Elisabeth Leonskaja, a noted protégée of the great Russian pianist
Sviatoslav Richter, recorded this complete set of
Frédéric Chopin's Nocturnes between 1991 and 1992 for Teldec, and this 2007 reissue on the subsidiary Apex label presents the same tracks without remastering. Praised for her thorough command of the keyboard, brilliant virtuosity, and technical polish,
Leonskaja is perhaps best known for her performances of the concerto repertoire, but she is also quite sensitive and expressive in these poetic character pieces, which are some of the most introspective and subtle that
Chopin composed. Teldec's recording is clean and responsive to
Leonskaja's delicate touch and the relatively small sound in resonant acoustics. This album is a fine addition to any
Chopin collection.