Chopin: The Complete Waltzes (Ott)

I never really thought that Lipatti’s recordings of the Chopin waltzes could be surpassed until I heard this. If you thought Chopin’s Waltzes were trivial salon showpieces, this recording should quickly convince you otherwise: Ott plumbs the Waltzes’s almost neurotic expressive refinement, their sudden plunges from intimacy to brilliance. She navigates harmonic changes with great sensitivity, and her use of rubato is spectacular: barely noticeable, but incredibly effective. Ott also has a gift for varying