Preludes

Preludes, the Beginning of Music

The word “prelude” originally meant a short introductory piece before a longer work. But in Chopin’s hands, the prelude was elevated into an independent art form.

Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28, use the twenty-four major and minor keys to write twenty-four different states of mind—short, yet like a complete world.

And this album by Jan Lisiecki sets out from Chopin, spanning Bach, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen, and Górecki—a journey through the history of the prelude.

Chopin’s Heartbeat

Lisiecki’s understanding of Chopin stands out among pianists of his generation.

He doesn’t play Chopin as “salon music”; he lets each prelude reveal its own emotional world. That famous “Raindrop” prelude he plays with both serenity and deep melancholy.

One Album, a History

This album’s most fascinating aspect is its programming—it doesn’t just “throw preludes together,” but lets them converse with each other.

From Bach’s preludes (Well-Tempered Clavier), to Chopin’s Op. 28, to Rachmaninoff’s various preludes, to Messiaen’s early color-rich preludes, to Górecki’s holy-minimalist preludes—you can hear how the prelude genre evolved over three centuries.

Why Listen

This album was hailed by The Classic Review as “pushing Lisiecki’s art to a new height.”

Lisiecki’s pure touch, clear part-writing, and restrained emotion make this album suitable both for newcomers to classical music and for seasoned listeners to savor.

Further Listening

If you love Lisiecki’s piano, Alice Sara Ott’s Complete Nocturnes is another lyrical piano gem. And Yuja Wang’s Turangalîla shows another possibility of the piano.