It kind of works, this juxtaposition of Yann Tiersen’s catchy film themes with some of Chopin’s greatest hits. The simplicity and stylistic sympathy with which Ieva Dudaite plays Tiersen should appeal to anyone who likes his themes from Amélie, or the pretty “Philip Glass meets Michel Legrand” Yuzin. This is exactly the right music for classical radio DJs seeking attractive crossover filler. However, when it comes to Chopin, Dudaite is way out of her element.
Heavy and gauche phrasing runs the C-sharp minor Waltz into the ground. Her uneven trills and overpedaling in the “Minute” Waltz are provincial at best, not to mention her crudely accented downbeats and predictable hesitations in the E-flat Op. 9 No. 2 Nocturne. The G minor Ballade contains some sensitive phrasings and dynamic shadings, but the introduction is stretched like taffy, and caution kicks in when Chopin’s technical demands increase. Tasteful Tiersen and terrible Chopin sums up Dudaite’s interpretations.
