Oginski Polonaise In A Minor

The extremely popular and well-liked Polonaise in A minor, popularized under the title "Farewell to the Homeland", has long been considered the work of Michał Kleofas Ogiński. Since neither the autograph of the piece nor the piano edition published during Ogiński's lifetime, signed with the composer's name, is known, its hypothetical history could only be reconstructed on the basis of preserved editions. There are four editions from the first half of the 19th century (one for piano and three for guitar), differing in motifs and structure. However, among the known editions from the second half of the 19th century, the most significant were the versions by Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński (published around 1855) and Antoni Kocipiński from 1859. The subject of this edition is the first of them, prepared by Adam Rieger.