In the hands of brilliant English pianist Stephen Hough, the complete waltzes of Frédéric Chopin are polished miniatures of great precision, elegant phrasing, balanced contrasts, and sparkling expression, and they easily stand out among the many recordings issued or reissued since the bicentennial of the composer's birth. That Hyperion waited until the hubbub died down and released this album in 2011 seems understandable, if there were any fears critics might miss it in the rush, though it plainly would have ranked among ...
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In the hands of brilliant English pianist Stephen Hough, the complete waltzes of Frédéric Chopin are polished miniatures of great precision, elegant phrasing, balanced contrasts, and sparkling expression, and they easily stand out among the many recordings issued or reissued since the bicentennial of the composer's birth. That Hyperion waited until the hubbub died down and released this album in 2011 seems understandable, if there were any fears critics might miss it in the rush, though it plainly would have ranked among the best discs of 2010, the year it was in fact recorded. Hough's take on Chopin is fluid and somewhat elastic, and there is considerable use of rubato in these performances, though it is always controlled and never feels impulsive or self-indulgent. Indeed, with Hough's crisp rhythms and delicate melodic filigree, the ebb and flow of the tempo seem carefully thought through and not subject to whim. Tracks 1 to 8 are the published waltzes, though the unpublished waltzes and the waltzes...
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Add this copy of Chopin: the Complete Waltzes to cart. $13.05, good condition, Sold by Stephen White Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bradford, WEST YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2011 by Hyperion.
Add this copy of Complete Waltzes to cart. $27.22, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2011 by Hyperion.
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