Live Review: Hania Rani @ Warsaw (2024-10-19)
An exploration of an evolution of classical music
Event Details:
Date: October 19, 2024
Venue: Warsaw (Brooklyn)
Ticket Price: $43.75
Artists: Hania Rani
They say you shouldn’t go grocery shopping when you are hungry, well you probably shouldn’t look for concert tickets while the serotonin is still flowing from the last one. After last night’s show, I was browsing the bandsintown app and saw Hania Rani was playing Warsaw so I made a late night impulse purchase. I don’t recall where I first learned of the Polish modern classic pianist, probably a
recommendation, but I actually love her music for reading especially. I find it entrancing and soothing to get lost into a good book while it plays in the background.Seeing a Polish musician at a Polish event hall naturally meant I needed to eat some pierogis while I waited for the show to start, and what a delicious way to bide some time. The concert started about 15 minutes later than scheduled but we were in for an absolute treat once Hania took the stage.
This felt like more than just another concert, it was a musical journey. The fact that it is one person on stage creating something that has this much depth and beauty is astonishing. Her music ebbs and flows as she builds tension through the use of dramatic chord progressions and finds resolution with the most delicate touch of the keys or through her powerful vocals. It was also a sight to behold watching her shifting between multiple pianos, keyboards and synthesizes so effortlessly.
Her set had very few breaks and each song seemingly morphed into the next creating a very cinematic feel at times. Some of the songs were more intense, feverishly pecking away at the keys, and others were more soft. She also utilizes a lot of ambient and atmospheric electronic sounds in her music, bringing the modern classical roots into the next generation.
Although the set started late, she performed for nearly two hours and you could tell she put enormous pressure on herself to deliver a flawless set. And that she did. The audience was extremely respectful and you could hear a pen drop in the venue. Following both the main portion of the set and the encore she received a much deserved roaring ovation from the crowd. The symbolic evening was not lost on her either, as she mentioned how special it was to be in the heart of the Polish community of Brooklyn and playing an historic Polish venue. Amazing concert and no regrets with my decision to go.
Cheers and keep rocking!