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Jan Lisiecki brings Mendelssohn's masterpieces to life / New Classical Tracks

"Mendelssohn wrote very elaborate music. It's music that has a lot of notes to say a very simple thing. And I love that because once you've overcome all the notes, everything comes to light - it becomes so simple, as if it was always in front of you."

Jan Lisiecki is a 23-year-old Canadian-born pianist who's recorded works by Mozart, Chopin, Schumann. On his latest release, he's diving into the Romantic masterpieces of Felix Mendelssohn with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

"Of course, the music is from various periods of Mendelssohn's life. But what I think the recording shows is that Mendelssohn had his own language, his own sort of approach to writing, especially for the piano from the very beginning. Of course, the first concerto was written when Mendelssohn was very young. It already has a character, has a style, it has a certain way of approaching the piano which continues as a common thread throughout Mendelssohn's life."

LISTEN TO THE New Classical Tracks INTERVIEW