George Li | Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 is now available.
Jonathan Blumhofer in the Arts Fuse writes:
Terrific, fiery playing from George Li, one of the most compelling young pianists on the scene.
If you’ve ever heard pianist George Li in concert, you know he’s a natural Romantic. And if you haven’t, the 24-year old Tchaikovsky Competition silver medalist now has a new album of piano favorites by Tchaikovsky and Liszt that emphasizes the point.
The opening half of the disc is dedicated to a boldly colored, full-bore performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto no. 1. From the start, it’s clear Li knows what he wants to do with the piece, never rushing through his paces but thoroughly enjoying every moment of Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous keyboard writing.
His playing is impressively clear and balanced – both the thick chords that open the first movement and the blazing figures in the second movement’s middle section showcase a careful approach to voicing and articulation between the hands. The finale comes across with stirring energy.
Will Li take a different approach to this piece in 20 years’ time? No doubt his playing will dig deeper, interpretively, and perhaps offer a wider array of tonal shadings. But even now he’s got an ingratiating affinity for this music that comes across clearly and is reflected in the astutely lyrical, rhythmically exciting accompaniment Vasily Petrenko and the London Philharmonic Orchestra provide.
The remainder of Li’s program – shimmering renditions of the Sonnet 104 and “Les Jeux d’eaux a la Ville d’Este” (from, respectively, the second and third volumes of Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage) plus an exuberant take on the freewheeling Reminiscences de Don Juan – cements his place as one of the most thoughtful virtuosos of the day
Li’s playing in all three hypervirtuosic selections is impeccably musical: the melodic line and dramatic structure of each selection is always placed at the forefront. And his technique (especially his ability to clarify the rhythmic and harmonic thickets of Liszt’s writing – and his opting for the more challenging ossia sections throughout the Reminiscences) is simply stunning.
In sum: terrific, fiery playing from one of the most compelling young pianists on the scene.