Maurizio Pollini’s recordings of the Polonaises have attained cult status. Pollini offered playing of outstanding mastery as well as a subtle poetry. His supreme achievement is in suggesting the immediacy of an inspired improvisation, while at the same time preserving the shapely unity of a preconceived whole. To improve the audio quality, the work was mastered and cut from the original 4-track tapes at 45 rpm and redistributed on 2 LPs.
 
“Maurizio Pollini makes it virtually impossible to imagine Chopin's Polonaises played with greater clarity, force and resolution. Not for him the odd approximation or slip of the finger: everything is ruthlessly, indeed frighteningly, concentrated and of the essence.” – Gramophone

Tracklist:

LP 1

Side A

1. Chopin: Polonaise No. 1 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 26 No. 1
2. Chopin: Polonaise No. 2 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 26 No. 2

Side B

1. Chopin: Polonaise No. 3 in A Major, Op. 40 No. 1 “Military“
2. Chopin: Polonaise No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 40 No. 2

LP2

Side C

1. Chopin: Polonaise No. 5 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 44
2. Chopin: Polonaise No. 6 in A-Flat Major, Op. 53 “Heroic“

Side D

1. Chopin: Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-Flat Major, Op. 61