James Lisney plays Chopin

James Lisney returns to St George’s with some of Chopin’s best-loved piano music, a programme that 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).

“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.”