Pianist Nicolas van Poucke provides a direct-to-disc performance that serve as a fitting tribute to some of Chopin’s most notable piano works

Nicolas van Poucke, a Dutch pianist, has recorded his second album with Night Dreamer, following In The Moment (2022). The label is known for its unique recording process, where a single-take recording will then be pressed onto vinyl at the label’s own pressing plant. The pianist enjoys the high-stakes nature of the process, stating that what happens “in the moment affects what will happen in the next bar or chord”.

In the upcoming classical album Chopin, Nicolas van Poucke brings this authenticity to the work of the celebrated composer. It will be available on 19 January 2024 as a 4-sided vinyl pressing and across all major digital streaming platforms: the record will feature six of the titular composer’s works, Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 45, Polonaise in F-Sharp, Op. 44, Nocturne In B Major, Op. 32 No. 1, Four Mazurkas Op. 33, Three Waltzes Op. 64 and Ballade No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 23.

As a virtuoso pianist, Nicolas van Poucke contrasts the energetic darkness of the Polonaise in F-sharp minor Opus 44 with the grandeur of the Ballade in G minor Opus 23 as a finale. The “timeless beauty and profound emotional depth of Chopin’s music” is achieved through the authenticity of direct-to-disc performance, revealing the music in “its most honest and purest form”.

Night Dreamer will be releasing another direct-to-disc classical album in Spring 2024 with Nicolas van Poucke, featuring violist Daniel Palmizio.