashes written – probably by Chopin – in FEJ pose difficulties at the time of interpretation. The most possible one is the deletion of the bottom notes of the chords on the 4th and 6th quavers. We include this possibility – due to the relation of the included signs to the doubts concerning the pitch of the bottom note of the last chord – in the note concerning this sound. Another possibility – less likely due to a significant angle of inclination of these dashes – is the interpretation of one or both dashes as fingering numerals. The ones would probably mean a simultaneous stroke of the e1-g1 third with the 1st finger. This kind of grip of two black keys was used by Chopin and marked a few times, e.g., in the Concerto in E minor, Op. 11, 2nd mov., bar 57 and the Prelude in A major, Op. 28 No. 7, bar 12. A possible choice of one of these possibilities is left at the discretion of the performer.

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Annotations in teaching copies , Annotations in FEJ

b. 79

composition: Op. 26 No 1, Polonaise in C♯ minor

Inverted long accent in A & GE2

 in FE (→GE1,EE)

Short accent in GE3 (→GE4→GE5)

Accent written into FEJ
..

In FE (→GE1,EE), instead of the sign of a reversed accent, there are  hairpins between b1 and a1. The inaccuracy, clearly distorting the sense of the sign, was revised in GE2 and GE3 (→GE4→GE5) on the basis of comparison with analogous bar 47. In FEJ Chopin added an accent in pencil under the top stave, which, according to us, can be considered to be a temporary correction of the misleading notation of FE. 

category imprint: Graphic ambiguousness; Differences between sources

issues: Long accents , Annotations in teaching copies , Inaccuracies in FE , GE revisions , Annotations in FEJ