I was comparing the Polonaise Op. 41 no. 1 Henle Urtext edition with the Schirmer Mikuli edition, and found some startling differences. Allow me to list some examples: In measure 3, the last right hand chord according to Henle is C#-A-D, but in the Schirmer it is D-A-D. In measure 31 of the Henle, the first right hand chord is C#-G-A-#C, where is it C#-G-C# in the Schirmer. In measure 37 according to Henle, the first note is an A octace in the right hand, and followed by F-C-F in the left hand. In the schirmer edition, that A octave has an Eb and the left hand also contains en Eb. (The same situation applies for measure 38.) My first thought was to play it as the Henle suggests, since Mikuli might of changed some notes around. Is the Henle the best and most accurate version to trust? Are those aforementioned measures correct in the Henle? I learned this piece a while back using the Schirmer, but now the Henle editon makes me want to make some changes, since it seems more definative.

CrashTest,

Have you compared the differences with the Polish edition? I strongly recommend doing that. Dover, as I understand, is the Polish edition. Next you can listen to a few well-received recordings by the likes say, Pollini, Cherkasky, Rubinstein and more recently Biret and see what these artists use or do. Thirdly try on your own all the different notations to come up with your personal dicisions. I don't think there is any definitive notations for that matter. As long as what you decide to do makes musical and technical sense to Chopin's style and your liking I'd say go ahead play that way. All I'm saying is that I won't be overly bogged down by it.