ECM 2026 • Fred Hersch
4/30/2026
at 8:00 PM
/ Freiburg im Breisgau
Fred Hersch opens the ECM Festival Freiburg 2026 on the Steinway D grand piano in the Historical Kaufhaus Freiburg at Münsterplatz. The concert centers around the solo album "Silent, Listening," released by ECM in 2024 and acclaimed worldwide by critics.
Among the great jazz pianists of our time, Fred Hersch has held a special position for years: He is not only a "living legend" (The New Yorker) but has also significantly influenced a whole generation of pianists as a teacher, from Brad Mehldau to Sullivan Fortner to Jason Moran. Hersch's distinctive touch and impressionistic tone have often been compared to Bill Evans. At the same time, he loves to incorporate elements from classical music.
Fascinating: Listening to this music is like hearing a spontaneously invented speech. It's almost as if one could listen to the pianist's thoughts. A music that seems to spontaneously find its way, constantly open to new small detours and unexpected discoveries. And this is true, regardless of whether a melodic theme or harmonies were already written on a sheet of music. Fred Hersch is one of the outstanding improvisers of contemporary jazz. On this solo album, recorded in 2023 in Lugano, Switzerland, he takes listeners on a particularly quiet, introspective adventure. […] The eleven pieces on the album are loud masterpieces by Fred Hersch. With very soft and often halting tones, he has reached a summit here. Roland Spiegel, Bayerischer Rundfunk (‘Jazz album of the month’)
A special state of immersion is also required by the pure solo performance, especially when it is full of risks, avoids self-certainties, and does not present a virtuosic treat from the comfort zone. And exactly such a rare solo piano work of solitary class has been achieved by the 68-year-old Fred Hersch. He is not a pianist who captivates his listeners with overwhelming pathos. His play, which appears cool and controlled on the surface, quickly transforms into a constantly erupting, enormously rich sensory magic with attentive listening. Alongside his own pieces, he chose to present three classics in exchange with producer Manfred Eicher. The title of the album could not be more fitting: 'Silent, Listening'. Michael Engelbrecht, Deutschlandfunk
A rough, nighttime atmosphere hovers over each of the eleven titles. Hersch operates more within the piano, yet remains open to influences and developments, exploratory and free, even with standards like ‘Star-Crossed Lovers,’ which he interprets sparsely and ghostly. […] He has exposed himself, offers points of attack, and thus appears more authentic and emotional than ever before. Reinhard Köchl, Jazzthing
Hersch begins with the gently penetrating and introspective interpretation of a rather little-known wonderful standard by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, ‘Star-Crossed Lovers’. He then continues with six original compositions in a kind of anatomy of invention: even in titles like ‘Night Tide Light,’ ‘Silent, Listening,’ or ‘Starlight’ never overtly impressionistic; in the abstract excursions, for instance, to the edges of the keyboard, never forced; in the touchingly melodic never sentimental; in the few orchestrally expansive never pathetic. This also applies to the impressive unfolding of a find, Russ Freeman's ‘The Wind’, a joyfully exuberant, delicate version of the classic ‘Softly as in a Morning Sunrise’, and to the beautiful, rather rare piece by Alec Wilder, ‘Winter of My Discontent’. A self-dialogue, as said. A blessing that we are part of it. Peter Rüedi, Weltwoche
Doors open at 7 PM
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
_jm3289.jpg){kind=link}