The dedication in AI differs from the later one that Chopin wrote in A (→GE→FE→EE) for the entire opus. However, in the editors' opinion, we cannot talk here about the change of dedication, as Mme Linde was only given a keepsake manuscript of one Mazurka, while the dedication for Count Perthuis related to the entire musical work consisting of four Mazurkas.
Obviously, substitution of Chopin's "4" with 'Quatre' does not alter the sense of the authentic title. Still, the phrase "Souvenir de la Pologne" added in EE, not an isolated instance for Chopin's works published by Wessel & Co, is surely inauthentic. Chopin did not approve of the pretentious titles invented by Wessel and repeatedly made his disapproval known to his English editor. This is how he wrote about it in a letter to Julian Fontana of 9 Oct. 1841: "Now about Wessel: he is a windbag and a cheat. [...] if he has lost on my compositions, it is doubtless because of the silly titles which he has given them without my consent and in spite of the strong objection several times expressed by Mr. Stapleton; [...] if I were to listen to my feelings, I would never send him anything more after those titles".
Compare the passage in the sources »
category imprint: Differences between sources
issues: EE inaccuracies
notation: Verbal indications
