Chopin Nocturnes & Polonaises

Frederic Chopin’s music is among the most performed and oft-recorded of its genre. This presents an interesting challenge for modern pianists: how might one approach the music of a composer whose performance traditions are so well-established? Here, Viv McLean invites us to explore the complex and sometimes competing facets of Chopin’s musical personality. The album title provides some insight. It doesn’t simply describe the works included on the album—other types of pieces are included as well—but also suggests a lens through which the works are to be viewed. If the nocturne signifies Chopin’s love for the human voice and the polonaise represents his love for the national dance of his homeland, McLean’s approach seeks to marry the two, finding songs in the dances and dances in the songs. As a result, the performances are richly textured. His playing is improvisatory yet logical, sensitive but confident. This is a worthy addition to any collection (Piano Magazine)

Extraordinary originality, superb simplicity, and fingers of steel hidden behind muscles of velvet. He is an otherworldly young man – he plays with the genius one finds in those who know how to forget themselves, naturally placing themselves at the right point to meet the music, this mystery of the moment (Le Monde, Paris)