James Lisney - Piano Recital

The Magic of Piano: From Divine Silence to Romantic Rapture

James Lisney will perform at Rudolfinum a programme of masterworks from the piano repertoire. The demands on the performer are high: flawless virtuosity alone is not enough - maturity and the ability to tell stories without words are essential.

The first half opens with Franz Liszt's "Benediction of God in Solitude", one of his most profound works, emerging from silence and contemplation. This is followed by Schubert's "Three Piano Pieces" D 946 - a late work suffused with melancholy, hidden restlessness and heartfelt melodic beauty. The climax of the first half is Chopin's Piano Sonata op. 58, a drama full of passion, technical brilliance and lyrical poetry.

The conclusion belongs to Rachmaninoff. His piano miniatures capture the fragility of nature and Slavic nostalgia. The evening closes with the famous violin melodies of Fritz Kreisler, which Rachmaninoff arranged into sparkling piano arrangements in the Viennese style.

The dramaturgy forms a unified whole: it leads from inner solitude and prayer through the dramatic struggles of the romantic soul to the joy of life.

"This programme allows no room for hesitation. It demands a pianist who can whisper in prayer one moment and unleash a storm on the keys the next."

Programme:
- Franz Liszt (1811-1886) - "Benediction of God in Solitude"
- Franz Schubert (1797-1828) - "Three Piano Pieces / Drei Klavierstücke, D 946"
- Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) - "Sonata in B-flat minor, op. 58"
- Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) - "Lilacs, op. 21/5"
- Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) - "Daisies, op. 38/3"
- Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) - "Liebesleid; Liebesfreud (Fritz Kreisler)"