The Canadian pianist performs one of Chopin’s best-known nocturnes, the opening track of his newly released album LUNARIS.
Bruce Liu turns to Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27 No. 2 in a new video released in connection with his latest Deutsche Grammophon album, LUNARIS.
The work has a particular resonance in Liu’s repertoire. The Canadian pianist rose to international prominence after winning the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2021, and Chopin has remained an important presence in his recording and concert career.
In the new performance, Liu brings a fluid, intimate approach to the nocturne, allowing its long melodic lines and elaborate ornamentation to unfold with a sense of freedom while preserving the work’s underlying tranquillity.
A nocturnal journey
Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2 opens Liu’s new album, LUNARIS, released by Deutsche Grammophon on 7 August 2026. The concept album explores night, imagination and introspection through music spanning several centuries.
At its centre are two Beethoven sonatas, the “Moonlight” Sonata, Op. 27 No. 2, and the “Waldstein” Sonata, Op. 53. The programme also includes Debussy’s Rêverie, Bach’s Prelude in B minor in Alexander Siloti’s arrangement, works by Mompou, Ligeti and Scriabin, Agnes Obel’s Tokka and John Cage’s Dream.
Rather than presenting the pieces as an anthology, Liu conceived LUNARIS as a continuous journey through different states of nocturnal reflection, moving between intimacy, fantasy and illumination.
The album is available digitally, on CD and on vinyl.
Watch Bruce Liu perform Chopin’s Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27 No. 2:
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