Scherzo for piano No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20, CT. 197
Scherzo for piano No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31, CT. 198
Scherzo for piano No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39, CT. 199
Scherzo for piano No. 4 in E major, Op. 54, CT. 200
Impromptu for piano in A flat major, Op. 29, CT. 43
Impromptu for piano in F sharp major, Op. 36, CT. 44
Impromptu for piano in G flat major, Op. 51, CT. 45
Yundi Li is being groomed for superstardom. He's got the looks, youth, and keyboard athleticism to fill that role, but on the basis of this all-Chopin disc (and his previous Chopin and Liszt recitals), he still lacks the i... more »nterpretive maturity that translates into staying power. His B minor Scherzo, for example, comes off as excessively sectional, and its central section lacks poetry. Other works here fare better, but his attention appears focused on pianistic fluency and dazzling finger work, often at the expense of a full measure of emotional communication. The Impromptus, lovely as they are in places, tend to blandness. Li compensates for his lack of depth and spontaneity with a beautiful tone, remarkably even runs, and precise articulation at high speeds, attributes which should be sufficient for many. If you're looking for the rhetorical, probing grandeur of an Arrau or the emotional directness of a Rubinstein you'll look elsewhere. But if you're in tune with Pollini's detached, objective Chopin and enjoy hearing a skilled pianist perform impressive technical feats on the instrument, you'll want this disc. --Dan Davis« less
Yundi Li is being groomed for superstardom. He's got the looks, youth, and keyboard athleticism to fill that role, but on the basis of this all-Chopin disc (and his previous Chopin and Liszt recitals), he still lacks the interpretive maturity that translates into staying power. His B minor Scherzo, for example, comes off as excessively sectional, and its central section lacks poetry. Other works here fare better, but his attention appears focused on pianistic fluency and dazzling finger work, often at the expense of a full measure of emotional communication. The Impromptus, lovely as they are in places, tend to blandness. Li compensates for his lack of depth and spontaneity with a beautiful tone, remarkably even runs, and precise articulation at high speeds, attributes which should be sufficient for many. If you're looking for the rhetorical, probing grandeur of an Arrau or the emotional directness of a Rubinstein you'll look elsewhere. But if you're in tune with Pollini's detached, objective Chopin and enjoy hearing a skilled pianist perform impressive technical feats on the instrument, you'll want this disc. --Dan Davis
CD Reviews
Li's deeply felt, patrician Chopin rises to definitive here
David H. Spence | Houston, TX | 03/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the third disc released by this amazing young Chinese pianist and 2000 winner of the Warsaw Chopin prize - the first winnner of first prize there in fifteen years (contest held every five) - after the jury may have been embarrassed by who they gave it out to one or two previous times. This disc, above the other two he has released (though the Liszt is certainly very nearly worth owning too), shows a thorough command of the idiom, whereas his debut first Chopin disc did not quite. Li continues his studies in Hannover with Arie Vardi, and took a year off from making any recordings, before making this one. He's 22 and taking his time, i.e., has not made it here to Houston yet, whereas we've had five visits from Lang Lang, so at least a few of us here hope he will eventually get around to us.
Emotional connection with the music on this disc shows a little containment or a slight lack of abandon in a few spots, but he makes something very dramatic and narrative about the B-Flat Minor Scherzo, and which reveals an unusually heard grand formal scheme to this warhorse, very convincingly making something of the charnel house out of it - better than the more laidback Rubinstein (1959, RCA) mentioned below. He takes the almost enormous risk of a huge, very steeply arched crescendo toward the end of the C-sharp Minor. He also brings a special feeling of melancholy to the middle section of the fourth in E Major, as he also does in the second impromptu over very controlled rolling octaves, if he misses the little extra lightness that Rubinstein brings to arpeggi and trills in a few spots during the fourth scherzo here. Any sectional feeling about the B Minor I did not find quite excessive, but the voice leadings from lower registers impressive, if all in all not quite the performance to put Rubinstein again in the shade. And yet, if any moments during the scherzi reveal any mild shortcomings interpretatively, his spinning out of the long lyric line in each of the three impromptus, lit from within with deep feeling and introspection finds an artist who has matured intepretatively a good ways beyond his age, and one who has put backphrasing or any such excess far off to the side by the time these Chopin sessions of last year were put together. His first Chopin disc dates from 2001.
Ultimately, this is playing that goes toe-to-toe with any of the great Chopin pianists of at least the recent past - Rubinstein, Pollini, Argerich, Zimerman. I made the comparison with Argerich after hearing this guys' first disc, then revoking it after listening to her late 1960's recording of the Chopin B Minor Sonata (on Mr. Li's first disc), yet while still acknowledging that I had heard something worth reckoning with. No such comparison was necessary this time. This is a truly amazing disc - from a notably still young pianist originally from the innermost reaches of mainland China (Szechuan) and one who is indefatigably fastidious, and by the same token somewhat patrician in tastes about his Chopin, yet doing his level best to hide anything so painstaking about it. One looks forward to his expansion into other repertory.
"
Next generation starts here
V. Makarov | NY, NY | 02/13/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"As a musician myself i take great care in reviewing others' works. I would like to start by addressing what I believe is a common "mistake" in music analysis. For example, comparing Pollini or Arrau with Yundi Li and Leif Andsnes. Just as music evolves, so does its audience. What stirred the soul in 1950 may not be equivalent today. Further, since the pieces do not change while pianists do, they are forced to play it differently if for no other reason than to avoid comparison. Today's pianist has to address today's audience. Thus, if you are buying Li's cd to hear something that sounds like Arrau or Horowitz I believe you are missing the point. In the end the pianist's appeal should rest on the individual soul.
Having said that I wish to comment on the more "academic" aspects of the work. What is striking about Yundi's playing is his sense of continuity. He seems to understand intuitively the evolution and structure of the individual piece. This is a trait that is essential in composition. Great veteran pianists possess this as well. For his age it is remarkable. Second, he has a very smooth style that combines sensitivity with a sense of effortlessness. For this reason, overall I believe his Chopin is better than his Liszt. This is not to say that he has an inadequate sense of drama. His finale to the third scherzo is rather impressive. Third, he has his own voice - a pre-requisite for a lasting career.
It will certainly be interesting to see him record something from the classical repertoire, like Beethoven. In the mean time, I would highly recommend this CD to all piano lovers. For now its four stars...hopefully the best is yet come from this very promising talent.
"
Yundi Li has done it again
Wham | Asia | 01/19/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been very excited after listening to this CD. Again, this disc demonstrated Li's virtuosity and poetic style. There are plenty of fresh and inspiring interpretations without any distortion whatsoever. From the way he had played these pieces, you know he is an artist with great depth.
Li's scherzi are more dramatic, masculine and full of contrasts if you compare him with other pianists such as Pollini, Ashkenazy, Martha argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Dang Thai Son, Arthur Rubinstein, Samson Francois, Josef Hofmann, Claudio Arrau, Benedetti Micheiangeli, Horowitz, Sviatoslav Richter and a few others. I have never heard scherzi played with so much virtuosity and contrasts before. Li had played these scherzi with rare clearity and details. He had brought out all the details not only from the outer section, there are clear details from the bass as well. You will notice at once his clear bass for bar 14, 15, 22 and 23 of scherzo No.1 which I don't hear from other pianists. I thought I had liked Benedetti Micheiangeli's scherzo No. 2 the best, but Li's scherzo No.2 is even more inspiring and masculine. The way he surged forward and slowing down, you seem to agree with every note he had played. But what you will enjoy most is the emotion Li had put in for these scherzi. Li's scherzi is full of life, youthful energy and passion. He is just the opposite to Pollini who is always too detached and clinical for me. It's exactly the emotion and virtuosity he had put in for these four scherzi that had distinguished his scherzi from others'. At the end of Scherzi No.3, Li had built up the crescendo gradually with great virtuosity and then just exploded with full emotion. I had never enjoyed scherzi so much before. For the slower lyrical parts of the four scherzi, being a first prize winner of the prestigious Chopin Competition, Li had certainly played with very tasteful and convincing rubati.
The three impromtus are beautifully played. You will also notice Li's sensitivity in music from the way he played these impromptus. Li is so articulate that you sometimes hear whispering and murmuring from him as if he was telling you a tale.
Like Li's previous Liszt album which had won him New York Times Best CD award in 2003, I strongly recommend this Chopin scherzi and impromtus.
"
Exquisite and Sensitive Playing
Sam Pine | USA | 05/30/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
""This is not just playing, but story-telling.. . He has a steely technique that always serves the music and never shows off for its own sake." - Kenneth LaFave
I have to say that the more I listen to this CD, the more I admire Yundi Li's impeccable technique and his fresh interpretation. His translucent, pearl-like keyboard sound in this DG fine recording make this CD tremendously enjoyable.
Wonder why, four months after the CD was released in the US, Amazon.com has not posted more editorial reviews. There are many reviews in both print and web media. I would like to paste a few here and hope they are helpful.
Listen to this radio review online:
The Arizona Republic CD of the week
http://www.kbaq.org/music/cdreviews/20050109
by Kenneth LaFave
Chicago Tribune,
John von Rhein
Published March 20, 2005
Only 18 when he won the Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2000 (the youngest contestant ever to win the gold medal), the Chinese pianist Yundi Li dispatches this recital with a panache, poetry and musicality that mark him as a commanding Chopin interpreter.
Li has something of his own to bring to the four Scherzos. The easy brilliance of his pianism is apparent from the bravura opening of the Scherzo No. 1, with its rippling arabesques and glittering runs. The second scherzo, in which formidable chordal sequences and scales are set off by quieter, more graceful pages, evinces power and nuance that set Li apart from many of today's younger firebrands. The third and fourth scherzos are delicate, subtly complex creations; here Li's flexibility puts him fully inside the sensibility of Chopin.
The pianist acquits himself equally well in the three Impromptus, with their tricky dancelike passages and subtle contrasting themes. Let's hope Li's management lands him a recital appearance in downtown Chicago before long.
The Weekend Australian, January 22, 2005,
CLASSICAL
Murray Black
Chopin: Scherzos, Impromptus
CHOPIN was my first great love," says Chinese pianist Yundi Li -- and it shows. Of course he has the formidable technique you'd expect from a wunderkind: dazzling runs and passages, razor-sharp clarity, brilliant articulation, remarkable dynamic control. More important, though, is his warmth, intelligence and sure grasp of structure, thereby realising the individual character of each work. His scherzos are strong and supple: Li contrasts the often fiery outer sections with sensitive explorations of the melancholic middle passages. The well-paced impromptus are delicate and imaginative. Best of all is Li's cantabile and legato phrasing which, when matched with the sustained beauty of his tone, allows the music to breathe and flow. Outshining Arrau's listless octogenarian readings (Philips), Li's Chopin stands comparison with the best: Rubinstein, Pollini, Freire and Ashkenazy
NYTimes Jan. 16, 2005
Anthony Tommasini
Chopin: Scherzos, Impromptus
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON has been promoting the young Chinese pianist Lang Lang to the sky. One slogan reads: "The future of classical music has arrived. His name is Lang Lang."
But Mr. Lang is not the only young Chinese pianist on Deutsche Grammophon's roster. Yundi Li won the prestigious Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2000, when he was 18. To judge from his new recording, a Chopin program offering the four scherzos and the three impromptus, Mr. Li's technique is as brilliant as Mr. Lang's but more refined, and Mr. Li is the more probing and sensitive musician.
There is plenty of white-hot virtuosity in his accounts of the scherzos. In the hell-bent opening of the Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Mr. Li takes off in a bolt of demonic energy and doesn't let up until the somber second theme. The notes whiz by with uncanny clarity, yet Mr. Li brings out bass lines and inner voices beautifully. He uses Chopinesque rubato liberally yet tastefully. His expressive nuances are balanced by a generally cool temperament.
The overplayed Scherzo no. 2 in B flat minor sounds wonderfully fresh in his muscular, no-nonsense performance. Scurrying passagework and gossamer textures enrich his impressive account of the Scherzo No. 4 in E, though Mr. Li might profit from listening to the 1959 recording by Arthur Rubinstein, who takes time to smell the roses. Mr. Li's maturity comes through best in his tender accounts of the impromptus.
That he is a sweetly handsome young man with an appealing stage manner gives him another leg up. But I would be more reassured about his artistic depth if I saw more names of living composers (or even composers after Ravel) on his CD and recital programs. But he is already a serious and accomplished pianist. It's encouraging to know that he is making time to continue his studies in Germany
.
"
Precision versus Passion: An Early Stage of a Career
Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 06/24/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Without question Yundi Li is a pianist with the gift. At this stage in his career he is refining his technique and offers Chopin (in this recording) with technical virtuosity and clarity of tone and pedaling. This is crisp, highly delineated playing that is refreshing to the ear. Certainly many other young pianists with his good looks well captured by sensitive photographers, dignified stage presence, and nobility of style have fallen victim to the dangers of pushing a career too fast: it is difficult not to follow the call of stardom.
But I think the young Yundi Li is pacing himself well. While he at this point does not play with the passion and the heart of the masters, he does communicate the finite details of the works of the composers he performs. To this listener's ear the passion is under the surface and will radiate when the works he is performing gel a bit longer. Being a follower of the 'true romantic pianists' these may be strong presumptions, but Li has a quality of involvement rather than detachment that seems to promise the soul of the works will follow.
It is perhaps unfair to compare Li with his contemporary Lang Lang, but both are young gifted artists and both are climbing the ladder of success. Audiences love them both even though they are polarized: Li is the cool authoritative technician while Lang Lang is the fiery passionate performance artist. And we may take our pick depending on personal preference and repertoire. For now, this CD of Lundi's Chopin Scherzi and Impromtus is a refined and elegant recording. Recommended. Grady Harp, June 05"
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1