Not only is Pollini’s version considerably faster, but it’s also more extroverted with some ‘snap’ and flair in the dotted rhythms of the minor-key moments. There are some interesting comparisons to be made here, including Maurizio Pollini’s equally solid 2005 DG recording. The contemplation in Lisiecki’s delivery lets us experience what is comforting and reassuring. This interpretation gets the balance just right: while it’s on the slower side, it is not at all analytical or pedantic. Play it too quickly, and it sounds brusque too slowly, and it drags into oblivion.
2 (track 8) is, in some ways, hard to pull off well despite its friendly and inviting nature. Despite the clear compositional divide between sections, we’re never made to feel that they really exist: each moment plays its role in building a larger story. The work as a whole flows naturally, embracing the piece’s coy personality as well as its bit of drama. 2 F# major (track 5) has a delightfully improvisatory feel to it, and not just through the melody’s fluid embellishments. The pianist’s juxtaposition of these characters is stark and effective, and they appear to embody two different sides of the night. An unexpected surprise awaits, however, in the form of a brief but tempestuous middle section. The opening has us almost convinced that it’s an extended, soothing lullaby. 1 F major (track 4), for instance, is not musically complicated per se, and the performer adds to this simplicity a peaceful and innocent charm. 15 Nocturnes are among the composer’s earliest however, they already show his proclivity for creating multidimensionality despite the straightforward relationships between textures and lines.