Poster Yundi Li
Yundi Li, pianist
Yundi Li
Performance Today®

li plays liszt

Lang Lang isn't the only young Chinese pianist causing an international stir. Yundi Li is also a flamboyant, exciting player. We'll go to Los Angeles to catch him playing a fantastic showcase for his talents -- Franz Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1--with Leonard Slatkin and the L.A. Philharmonic.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in G, K. 13
Pianist Yundi Li
Musikverein, Vienna, Austria

Nicolo Paganini: Third movement from Terzetto Concertante in D for Guitar, Viola and Cello
Guitarist Jason Vieaux, violist Yizhak Schotten and cellist Young Song
Strings Music Festival, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonata No. 1 for Unaccompanied Violin in G Minor, BWV 1001
Violinist Julia Fischer
Aspen Music Festival and School, Aspen, Colorado

"The Piano Puzzler"
This week's contestant is Sean Wesche from Minneapolis

Franz Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat, S. 124
Pianist Yundi Li with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Leonard Slatkin
Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

Hour 2

Frederic Chopin: Etude in E, No. 3
Pianist Jon Kimura Parker

Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G, BWV 1048
Musicians of the Music@Menlo Festival
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Palo Alto, California

Alexina Louie: "Memories of an Ancient Garden" from "Scenes from a Jade Terrace"
Pianist Jon Kimura Parker
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Music Studio, St. Paul

Peter Schickele: "Music for Orcas Island"
Violinist William Preucil, violist Aloysia Friedmann, cellist Desmond Hoebig and pianist Jon Kimura Parker
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, Eastsound, Washington

Dave Brubeck: "Blue Rondo a la Turk"
Quartet San Francisco
Kaul Auditorium, Portland, Oregon

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