Here is a Chopin recital to make you think again...Rarely has Chopin been so decidedly taken out of the salon and made to speak with such a dark, rich and full eloquence...such a dramatic reappraisal lifts Chopin far above more familiar glamorous and facile considerations. The Ballade, in particular, is superb.

McDermott has a really distinctive artistic voice, and it’s a fascinating one. Her Chopin resembles few others. You almost certainly do not have a reading of the C-sharp minor waltz that sounds like this one. I’d commend this most highly if you need to be stimulated by Chopin that’s quite different from the norm; I’d recommend it least if harshness and steeliness aren’t traits you want to hear in this composer.