The chordal part of the characteristic ending of the Polonaise's main theme, encompassing three syncopated crotchets and 5 quavers, can be found five times throughout the piece – b. 24-26, 50-52, 76-78, 283-285 and 309-311. In GE the articulation markings and accents appear only the first time, which most probably corresponds to the notation of [A]. In turn, in FE (→EE) almost the same indications – the only difference is a slur led to the first out of five quavers, which replaced the staccato dot over that quaver in the version of FE – appear each time. Chopin could have added those indications while proofreading FE1, or even earlier, in the basis for this edition.
According to us, those versions describe the same performance, but in a different way; they can also be considered complementary. Taking into account the above observations, in the main text we rely on the undoubtedly later version of FE in all places, supplemented with the first dot from GE1 (in a variant form).
The omitted 2nd accent in b. 24 is an oversight by the engraver of GE2.
category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions
issues: Errors in GE, GE revisions, Authentic corrections of FE
notation: Articulation, Accents, Hairpins
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