A - Autograph

Autograph

Autograph-fair score, intended for base text to the first French edition (FE1), performed between 1831 and 1836. Dedicated to Joseph Dessauer.

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FE - French edition

French edition

Maurice Schlesinger, Paris, plate number M.S. 1929:
FE1 – First French edition, VII 1836,
FE2 – corrected impression of FE1, VIII 1836.

Three pupil's copies with annotations originating from Chopin:
FED – Camille O'Méara-Dubois FE2 copy,
FEJ – Ludwika Jędrzejewicz FE2 copy,
FES – Jane Stirling FE2 copy.

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GE - German edition

German edition

Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig, plate number 5707:
GE1 – First German edition, July 1836,
GE2 – Second German edition, ca. 1851-52,
GE3 – Third German edition, ca. 1863-64,
GE4 – Revised impression of GE3, ca. 1867-1869.

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EE - English edition

English edition

Wessel & Co, London, plate number W & Co. No. 1647:
EE1 – First English edition, V 1836 (1837).
Ashdown & Parry, London, same plate number:
EE2 – Revised impression of EE1, ca 1864.

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Filiation of the sources

                       

Additional source

RC – Copy of a fragment of the beginning of the Polonaise (bars 9-12) from a notebook belonging to Chopin's pupil, Vera Kologrivoff-Rubio. It contains the correction of  to  before the eighth note of the scale in bar 10, written in Chopin's hand.

Principles behind the main text of the
Polonaise in E flat minor Op. 26 No. 2

We base our text on FE2 (the last authentic source) compared with A in order to eliminate accidental changes and oversights by the engraver. We consider the improvements Chopin made when proof-reading FE in passages that repeat as binding on all repetitions, even if they have not – through oversight on the part of the engraver or of Chopin himself – actually been included everywhere. We also take into consideration annotations Chopin made in his pupils' copies.