The Transformation of Preludes – Trans-Formation I

You may be familiar with the preludes of Bach, Chopin, and perhaps even those of Rachmaninov, but have you ever immersed yourself in the preludes of Karol Szymanowski, Olivier Messiaen, or Henryk Górecki? If not, this is your chance: The Canadian-Polish pianist Jan Lisiecki is still vivid in our memories, having graced the Gstaad Festival Tent in 2022, performing Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto with the Gstaad Festival Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden. With this year’s programme, Jan Lisiecki traces the evolution of the prelude: originating as a musical form in the Baroque era, the term is a fusion of the Latin words prae and ludere, meaning “to play beforehand”. Over the centuries, composers have further developed this form, undergoing a true “Transformation”, fitting seamlessly with our Festival motto this year. Regardless of which composers have taken on the prelude, there always lingers a tribute to the great Johann Sebastian and his incomparable Well-Tempered Clavier.