for piano. Regarded as the highlight among Chopins polonaises, the great Polonaise in A flat major Op. 53 has also become known as octave polonaise because of the distinctive octave passages in the middle section. As was customary at that time, the work was published in a German, English and French first edition each. There also exists an autograph which served as an engravers copy for the German first edition. Some personal copies of Chopin pupils occasionally contain entries of the composer, thus providing additional information, e.g. original fingerings. Unfortunately, all three first editions contain a different,