Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg

Last updated
Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg
Yundi Li - Mozart, The Sonata Project - Salzburg (album cover).jpg
Cover of Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 05,2024 [1]
RecordedNovember 2023 [2]
VenueGreat Hall of the Salzburg Mozarteum [3]
Genre Classical
Length81 minutes
Label Warner Classics

Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg is a latest album of Yundi, which was released on 5 April 2024. [1]

Contents

Background

In this album, Yundi returns to the roots of his musical inspiration, as he was captivated by Mozart already at the age of 7. [2] Yundi hopes to take listeners on a journey through Mozart's musical landscapes, a realm of music closest to Yundi's heart, aiming for his audience to experience a similar infatuation with the "singing, colourful, human tone of the most ingenious composer". [4]

To promote the album's release, Yundi has embarked on a 2024 European concert tour, YUNDI Plays Mozart The Sonata Project 1, visiting cities historically connected with Mozart, including Vienna, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, and Berlin. [2] [5] [6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Le Soir Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [7]
The Music Scene Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]
Le Devoir Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [9]
Concerti  [ de ]Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]

Yundi's Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg received acclaim. The album is recommended by Classical FM as one of the Featured Albums of the Week, [11] and listed as the Album of the Week by Scala Radio [12] and Le Soir. [7]

Christoph Vratz of German classical music magazine Concerti described Yundi's three Mozart sonatas (KV 310, 331, 457) and the Fantasy KV 475 "[...]With a very fine, precisely balanced touch with careful pedaling and, above all, thanks to the resolute rejection of anything intentionally extravagant, Yundi is able to convince. We experience a Mozart who is driven by a passion for storytelling that we also know from his stage works and major concerts. A Mozart who sometimes draws contrasts sharply, who sometimes manages a gentle transition within a few moments, who can bubble with energy and deliver a lonely eulogy. In this respect, this recording can undoubtedly be seen as a win.[...]" [10]

Track listing

The album features several of Mozart's most cherished piano sonatas, including

Charts

Chart performance for Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg
Chart (2024)Peak
position
US Billboard Traditional Classical [13] 7
UK Classical Specialist [14] 11

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piano Sonata No. 11 (Mozart)</span> Piano sonata

The Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K. 331 / 300i, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a piano sonata in three movements.

The Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was described by Mozart in his own thematic catalogue as "for beginners", and it is very commonly known by the nickname Sonata facile or Sonata semplice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piano Sonata No. 12 (Mozart)</span> Piano sonata by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, K. 332 (300k) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was published in 1784 along with the Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K. 330, and Piano Sonata No. 11, K. 331. Mozart wrote these sonatas either while visiting Munich in 1781, or during his first two years in Vienna. Some believe, however that Mozart wrote this and the other sonatas during a summer 1783 visit to Salzburg made for the purpose of introducing his wife, Constanze to his father, Leopold. All three sonatas were published in Vienna in 1784 as Mozart's Op. 6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leif Ove Andsnes</span> Norwegian pianist and chamber musician

Leif Ove Andsnes is a Norwegian pianist and chamber musician. Andsnes has made several recordings for Virgin and EMI. In 2012, Andsnes signed with Sony Classical, and recorded for the label the "Beethoven Journey" project, which included the five piano concertos with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. The works were recorded over three years, beginning with Nos. 1 and 3 in 2012, followed by Nos. 2 and 4 in 2013 and the Fifth Piano Concerto and Choral Fantasy in 2014. He is represented by IMG.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Pinnock</span> English harpsichordist and conductor

Trevor David Pinnock is a British harpsichordist and conductor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitsuko Uchida</span> Japanese-English classical pianist and conductor.

Dame Mitsuko Uchida, is a Japanese-English classical pianist and conductor. Born in Japan and naturalised in England, she is particularly notable for her interpretations of Mozart and Schubert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray Perahia</span> American pianist and conductor

Murray David Perahia is an American pianist and conductor. He has been considered one of the greatest living pianists. He was the first North American pianist to win the Leeds International Piano Competition, in 1972. Known as a leading interpreter of Bach, Handel, Scarlatti, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann, among other composers, Perahia has won numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards from a total of 18 nominations, and 9 Gramophone Awards in addition to its first and only "Piano Award".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yundi</span> Chinese pianist (born 1982)

Yundi Li, also known mononymously as Yundi, is a Chinese classical concert pianist. Yundi is especially known for his interpretation of Chopin, Liszt and Prokofiev. He is also referred as a Master in Chopin and considered one of the greatest contemporary interpreters of Chopin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piano Sonata No. 15 (Mozart)</span> Work by W. A. Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 15 in F major, KV 533/494 is a sonata in three movements:

Nelson José Pinto Freire was a Brazilian classical pianist. Regarded as one of the greatest pianists of his generation, he was noted for his "decorous piano playing" and "interpretive depth". His extensive discography for labels such as Sony Classical, Teldec, Philips, and Decca has garnered awards including the Gramophone Award and Diapason d'Or. Freire appeared as soloist with the world's most prestigious orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. He played and recorded piano duo music with Martha Argerich, a long-time musical and personal friend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piano Sonata No. 14 (Mozart)</span> 1784 piano sonata by W. A. Mozart

The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K. 457, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composed and completed in 1784, with the official date of completion recorded as 14 October 1784 in Mozart's own catalogue of works. It was published in December 1785 together with the Fantasy in C minor, K. 475, as Opus 11 by the publishing firm Artaria, Mozart's main Viennese publisher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria João Pires</span> Portuguese classical pianist (born 1944)

Maria João Alexandre Barbosa Pires is a Portuguese classical pianist, widely regarded as one of the leading interpreters of the repertoire of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Piano Concertos, K. 107 are three keyboard concertos by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on sonatas by Johann Christian Bach. These sonatas are from J.C. Bach's Op. 5; Mozart turned Sonata No. 2 in D, Sonata No. 3 in G, and Sonata No. 4 in E from this set into the three concertos of K. 107.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's first four sonatas for keyboard and violin, K. 6–9 are among his earliest works, composed between 1762 and 1764. They encompass several of Mozart's firsts as a composer: for example, his first works incorporating the violin, his first works with more than a single instrument, his first works in more than one movement and his first works in sonata form. In fact, previous to this, all his works had been short solo-pieces for the harpsichord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sol Gabetta</span> Argentine cellist

Sol Gabetta is an Argentine cellist. The daughter of Andrés Gabetta and Irène Timacheff-Gabetta, she has French and Russian ancestry. Her brother Andrés is a baroque violinist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yundi discography</span>

Yundi is a classical concert pianist born in Chongqing, China on October 7, 1982. He is also popularly known as Yundi Li. His discography contains 16 studio albums. He has also made five contributions to compilation albums not under his name and featured in three video items, a 2004 and 2010 concert, as well as a documentary.

Orchestra of the Swan is a British professional chamber orchestra based at Warwick Schools Foundation in Warwick. It is Resident Orchestra at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, The Courtyard Hereford, Warwick Hall and the Stratford Play House with regular concert series at Number 8 Pershore and Cheltenham Town Hall.

Hans Leygraf was a Swedish pianist, music educator, conductor and composer.

References

  1. 1 2 "Gramophone". Gramophone (April 2024 Issue ed.). p. Outside Back Cover.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg". Warner Classics. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  3. "The Sonata Project -Salzburg -Nos.8, 11, 14 : Yundi Li(P)(Hybrid)". HMV&BOOKS online (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  4. Broadcast Mon (15 April 2024). "New Releases: Tine Thing Helseth and her brass ensemble, Scottish choral music, and more". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024.
  5. "Gramophone". Gramophone (April 2024 Issue ed.). p. Inside Front Cover.
  6. "Concerti". Concerti (in German) (March 2024 Issue ed.). p. 15.
  7. 1 2 "Le disque 5 étoiles de la semaine : Yundi, Mozart" [The 5-star album of the week: Yundi, Mozart] (in French). Le Soir. 13 May 2024. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024.
  8. "L'Hebdo Lebrecht Yundi offre une métamorphose totale à Mozart" (in French). The Music Scene (magazine). 12 July 2024. Archived from the original on 7 August 2024.
  9. Christophe Huss (12 April 2024). ""Mozart: The Sonata project", Yundi" (in French). Le Devoir. Archived from the original on 21 April 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Entwicklung mit Mozart" [Development with Mozart]. Concerti (in German) (April 2024 Issue ed.). p. 25.
  11. "This week's Classic FM radio highlights – including featured albums this week". Classic FM (UK) . 8 April 2024. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024.
  12. David May (8 April 2024). "WIN - Scala Radio's Album of the Week". Scala Radio . Archived from the original on 8 April 2024.
  13. "Traditional Classical Albums Week of April 20, 2024". Billboard charts. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024.
  14. "Official Specialist Classical Charton 12/4/2024 12 April 2024 - 18 April 2024". UK Classical Charts. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024.