mUltimate Chopin

Op. 26 No 2, Polonaise in E♭ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Authentic corrections of FE

b. 3

composition: Op. 26 No 2, Polonaise in E♭ minor

in A

No marking in FE (→GE,EE)
..

It is not certain if  written in A was deliberately omitted in FE (→GE,EE). Given an identical indication appearing two bars earlier, Chopin's correction seems probable. Similarily in bar 107, see also bar 155.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Authentic corrections of FE

b. 3

composition: Op. 26 No 2, Polonaise in E♭ minor

..

The overlooked in A flats restoring A and a on the 3rd beat were added in FE (→EE,GE). Similarily in the subsequent instances of this bar – bars 51, 107 & 155 (in bar 155 correction omitted in FE).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Omissions to cancel alteration , Errors of A , Authentic corrections of FE

b. 9

composition: Op. 26 No 2, Polonaise in E♭ minor

No markings in A

Pedal on 3rd beat in FE (→GE,EE)
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Chopin added the pedalling indication on the 3rd beat in the proofreading of FE1. Similarly in bars 57, 113 and 161.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Authentic corrections of FE

b. 12

composition: Op. 26 No 2, Polonaise in E♭ minor

A

FE

GE1

GE2 (→GE3→GE4)

EE

Our suggestion
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Chopin added the staccato dot over e and stems extending the sound of g1 on the 2nd and 4th quavers in the L.H. in the proofreading of FE1 (→FE2). We consider this correction, repeated in bar 60, to be intentionally referring to the return of the main section of the Polonaise too (bars 116 and 164), as in A it was only signalised as repetition of the first section.
According to us, extending the top notes of the third only is either a simplified notation or a result of misunderstanding of Chopin's proofreading entry. Therefore, in the main text we assign the crotchet stems to both notes of the e1-g1 third. The versions of the remaining editions are either inaccurate (EE1) or arbitrarily changed (GE).

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: Authentic corrections of FE

b. 13-14

composition: Op. 26 No 2, Polonaise in E♭ minor

Triads in A

Dyads in FE (→EE)

Triad and dyad in GE
..

The original version of A was changed by Chopin in the proofreading of FE1 (→EE), which, as the composer's latest decision, we include in the main text. GE included only the change in bar 14, which can point to a two-stage proofreading of FE1 – deletion of b on the 6th quaver in bar 13 could have been introduced in the last phase of proofreading, already after having sent the copy to the German editor. According to us, it is, however, more likely that GE arbitrarily added this note by analogy to bar 14, which, except for this detail, does not differ from bar 13 at all. Similarly in all repetitions of these bars – bars 61-62, 117-118 and 165-166. 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: GE revisions , Authentic corrections of FE