Tickets
From £12
A 9% booking fee applies online and over the phone. A £2.50 postage fee is charged where applicable.
Suitable for ages 14+
Main hall
James Lisney returns to St George’s with a garland of romantic piano music inspired by poetry, song, and the spirit of the dance.
James Lisney piano
Liszt Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude
Schubert Drei Klavierstücke, D 946
Chopin Sonata in b, opus 58
Rachmaninoff Lilacs opus 21/5
Daisies opus 38/3
Kreisler Liebesleid; Liebesfreud
Franz Liszt considered his Bénédiction (the third piece of his 1853 piano cycle Harmonies poétiques et religieuses) one of his most significant works, often performing it for house guests. It is a profound meditation on the eponymous poem by Alphonse de Lamartine, interpreting French Romantic sentiments through the most sumptuous of piano writing.
Franz Schubert’s Drei Klavierstücke, written 1827/28, gained their Germanic title from Johannes Brahms who edited the pieces for their first publication in 1868. The first two pieces allude to his own lied and the opera Fierabras, and some commentators see a quote from Handel’s Messiah – a score that Schubert was studying in 1828. The outer sections of the final Allegro, however, are shot through with bohemian dance rhythms and virtuosic piano writing, contrasting the ruminative trio section.
Fryderyk Chopin was intensely interested in the bel canto style of Italian opera and particularly admired the long melodic lines of composers such as Vincenzo Bellini. The sonata presents a rich mixture of melodies and pianistic brilliance, but it is tightly wrought beneath the surface – one of the most satisfying of nineteenth century piano sonatas.
Finally, Rachmaninoff produced affectionate transcriptions of music by Bach, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and others. James Lisney presents two celebrated songs originally written for soprano – and two waltzes that the celebrated violinist Fritz Kreisler passed off as “Old Viennese Dances” before confessing that they were his own. Rachmaninoff’s virtuosic and humorous transcriptions are a splendid tribute from one emigré musician to another.
‘I have nothing but praise for James Lisney’s piano playing; he combines velvet touch and wide range of colour with complete understanding of phrasing and dynamic shading. This is someone who can really give the mechanical box of wires and wood a singing soul’ The Telegraph
Pre-event Food & Drink
Enjoy delicious drinks and light bites from our Café Bar ahead of the event.
Available to pre-order when booking your tickets, you can choose from a selection of house drinks on arrival, accompanied by a mezze board of bread, dips, olives, stuffed peppers, falafel, feta cheese and garden salad (all vegetarian). Just select which option – for one or two people – you would like, before checkout. Or if you’ve already booked, please email boxoffice@stgeorgesbristol.co.uk to add your food to your order.
Your pre-ordered food and drink will be available to collect from the Café Bar from 90 minutes before the event. It’s the perfect way to begin your event experience at St George’s!
Book & Save
Amplify your experience by becoming a member and get:
> Priority Booking
> 10% off drinks in our bar
> No booking fees for up to 10 tickets
> All while supporting exceptional live music and an amazing local charity!
Add a membership at checkout when booking your tickets for all the above and so much more.