Jan Lisiecki

About the Event

For an enchanting evening of piano masterworks, head to the magnificent Palais des Beaux‐Arts in Brussels to savor the timeless compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach, Frederic Chopin, Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff, Olivier Messiaen, Karol Maciej Szymanowski, and Henryk Gorecki. The essence of music, distilled: this is the prelude. Ever since Chopin established this form as a standalone genre, its appeal has only grown. The talented young Polish Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki navigates through this landscape, revealing the unique ways composers have molded the form. He transitions from Chopin, the genre’s progenitor, to Rachmaninov’s virtuosic works and Szymanowski’s emotionally rich pieces. Also featured are Messiaen’s vivid, ecstatic preludes and Gorecki’s terse set, while Bach is indispensable. Lisiecki presents Bach’s adept keyboard compositions anew, showcasing them as standalone preludes. His nuanced, delicate playing captures the terse essence of the genre, where every subtle detail is pivotal.