The Seasons – October: Year-long Tchaikovsky series bridging music, poetry and visual art

Contemporary multimedia arts project The Seasons marks the month of October with a Tchaikovsky piano performance, an original poem and a new illustration.

Belgian concert pianist Marie François is the creative spirit behind this artistic experience that celebrates the seasons throughout 2026. It commemorates the 150th anniversary of Tchaikovsky’s 12 piano pieces that were originally performed throughout 1876.

This new version features the composer’s works, performed by François, alongside 12 new poems by four writers and 12 illustrations by Juliane Noll. The Dutch-language poems by Lize Spit, Max Temmerman, Ester Naomi Perquin and Joke van Leeuwen are spoken by Koen De Bouw and have been translated into English by David Colmer.

The poems and illustrations are published each month in Flemish daily De Standaard, The Bulletin and on radio NPO4 in the Netherlands. A link at the end of this article provides access to the musical recordings.

Marie François has recorded a CD (pictured above) with all 12 piano pieces that will be released on 6 November and premiered in a live performance at De Arenberg on 4 November.  

Read an interview with Marie François here.

12 months, 12 pieces of music, 12 poems

Falling (October)

I fall and grab hold 
of the stalks of weeds, the arms of chairs
dog chains, bicycle racks 
firmly fastened friends

anchored, my lead fills with legs
my pockets with sand, my hollows with mouths 

I fall again, out of people’s arms, 
en route I put scales back on eyes
desmithereen a plate, unlump a bump, raise the curtain 
shock people out of swoons 
toss cold things from rooftops and pluck people from bushes 
they haven’t beaten around in their own gardens
stuff leaves back into treetops 

in the process setting a few individuals to believing
sideswiping flies and the mercy  
I squeeze back into tune
appointing a few governments, buttering their parsnips
and ungilding their lilies, lifting warriors up off their swords
waking sleepers – timber! –
with their own logs

from one surprise into another, I fall higher
and higher, in richer and richer soil
and finally in love: 
so uncommonly well aligned with you

Lize Spit
Translated by David Colmer

Listen to this month's audio recording here

The Seasons is a project by Marie François in collaboration with VONK & Zonen, and made possible by Mercier Van Lanschot.

Photo: Marie François ©Carmen De Vos