From Liszt to Brahms
Yingdi Sun Piano Recital
Liszt revealed his genius — Brahms captured his soul.
Overview
Celebrating the 190th anniversary of Johannes Brahms’s birth, pianist Yingdi Sun presents an intimate recital that traces his own artistic journey — from the fiery virtuosity of Franz Liszt to the profound introspection of Brahms.
The concert will take place on September 23, 2023, at the Mozart Hall of Zhuhai Huafa & CPAA Grand Theatre.Known to the international press as “the purest Lisztian of his generation,” Yingdi Sun made history as the first Chinese pianist to win First Prize at the 7th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition in 2005.Yet in recent years, his artistry has turned toward Brahms — a composer whose music merges classical architecture with Romantic soul, embodying both restraint and passion.
Program
Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897)
Fantasien, Op. 116
A cycle of seven character pieces — three Capriccios and four Intermezzos — that balance turbulence with serenity. Written in the composer’s later years, these works are meditations on solitude, memory, and transcendence.
Six Piano Pieces, Op. 118
Among Brahms’s final creations for piano, these six gems distill a lifetime’s reflection into miniature form: four Intermezzos, one Ballade, and one Romanze. Beneath their simplicity lies an entire inner world of tenderness and resignation — a farewell whispered through the keys.
Franz Liszt (1811 – 1886)
Piano Sonata in B Minor, S.178
A single-movement masterpiece of symphonic scope. It was this very sonata that brought Yingdi Sun international acclaim at the Liszt Competition in 2005. Today, he revisits it not as a competition piece but as a personal dialogue — a quest to rediscover its spiritual and emotional depths.
Yingdi Sun — Piano
Winner of the 7th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (Utrecht, 2005), Yingdi Sun has performed with leading orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and China Philharmonic Orchestra.
Renowned for both brilliance and depth, he is praised for performances that combine structural clarity with poetic resonance.
In this recital, Sun invites listeners to follow his musical path — from the blazing sonata that launched his career to the introspective pages of Brahms that now define his artistic maturity.
Date & Venue
September 21, 2023 · 19:30
Chengdu City Concert Hall · Concert Hall
September 23, 2023 · 19:30
Mozart Hall, Zhuhai Huafa & CPAA Grand Theatre