Search - Chopin, Lympany :: Nocturnes 1-19 / Waltzes 1-14

Worth seeking out

Dean, London | 09/29/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Quite a find, this recording. A complete set of Waltzes and nearly all the Nocturnes, played by one of the greatest female English concert pianists of the post-war period. Lympany plays beautifully, with great conviction, and the sound quality is superb - warm, very realistic and much better than the age of the recordings (1958-60) might suggest. On the whole, I found this set very rewarding. Occasionally I found myself questioning her judgements about tempo: in particular, she plays some of the Nocturnes faster than I would like, but I guess that's largely a matter of individual taste. Personally I prefer the more introspective approach exemplified by Arrau or Barenboim (particularly in the early hours when this music is at its most enchanting). However, this is a minor quibble and most Chopin fans will not be disappointed."

One of a kind - brilliant tone, brilliant playing

Douglas Makepeace | 05/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the moment you hear her touch the keys, you can tell this is the sound a piano should make - a rich tone, limpid maybe, of course I can't tell if it is the technique she uses or some special piano, am not an expert on Lympany. Then the playing - a legato singing sound, just sometimes her tempos are so fast that there is too much music to comprehend in each second. Ashkenazy can play the notes even faster, but what a mistake. And Arrau may play slower but without the tone or the thought behind each note. If anyone can suggest a more enjoyable pianist after listening to Lympany, [...]"