Emmanuel Despax prefaces his recording of Chopin’s Preludes with a booklet-note that explains his concern for textual accuracy and avoidance of ‘unauthorised’ markings in regard to dynamics, pedalling and phrasing. Fair enough, yet his quest for intimacy and authenticity largely yields reticent, overly careful results. Despax’s sedate left-hand runs in the G major (No 3) have nothing on Argerich, Pollini, Ashkenazy & co, while little hesitancies and ritards at the tops of phrases in Nos 8, 10, 12 and 19 impede the music’s momentum. No 16 is held back, rhythmically loose and hardly con fuoco, and No 24’s rising scales lack thrust. In this context Nos 14 and 22 are surprisingly assertive and angular, but that’s 82 riveting seconds out of 41 largely uneventful minutes.

While Despax’s sensitivity is never in doubt, the Berceuse grows more flaccid and shapeless as it progresses. However, the Barcarolle has real backbone and dynamism, capped by a coda where the well-contoured polyphony truly sings out. Too bad the Preludes lack comparable projection and profile. If you like your Chopin Preludes designed to drawing-room specifications, Ivan Moravec’s more nuanced and imaginative conceptions beat Despax at his own game.