Duren Connection – Belgian Collection

Duren Connection – Belgian Collection is a suite of twelve short dances for solo piano​ composed in 1990. The title of each track is a humorous and sarcastic criticism of a personality from the Belgian music world. (A good knowledge of the music world of the time and of the Polish language is necessary to decipher this… in Polish, “Duren” means “idiot”.)

It comprises a cycle of stylistically diverse movements roughly totaling 18 minutes in duration​. Each of the twelve pieces is modeled on a popular dance genre – examples include rock, bossa nova, and tango – making the suite a colorful mosaic of dance forms​. The movements are distinct in rhythm and character, yet together they form a “Belgian collection” connected by Lachert’s playful treatment of light music idioms.

Lachert composed this work as a “brilliant nod to light music,” infusing classical piano writing with elements of popular and jazz-influenced styles​. In line with his postmodern approach, the suite blends modern composition techniques with accessible tonal harmonies and familiar rhythms​.

The structure is akin to a Baroque dance suite or an album of character pieces: each dance movement has its own tempo and mood (from the driving beat of a rock or twist, to the lilting sway of a bossa nova, to the dramatic flair of a tango). The musical language is tonal and tuneful, often emphasizing catchy rhythms and syncopation, which gives the work an immediate, lighthearted appeal. Yet, Lachert’s craftsmanship is evident in how he adapts these genres for the concert piano – incorporating virtuosic passagework, dynamic contrasts, and occasional witty twists that play on the listener’s expectations. The result is a set of concise, entertaining pieces that can be performed individually or as an integrated suite.