Jan Michiels | Piano Recital

Jan Michiels | Piano Recital KCB 2026
Concert
Data
,
19:00
Location
Small Concert Hall, Kleine Zavel 5, 1000 Brussels
Price
Free entrance
Reservation
No reservation required

Jan Michiels | Piano Recital

On the occasion of György Kurtág’s hundredth birthday (°1926), a selection of his piano works will be performed, framed by all of Béla Bartók’s piano works from 1926.

György Kurtág is a Hungarian composer, best known for his highly concentrated piano music, in which every sound carries great expressive weight. His short piano pieces combine simplicity with emotional intensity and demand exceptional precision from the performer. This programme features, among others, works from his iconic piano cycle Játékok, celebrated worldwide for its innovative and almost intimate approach to the instrument. Pieces such as Hommage à Kurtág Márta and In memoriam Ligeti Ilona further illustrate the deeply personal and commemorative character of his musical language. Kurtág’s piano music has achieved international acclaim because it attains maximum expressive power with minimal means.

Programme

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
from Colinde II: Nrs 6 & 7

György Kurtág (°1926)
from Játékok: …scraps of a colinda melody – faintly recollected…

Béla Bartók 
from Piano Sonata, BB 88: I. Allegro moderato

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Praeludium und Choral

Béla Bartók 
from Piano Sonata, BB 88: II. Sostenuto e pesante

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Jubilate

Béla Bartók 
from Piano Sonata, BB 88: Sonata BB 88-III. Allegro molto

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Mihály András in memoriam

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90, Book 1, "4 Dialogen": I. Moderato

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Virág az ember…

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90, Book 1, "4 Dialogen": II. Andante

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: A Flower for Márta

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90, Book 1, "4 Dialogen": III. Lento

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Hommage à Kurtág Márta

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90, Book 1, "4 Dialogen": IV. Allegro vivace

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Fanfares 

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90: Menuetto

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Doppel Consolation

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90: Air

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Rituale

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90: Marcia delle bestie

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: In memoriam Ligeti Ilona

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90: Tamburin

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: all’Ongherese

Béla Bartók 
from Neun kleine Klavierstücke, BB 90: Preludio all’Ungherese

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: …scraps of a colinda melody-faintly recollected…

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
from Colinde II: Nr. 7

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
from Im Freien,BB 89: I. Mit Trommeln und mit Pfeifen

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Klagegesang

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
from Im Freien,BB 89: II. Barcarola

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: und noch ein Brief an Péter Eötvös

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
from Im Freien,BB 89: III. Musettes

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Erinnerung an eine reine Seele

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
from Im Freien,BB 89: IV. Klänge der Nacht

György Kurtág 
from Játékok: Les Adieux (in Janáçeks Manier)

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
from Im Freien,BB 89: V. Hetzjagd

Jan Michiels

Since being a laureate in the Brussels Queen Elisabeth competition 1991 Jan Michiels has been known for his very personal and multi-layered approach to the piano repertoire, combining old and new in always changing perspectives. Numerous recordings testify his activity - to quote a few, 'Lost in Venice with Prometheus', 'The War of the Romantics' or 'Slavic Soul' (all published by Fuga Libera) contain music from Bach till today seen from the position of a performer composing his programmes through a continuous dialogue with living music history. Jan Michiels worked indeed closely with composers such as a.o. G.Kurtág, H.Holliger, H.Lachenmann, K.Goeyvaerts, K.Huber, R. Groslot and K.Defoort. One of his main inspiration sources is Luigi Nono, who stood at the centre of his doctorate in the Arts 'Teatro dell'Ascolto' (2011).

Learn more about Jan Michiels.

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