Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40
17 Variations sérieuses in D minor, Op. 54
Rondo capriccioso in E major, Op. 14
Song Without Words in G minor "Venetian Gondola Song", Op. 19b/6

A few years back I posted this review of the Chopin Piano Concertos performed by the then 14-year-old Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki and remarked that, for a teenager, he already possessed a profound understanding of the emotional impulse within the music. And this time around, with the more classically influenced music of Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), the same impression rings through, again especially within the slow movements of both concertos, with now an added level of brio and technical ebullience within the fast outer movements. Mendelssohn may at times sound a bit academic and out of step with his times, but there's no lack of vitality and vibrancy within these pages, and Jan Lisiecki certainly makes the most of it. In his hands each and every note is as important as the next one, and his timely accents punctuate the rhythmic pulse and momentum very well. The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra which has been actively releasing highly acclaimed recordings for DG for around 30 years now, support the piano's agility with featherweight precision at all times. Their limited number of musicians (~20) is ideal for this type of music.

The grace, nobility and perfectly rounded form of the solo piano works also benefit from Lisiecki's instinctively judicious and lyrical approach. His subtle nuances in the Rondo capriccioso lend this piece a much stronger character than I had ever perceived before, and a previously unheard sadness permeates his account of the Venetian Gondola Song. This is a level of musicianship you would expect to hear from a well seasoned pianist and not a 23-year-old. The road forward looks like an endless open highway from here.