Next year is Beethoven Year - he was born 250th years ago, in 1770 – and the record industry is lining up a vast number of releases in celebration. Berlin-based Deutsche Grammophon, not surprisingly, is spearheading the campaign with a huge Beethoven Edition and one of the earliest releses is a new set of the five piano concertos.

The young Polish-Canadian pianist, Jan Lisiecki, joined the Academy of St Martin in the Fields for a tour which ended up in Berlin with a live recording.

Lisiecki spoke to James Jolly at the Jurmula Festival in Latvia – where Jan was playing the Fourth Concerto with the Israel Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta, and he explained how this project came about and how the Fourth Concerto occupies a special place in his musical affections and career. 

You can listen to the Podcast above. To hear other Gramophone podcasts, or to subscribe for free to new editions, search for 'Gramophone Magazine' in your Podcast application of choice, or visit Gramophone's page at iTunes. 

Photo: Christoph Köstlin/DG