“Yunjie Chen’s new recording of the Etudes d’exécution transcendante immediately catches the ear with its rarely heard transparency. He combines this extreme clarity with a rhythmic fantasy that creates a completely new listening experience.” – Pizzicato
Yunjie Chen’s new album featuring Franz Liszt’s Transcendental Études is an exceptional addition to any classical music collection. Renowned for his interpretative depth and technical prowess, Chen brings a fresh perspective to these intricate works.
From a young age, Chen has been immersed in Liszt’s challenging pieces, having first encountered them at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. His deep connection with these works is evident in his performance, which balances technical precision with emotional depth. Chen sees Liszt’s études not merely as technical exercises but as character pieces, each with its own narrative and emotion.
Yunjie Chen’s approach to these pieces is both respectful of Liszt’s intentions and uniquely his own. He avoids overromanticizing the music, instead aiming for a balance between rhythmic precision and expressive emotion. His nuanced interpretation brings out the vivid imagery and emotions in each étude, from the wit and sarcasm in “Feux Follets” to the heroic and tumultuous “Mazeppa.”
Through this recording, Chen invites listeners to experience the transcendental beauty of Liszt’s music. He hopes that his performance will not only showcase the technical demands of these pieces but also their lyrical and evocative qualities, allowing listeners to appreciate the profound poetry embedded within each note.
Franz Liszt
Études d’exécution transcendante, Nos. 1-12, S. 139
No. 1 – Preludio. Presto
No. 2 – Molto vivace
No. 3 – Paysage. Poco adagio
No. 4 – Mazeppa. Allegro
No. 5 – Feux Follets. Allegretto
No. 6 – Vision. Lento
No. 7 – Eroica. Allegro
No. 8 – Wilde Jagd. Presto furioso
No. 9 – Ricordanza. Andantino
No. 10 – Allegro agitato molto
No. 11 – Harmonies du soir. Andantino
No. 12 – Chasse-neige. Andante con moto
Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141
Étude No. 3 in G-sharp minor – “La Campanella”: Allegretto
Frédéric Chopin
Étude in G-flat major, op. 10 No. 5, “Black Keys”
Yunjie Chen, piano
