Op. 22, Polonaise

EE1 is based on a proof copy of FE that did not contain all Chopinesque corrections. The most important ones are listed in the characterisation of FE1; some of the other places preserved in EE1 in a non-final version are listed below:

• b. 59-60, in which there are no flats lowering d² to d²,
• b. 105, in which the 4th semiquaver is written differently in terms of enharmony,
• b. 114 without cautionary  before a²,
• b. 122, in which the 1st beat of the bar features two quavers instead of dotted rhythm,
• perhaps b. 221, in which EE1 contains the indication brillante instead of risoluto, which is present in FE1.

EE1 introduced numerous revisions, the majority of which were based on a comparison of analogous places (some of them can be considered justified), e.g.:

•  instead of  in b. 5,
• added slurs, e.g. in b. 19, 23, 41-42, 67,
• added pedalling markings, e.g. in b. 27, 46, 54, 125,
• added staccato marks, e.g. in b. 43, 52-53,
• added accents, e.g. in b. 70, 142-144,
• added tie of d in b. 93,
• the beginning of the slur in b. 101 was moved, the slur in b. 120-121 was divided,
• Tutti and Solo indications were added in b. 264-265 and 268-269.

There are also completely arbitrary changes:

• numerous changes of accents to vertical ones, e.g. in b. 47-50 or 129-130,
• change of the long accent to a  hairpin in b. 31,
• changes and additions to articulation in b. 133-137,
• addition of a  lowering a¹ to a¹ in b. 190,
• addition of e to the g-e¹ sixth in b. 241.

A few mistakes of FE were corrected, e.g. the rhythmic value of the 1st R.H. note in b. 31, of the e¹-a¹ fourth in b. 76, of the R.H. semiquaver at the beginning of b. 95.

It was also the notation of accidentals that was very carefully revised, as a result of which EE1 is certainly closer to being correct than FE1 or GE1 in this respect.

In spite of extensive revision, some mistakes were left uncorrected, new were also committed, e.g. in b. 37 (b²-d³ instead of b²-e³), 87 (semiquavers instead of demisemiquavers), 128 (f instead of d), 129 (E-e instead of C-c), 149 (no  lowering G to G), 151 (quaver instead of semiquaver) or 152 (no  restoring d³).

The copy presented in mUltimate Chopin comes from the earliest known impression, dated early 1841.* The relatively significant number of revisions concerning performance indications, based on, e.g. comparisons of analogous places, suggests that it may already be a corrected impression of Wessel's original first edition.

^* Date determined on the basis of the final page, advertising various publications of Wessel. Information after Annotated Catalogue Online.