Jan Lisiecki: Preludes

On his new album Canadian star pianist Jan Lisiecki brings the diverse sounds of the prelude to life, highlighting that it is far more than just a curtain-raiser to something else. Frédéric Chopin's extraordinary 24 Préludes, op.28, are inspiration and centrepiece of this recording. For Lisiecki, Chopin was a "master of the short form" who "brought the prelude out of the shadows and into the spotlight". Chopin's pieces are complemented and contrasted with selected preludes by other composers from across three centuries, each representing a pinnacle of achievement in the genre - from Bach, Messiaen, Rachmaninov to Górecki. Lisiecki seeks "to showcase the broad possibilities of the humble prelude" that takes "the audience on a musical expedition" through these kaleidoscopic miniatures.