Ballade in G Minor, Op. 23 No. 1
Nocturne in F Major, Op. 15 No. 1
Ballade in F Major, Op. 38 No. 2
Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1
Ballade in A-Flat Major, Op. 47 No. 3
Nocturne in B Major, Op. 62 No. 1
Ballade in F Minor, Op. 52 No. 4

One of the many aspects I admire about Leif Ove Andsnes' playing, is that he can always extract gold from the soil without the need for a pickax and shovel. By this I mean that unlike some pianists, he doesn't fuss over details or feel the need to micromanage, or manipulate each and every note as if it holds a key to the expressive narrative of a piece. He sees the arc, the long line of a composition, and allows the music to flow and speak for itself. After all, I'm sure Chopin knew what he was doing when he composed these long, allegorical tales he titled 'Ballades'. Unlike the shorter Preludes, Etudes or Mazurkas, it's the dénouement of the journey that presents and holds the logic of the work, not only its harmonic progression or technical demands. So a good pianist need only follow the expressive directions, which are clearly marked, and the music will always lead home. It's like a hamburger; if you overdo it with the spices and condiments then you can't taste the meat. If you enjoy Murray Perahia's interpretations, I'm sure you will find that Leif Ove Andsnes comes from the same school of thought. In the booklet notes Andsnes states that the Ballades are "absolute music" whose stories are told through architectural juxtapositions and he obviously knows how to connect the building blocks. An excellent recording of someone presenting the music of Frederic Chopin at face value.