Pianist Jan Lisiecki and the Bamberg Symphony, conductor Manfred Honeck - Music Box, April 27th, 2026

An album released by the Deutsche Grammophon record label on April 17th, 2026, featuring piano concertos by Mozart performed by Jan Lisiecki and the Bamberg Symphony under the baton of Manfred Honeck.

Specifically, the album includes Concertos Nos. 9 and 22, recorded live in concert on November 12th, 2023. The recording project was conceived to mark the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth-celebrated in 2026-and the choice of Jan Lisiecki for these works is no coincidence: both concertos are written in the key of E-flat major and, as the pianist notes, stand as unique masterpieces within Mozart's cycle of twenty-seven piano concertos. The pianist also speaks of Mozart's genius, characterized by purity, elegance, emotional depth, and intellectual challenge, as well as the rewards awaiting the listener.

Now 31, Jan Lisiecki made his Deutsche Grammophon debut in 2012-also with a Mozart album, featuring Concertos Nos. 20 and 21. He was only 17 at the time, yet he was already astonishing audiences with the maturity and virtuosity of his performances.

Now, we see a mature Jan Lisiecki before us-one who is every bit as impressive as he was 14 years ago.

I have followed Jan Lisiecki since his recording debut, which also featured Mozart concertos. To this day, I believe I have never heard Chopin's Études played more eloquently than he did on an album released when he was just 18. In the meantime, the Canadian-born prodigy of Polish descent-who has rediscovered his Polish roots and built a significant career in Europe-has evolved into a mature pianist who plays with profound musical insight; this is no small feat in an era when outward display and spectacle seem to be all that matter.

On this CD, we discover a Mozart just as I imagine him to have been: not the caricatured figure from the film Amadeus, but a composer of immense inventiveness and intelligence-perhaps less grounded in the practical realities of life, yet simultaneously mature and bohemian. This is the portrait recreated by Jan Lisiecki's interpretation: profound, warm, and mature, with meticulous attention to detail-like fine lace crafted with delicacy and deep dedication. Lisiecki also benefits from collaborating with an outstanding orchestra led by a conductor who is equally attuned to detail and the context of a score's creation: Manfred Honeck, an Austrian with a profound understanding of the music of his compatriot, Mozart.

An extraordinary album!