Chopin: Complete Nocturnes

Frédéric Chopin's Nocturnes are among the most beautiful and popular works of piano music. For his new album, the Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki is returning to Chopin's music and, following Chopin: Études (2013) and Works for Piano & Orchestra (2017), a recording of all Nocturnes.

The pianist is often celebrated for his masterfully sensitive and sophisticated readings. His latest publication not only captures the spirit of Chopin's keyboard art, it is also a document of the time in which it was created: "I am the first to question why we record something that has already been recorded so many times" says Lisiecki. "But music only lives when it is played and it is always new when we hear it, even for a recording. I had something else to say about this album. "

Chopin filtered the essence of the song into his nocturnes. The expressiveness of Italian opera and the freedom of Polish folk music inspired him. As a child, Lisiecki was particularly enchanted by the longing melody of Opus 9 No. 1. The piece - the first of 21 that the composer wrote between the late 1820s and 1847 - allowed a glimpse into a vast universe of emotions, musical gestures and timbres . It paved the way for the brilliant student to explore the lyrical side of his instrument.