James Lisney plays Chopin

James Lisney piano

Frederyk Chopin (1810-1849)
Nocturne in E minor, [Op.72/1]
Lento con gran espressione
Fantaisie-impromptu in C sharp minor, [Op.66]
Ballade in G minor, Op.23
Nocturnes, Op.27
Impromptu in A flat, Op.29
Impromptu in F sharp, Op.36
Ballade in F, Op.38
Nocturnes, Op.55
Ballade in A flat, Op.47
Impromptu in G flat, Op.51
Ballade in F minor, Op.52
Nocturnes, Op.62

“Bach is an astronomer, discovering the most marvellous stars. Beethoven challenges the universe. I only try to express the soul and the heart of man.”
Frederyk Chopin

Chopin’s genius changed the course of the piano - and music itself - yet it also bridged the gap between the connoisseur and the casual listener. The great Polish pianist Arthur Rubinstein, reflecting on his long career, noted how Chopin’s music transcends barriers, uniting people from all walks of life, saying, “Sometimes, I think that I am not so much a pianist but a vampire. All my life, I have lived off the blood of Chopin.”

James Lisney returns to the Bradshaw Hall at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with some of Chopin’s best-loved piano music. This programme displays the Polish composer’s mastery of epic narration (the ballades), profound poetry (a representative selection of nocturnes), and the skills of the salon virtuoso (the impromptus).

“Audiences and pianists love this music, and playing it is a fascinating challenge. Chopin gets to the heart of our physical relationship with the instrument and the beauty and meaning implicit in the score. His music exemplifies exactitude and classical values combined with the virtuoso skills of poetic recreation and improvisation.”
James Lisney

"Chopin’s piano music is regarded as some of the most beautiful and challenging of all time, yet Lisney faced it with assurance and bravery. The intensity and energy of his performance were consistent throughout… I couldn’t fault Lisney’s technically and musically perfect playing at Wigmore Hall. This, mixed with the thoughtfully planned programme, produced a gem of a concert that will stay in the memory for a long time. FIVE STARS"
Musicomh.com

"James Lisney has the rare ability to play Chopin with a genuine pianissimo, as well as possessing a full range of power and sensitivity when required. Chopin playing of fine quality and discernment."
Musical Opinion

"The second half of his recital was devoted to Chopin, and he prepared the way for the B flat minor Sonata with exquisitely controlled performances of the opus 55 Nocturnes, well served by his beautifully sonorous, impeccably controlled playing. The Sonata itself is somewhat tougher, of course, and though never compromising the distinctive quality of his playing, Lisney was still able to match its demands so that the strange finale, too often given like an irrelevant postscript, here assumed the qualities of a veritable transfiguration."
The Times

Running time approx. one hour and 50 minutes