Chopin’s Polonaise in A major op. 40 no. 1 is better known as the “Military Polonaise”. Indeed, the brisk rhythm, the “drum roll” in the middle section and the heroic demeanour of the work in general all evoke the world of military music. A favourite for many generations now, the work has nevertheless faced a complex source situation; the editor must deal with two strands of sources that diverge considerably from one another.

Our separate publication of the piece solves this problem masterful...