Toronto Summer season Music: George Li, piano — Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, “Moonlight”; Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2, “Tempest”; Debussy: Pictures, série I; Mussorgsky: Photos at an Exhibition. July 17, 2025, Koerner Corridor.
It’s by no means straightforward to dominate an viewers, particularly when enjoying beloved items of music. That’s what the charismatic George Li did on Thursday evening, simply successful over a close to capability crowd at Koerner Corridor with a program of pianistic classics together with Mussorgsky’s Photos at an Exhibition, Beethoven’s immortal Moonlight Sonata (Piano Sonata No. 14), Debussy’s Pictures, serie une and Beethoven’s Tempest (Sonata No. 17). Educated live performance goers have heard these items many instances earlier than, which locations a problem to any solo performer: make the works spectacular once more or threat dropping your viewers.
The youthful Li, solely 29 however already a seasoned performer, entered the stage with an air of confidence and instantly set himself the duty of entrancing the assemblage. His solely concession to the group’s expectations was reversing the order of the opening Beethoven sonatas, enjoying the marginally much less acquainted Tempest first, adopted by Moonlight.
Efficiency
A dynamic, technically spectacular performer, Li conquered any reluctant listeners with a blinding first motion of Tempest, which exploited the completely different emotional moods of tranquility and worry that should have dominated Beethoven’s ideas when composing the piece throughout the time when he was going deaf.
Sadly, a neophyte viewers member applauded at its finish, forcing Li to carry on for a number of further bars earlier than getting into the second a part of the piece. By the start of the third motion, Li was again in cost, creating a robust allegretto, which produced a surprising set.
Li dealt with the well-known opening motion of Sonata no 14 with aplomb, capturing its melodic magnificence by enjoying with the solemnity that it requires. Within the first two actions, the younger pianist — the identical age as Beethoven was when he wrote the piece — confirmed his command of his left hand whereas controlling the work’s contemplative tempo. Within the tempestuous remaining motion, Li’s skill to play with extraordinary rapidity burst forth, with absolute command of the keyboard because the piece reached its emotional climax.
Second Half
After the intermission, Li returned with two items, which encapsulated the performer’s skill to create musical footage. Whereas it’s debatable whether or not Beethoven had any pictorial and even narrative intentions together with his compositions — each Moonlight and Tempest being imposed as names by others — there isn’t any doubt that Debussy and Mussorgsky did write their items with creative figures in thoughts. It actually is smart to pair Debussy’s Pictures, serie une and Mussorgksy’s Photos at an Exhibition as works that have been impressed by visuals and which inspires the listener to dream imagistically whereas listening to the music.
Li approached the Debussy with a quiet reverence, which could possibly be seen by watching his face trying abstractly skyward as he performed the piece. The pianist whose command can shift from the lightest of trills to a profoundly forceful exploitation of the keys — when obligatory — was at his most lyrical in Reflets dans l’eau, which mirrored the motion of water because it displays shimmering gentle.
Along with his astonishing contact on arpeggios and glissandos, Li was capable of replicate the poetic impulse that impressed Debussy to create the work. Hommage à Rameau is a beautiful backward look to certainly one of France’s best composers however it’s in Mouvement that Debussy created a very visionary work.
The piece gives an distinctive set of notes — usually fairly melodic — that have to be performed with dexterity and a lightness of contact. Li appears to relish in conquering technical challenges; he was at his finest nearly racing via components of the piece, earlier than shifting to a extra poetic conclusion.
Photos at an Exhibition begins, like Moonlight, with a gap that’s iconic. Li approached the well-known “Promenade” with a thundering remedy that matched the expectation of the composer, however could have startled some viewers members who’re extra used to Ravel’s lyrical orchestration of the piece.
He’s the appropriate type of pianist for the piece — showy, highly effective, intensely dramatic. As Mussorgsky meant, we stroll via a exhibiting of works by the composer’s late good friend Viktor Hartmann, which vary from representations of many issues together with an historic fortress, via a backyard to — within the grand finale — the Nice Gate of Kiev. (If there’s a political intent to enjoying the piece now, it isn’t said).
As Mussorgsky needed, the conclusion of this masterwork is dynamic with highly effective chords hammering out the composer’s love of his late creative good friend. Li was greater than able to reaching the work’s emotional apex — to the relish of the viewers.
Last Ideas
George Li was feted by the group, which rose in thunderous applause. The American pianist of Chinese language descent made the Toronto viewers his personal with two encores, the second of which was certainly one of his favourites, Liszt’s La Campanella. It’s, in fact, a tour de drive written by a virtuoso for others who can match its pyrotechnics. Li’s supply was impeccable.
George Li was a baby prodigy, mentored by Lang Lang amongst others. He’s a recipient of an Avery Fisher Profession Grant and a silver medalist on the Worldwide Tchaikovsky Competitors.
After his success as a part of the Toronto Summer season Pageant, we’re prone to see extra of this gifted pianist sooner or later.
By: Marc Glassman for Ludwig-Van
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