Main text
Main text
GE - German edition
GE1 - First German edition
GE2 - Second German edition
FE - French edition
FE1 - First French edition
FE2 - Corrected impression of FE1
FES - Stirling copy
EE - English edition
EE1 - First English edition
EE2 - Corrected impression of EE1
EE3 - Revised impression of EE2
compare
  b. 24-25

2 accents & staccato dot in GE1

2 accents & slur in FE (→EE)

Accent & dot in GE2

Our variant suggestion

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.

Compare the passage in the sources »

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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