mUltimate Chopin

Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Omission of current key accidentals

b. 94

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

E-e in GE

C-c in FE (→EE)
..

In the main text we give the enhanced version Chopin introduced while proofreading FE (→EE). A similar change was entered into b. 96; in both places one can see traces of changes being performed in print. The same applies to analogous b. 118 and 120.
In FE there are no accidentals to the changed notes, which, when interpreted literally, would result in C-c. The patent oversight was corrected in EE1 by adding a  to the bottom note. In the main text we add 2 naturals in accordance with the manner in which Chopin wrote down this section – cf., e.g. the naturals to the F-f quavers in b. 88, 90, 92. Two naturals are also in EE2 (→EE3).

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Corrections & alterations

issues: EE revisions , Errors resulting from corrections , Omission of current key accidentals , Authentic corrections of FE , Main-line changes

b. 95-96

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

..

In these bars Chopin overlooked the naturals lowering g(1) to g(1). It is proven by the absence of those accidentals in FE (→EE) and by the fact that they were added in print in GE, which is indicated by the gaps between the notes. The authenticity of the additions to GE is not confirmed, yet Chopin's mistake is evidenced by analogous b. 119-120, in which accidentals are present in all sources.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: GE revisions , Omission of current key accidentals , Errors repeated in GE , Errors repeated in FE , Errors repeated in EE

b. 97

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

c(1) in GE, FE2 & EE

c(1) in FE1
..

The missing naturals lowering c and c1 to c and c1 in b. 97 in FE1 must be a mistake, committed probably by Chopin. It is indicated by the lack of planned space for naturals in GE1, which means that they were most probably absent in [A]; they could have been added in printing. The mistake was corrected in FE2 and EE. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in FE , Omission of current key accidentals , FE revisions

b. 107-108

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

d1 & d2 in GE

d1 & d2 in FE (→EE)
..

The version of GE, in which the first two bars of this phrase are in the key of B minor, must be erroneous. It is the engraver of GE1 or Chopin in [A] that could be suspected of an oversight – after b. 103-106, in the key of C minor, with d notes consolidated thanks to the G7 major chord (appearing three times), he could have considered d to be obvious. Moreover, if – hypothetically – he had wanted to change here the harmonic scheme with respect to the two previous appearances of this phrase (b. 27-34 and 53-60), he would have carefully marked such a change.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , Omission of current key accidentals , Errors repeated in GE

b. 274

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

No accidental (d) in GE & FE1

 (d) in FE2 & EE
..

According to us, the version with d resulted from Chopin having overlooked the  in [A] (→GE,[FC]→FE1). Therefore, in the main text we include the  added in FE2 and EE.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Omission of current key accidentals , FE revisions