Saint-Saëns plays Chopin (Nocturne - Op. 15, No. 2)

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921). Piano roll (Welte-Mignon) made in 1905. “Through Mme. Viardot {pianist, singer, one of Chopin’s closest associates during the last decade of his life} [...] I learned the true secret of tempo rubato [...where] the accompaniment holds its rhythm undisturbed while the melody wavers capriciously, rushes or lingers, sooner or later to fall back upon its axis. This way of playing is very difficult since it requires complete independence of the two hands; and those lacking this give themselves and others the illusion of it by playing the melody in time and dislocating the accompaniment so that it falls beside the beat; or else - worst of all - content themselves with simply playing one hand after the other. It would be a hundred times better just to play in time, with both hands together.“ from Quelque mots sur l’éxecution des oeuvres de Chopin, 1910.