| Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg | |
|---|---|
 Cover of Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | April 05,2024 [1] |
| Recorded | November 2023 [2] |
| Venue | Great Hall of the Salzburg Mozarteum [3] |
| Genre | Classical |
| Length | 81 minutes |
| Label | Warner Classics |
Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg is a latest album of Yundi, which was released on 5 April 2024. [1]
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]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Le Soir |  [7] |
| The Music Scene | [8] |
| Le Devoir |  [9] |
| Concerti |  [10] |
| AllMusic | [11] |
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, [12] and listed as the Album of the Week by Scala Radio [13] 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]
Bryce Morrison of Gramophone reviewed “His approach is a convincing challenge to a more conventional restraint, a restless Sturm und Drang precursor of Romanticism.” [14] Norman Lebrecht applauded the album: “In twelve and a half minutes, Yundi gives Mozart a total makeover. This is the most refreshing and innovative Mozart pianism I have heard in years.” [15]
The album features several of Mozart's most cherished piano sonatas, including
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Traditional Classical [16] | 7 |
| UK Classical Specialist [17] | 11 |
