For its 20th anniversary, Toronto Summer Music is offering a parade of competition-winning pianists, from Canadians Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (last year’s Leeds gold medallist) to Charles Richard-Hamelin (silver at the 2015 Chopin) and first up, American George Li. Born in Boston to Chinese parents, Li shared the 2015 Tchaikovsky Competition’s silver medal. Since then, the now 29-year-old has completed the Harvard University and New England Conservatory dual degree in English Literature and Music and has received the latter’s prestigious Artist Diploma.
When last year I reviewed his Warner disc, entitled Movements, I dubbed his particular brand of pianism “virtuosity beyond virtuosity,” for its blend of exhilaration with poetic sensitivity. His July 17th recital at Koerner Hall showcased this precisely. The program was thoughtfully designed around the idea of musical description of images, from the literary/poetic ones imposed upon Beethoven’s so-called “Tempest” and “Moonlight” sonatas, to the impressionistic evocations of Debussy’s first book of Les Images and Mussorgsky’s Pictures from an Exhibition.
George Li performs at Toronto Summer Music. Photo: Lucky Tang
Li’s approach to the “Tempest” was unambiguously tempestuous, with such a high degree of restless agitato that detail and clarity were occasionally sacrificed. This was particularly the case in the opening movement, where articulation was at times blurred by supersonic speed. Nor was there room for much Prospero-like rumination in the aqueous last movement, taken at a flashy Allegro molto rather than Beethoven’s Allegretto. The second movement became the philosophical heart of the sonata, with Li patiently exploring the earth-air, Caliban-Ariel dialogue.
Taken at a surprisingly flowing speed, the “Moonlight” sonata’s opening movement (Adagio sostenuto in the score, though more an Andante here) was accompanied by a crass and persistent mobile phone ring-tone. No one would have blamed Li had he decided to down tools at that point and start over. (In general this must have been one of the hall’s most restless audiences ever.) The feverishly ominous first movement was then movingly balanced by an almost capricious second, with mischievous wit and charm in abundance. The lightning-speed finale certainly lived up to Beethoven’s Presto agitato, losing something of the sonata’s Quasi una fantasia essence in the process.
George Li performs at Toronto Summer Music. Photo: Lucky Tang
With Debussy’s Images, Li’s mastery of tone-colour and pedalling came into its own. “Reflets dans l’eau” glistened transparently; “Hommage à Rameau” captured distant antiquity with rapt sensitivity; and “Mouvements” was breathtakingly exciting.
Then came Mussorgsky’s monumental Pictures; though with Li as the visitor to the exhibition, this became more about multi-perspective exploration than monumentality. Panache and flamboyance were turned up to 11, but at times fussiness detracted from a sense of wholeness. The liveliest scenes were the most successful, with “Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks” particularly electrifying and the Limoges market bustling to the point of fast-forward slapstick. Elsewhere, poetic imagery paired with pianistic prowess silenced all critical misgivings.
Li continued the theme of musical imaging in his two encores. The “Raindrop” Prelude reminded us that Chopin was the historical bridge between Beethoven and Debussy, while an almost inhumanly coruscating Liszt “Campanella” drew a gasp of “Oh, come on!” from one astonished audience member—an appropriate summary.
Toronto Summer Music runs until August 2nd. For more information visit www.torontosummermusic.com/events
