Chopin’s 21 Nocturnes, often described as ‘songs of the night’, are among the most well-known and beautiful of Chopin’s short solo piano works. Divine Art is thrilled to present pianist Tom Hicks’ insightful new recording of these works which synthesizes his research into Chopin’s performance and composition practices with modern listeners’ expectations via a ‘stunning technical agility’ (American Record Guide). Dr Kim Sauberlich’s excellent liner notes delve deeper into this often-forgotten performance, teaching, and historical recording practice and, together with the 21 pieces on this album, pose fascinating questions about authenticity and interpretation. Chopin’s practice of sending manuscripts to publishers in multiple countries, while continuing to edit, led to multiple, authentic first editions which are not often heard in performance today, and even less in recordings. In this recording, Tom has tastefully incorporated some of these variants, alongside historically informed choices about tempo rubato and pedaling, to create a version of the Nocturnes that feels fresh, individual, and truly authentic. He has even included minor and occasional improvisations, paying homage to the composer’s multifaceted creative process, in which improvisation was central.