ECM 2026: Sir András Schiff - The Art of Fugue

Sir András Schiff piano

Bach The Art of Fugue 

One of the most revered pianists of our time, Sir András Schiff returns to the National Concert Hall, after almost fifteen years, to perform Bach’s unfinished masterpiece The Art of Fugue, a work he has called “the greatest work by the greatest composer who ever lived.” 

A Grammy Award-winner and acclaimed interpreter of Bach, Schiff has shaped generations of listeners with his recordings and performances of Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, Goldberg Variations, and the Partitas.

Described by The Arts Desk as “probably the greatest living exponent of his (Bach’s) music,” Schiff’s playing combines “sublime clarity” with a rare bal-ance of “freedom and form” (BBC Proms). 

Reflecting on his 2024 Wigmore Hall performance of The Art of Fugue, he said: “I’ve waited 70 years to play this work… You cannot climb Mount Everest immediately… this is the climax.” This is a unique opportunity to witness a towering artist bring a monumental masterpiece to life.

Presented by NCH

The National Concert Hall’s ECM 2026 series, celebrating the pioneering German label, is part of Ireland’s Cultural Programme for the 2026 Presidency of the Council of the European Union, supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.