Yundi is a classical concert pianist born in Chongqing, China on October 7, 1982. He is also popularly known as Yundi Li. His discography contains 16 studio albums. He has also made five contributions to compilation albums not under his name and featured in three video items, a 2004 and 2010 concert, as well as a documentary.
Yundi signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon in 2001 and in early 2002 he released his first album, containing the works of Chopin. In 2003, the year of Yundi's Carnegie Hall debut, Deutsche Grammophon released his second album, an all-Liszt CD which was given the title "Best CD of the Year" by The New York Times, which also referred to his 2008 release of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major as one of the best classical CDs of the year. Li continued to record for Deutsche Grammophon until October 2008, releasing a total of 6 albums with the label.
In 2010, Yundi began to record with EMI, with whom he signed an exclusive recording contract to record Chopin's complete solo piano works. His first EMI release, the complete Nocturnes was released in March 2010.
In May 2012, Yundi officially signed with Universal Music Group and cooperated with Deutsche Grammophon once again."Pianist Yundi is back with Deutsche Grammophon" , Gramophone, May 4, 2012 He then released recordings of Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Beethoven Emperor and Schumann Fantasie, THE ART OF YUNDI, Chopin Prelude and Chopin Ballades Berceuse Mazurkas."Yundi Discography" , Deutsche Grammophon
In December 2019, Yundi signed with Warner Classics. He soon released a new album on its label, Chopin's Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, in January 2020. In this recording, he not only played the piano, but also conducted the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra from the piano bench.
On 5 April 2024, Yundi released his latest album, Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg.
Yundi has achieved considerable commercial and critical success. His albums have ranked on Billboard charts, including the Top Classical Albums.
Albums Year of issueDetailsReleased dateRecord label200014th international Frederick Chopin Piano Competition Vol.1 Vol.2 Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11 / Piano Sonata No.3 in B minor, Op.58 / Mazurkas, Op.33 / Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante Op.22 / Nocturne No.13 in C minor, Op.48 No.1 / Waltze No.5 in A flat Op.42 / Op.25 No.11 in A minor "Winter Wind" / Ballade No.4 in F minor, Op.52Maxell2001Yundi Li: Chopin Chopin: Piano Sonata No.3 in B minor, Op.58 / Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante Op.22 / Etudes, Op.10 No.2 in A minor / Etudes, Op.10 No.5 in G flat major / Op.25 No.11 in A minor "Winter Wind" / Nocturne No.1 in B flat minor, Op.9 No.1 / Nocturne in E flat major, Op.9, No.2 / Nocturne No.5 in F sharp, Op.15 No.2 / Impromptu No.4 in C sharp minor, Op.66 "Fantaisie-Impromptu"Deutsche Grammophon2002Yundi Li: Liszt Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178 / No.3 in G sharp minor ("La Campanella") / Liebestraum No.3 in A flat, S.541 No.3 / Tanantella (Venezia e Napoli No.3) (S.161) / Rigoletto paraphrase, S.434Deutsche Grammophon2004Yundi Li: Chopin Scherzi & Impromptus Chopin: Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20 / Scherzo No.2 in B flat minor, Op.31 / Scherzo No.3 in C sharp minor, Op.39 / Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54 / Impromptu No.1 in A flat, Op.29 / Impromptu No.2 in F sharp, Op.36 / Impromptu No.3 in G flat, Op.51Deutsche Grammophon2005Yundi Li: Vienna Recital Scarlatti: Piano Sonata in E major, K.380 / Piano Sonata in G major, K.13 Mozart: Piano Sonata No.10 in C major, K.330 Schumann: Carnaval, Op.9 Liszt: Rhapsodie espagnole, S.254Deutsche Grammophon2006Yundi Li: Chopin Liszt Piano Concertos No.1 Liszt: Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat, S.124 Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11Deutsche Grammophon2008Yundi Li: Sergei Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.2 & Ravel Piano Concerto In G Major Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor, Op.16 Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major, M.83Deutsche Grammophon2010YUNDI: Chopin: Nocturnes Chopin: Nocturne No.1 in B flat minor, Op.9 No.1 / Nocturne in E flat major, Op.9, No.2 / Nocturne in B, Op.9, No.3 / Nocturne in F, Op.15, No.1 / Nocturne No.5 in F sharp, Op.15 No.2 / Nocturne No.6 in G minor, Op.15 No.3 / Nocturne No.7 in C sharp minor Op.27 No.1 / Nocturne No.8 in D flat Op.27 No.2 / Nocturne No.9 in B, Op.32 No.1 / Nocturne No.10 in A flat, Op.32 No.2 / Nocturne No.11 in G minor, Op.37 No.1 / Nocturne No.12 in G, Op.37 No.2 / Nocturne No.13 in C minor, Op.48 No.1 / Nocturne No.14 in F sharp minor, Op.48 No.2 / Nocturne No.15 in F minor, Op.55 No.1 / Nocturne No.16 in E flat, Op.55 No.2 / Nocturne No.17 in B, Op.62 No.1 / Nocturne No.18 in E, Op.62 No.2 / Nocturne No.19 in E minor, Op.72 No.1 (posthumous) / Nocturne in C sharp minor Op.posth. / Nocturne in C minor, Op.posth. (Chopin)EMI Classics2010YUNDI: Live In Beijing Chopin: Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante Op.22 / Piano Sonata No.2 in B-Flat Minor, Op.35 / Mazurkas, Op.33 / Nocturne No.1 in B flat minor, Op.9 No.1 / Nocturne in E flat major, Op.9, No.2 / Nocturne No.5 in F sharp, Op.15 No.2 / Polonaise in A-flat major, Op.53 Ren Guang: Colourful clouds chasing the moon Chopin: Étude in C Minor Op.10, No.12EMI Classics2011YUNDI: Red Piano Xian Xinghai, Yin Chengzong, Chu Wanghua: Yellow River Piano Concerto Wang Luobin, Zhang Zhao: In That Place Wholly Faraway Wang Jianzhong: Glowing Red Morningstar Lilies Zhang Zhao: Pi Huang (Peking Opera) Ma Jingfeng, Zhang Nan, Zhang Zhao: Remote Shangri-La Wang Jianzhong: Liu Yang River Zhang Zhao: Kangding Love Song Ren Guang: Colourful clouds chasing the moon Wang Jianzhong: Five Yunnan Folk Songs (Dali Girl, Following the Brother, Puzzle Tune, Mountain Song, Dragon Lantern Tune) Zhu Jian'er, Chu Wanghua: Celebrating our new life Lei Zhenbang, Zhang Zhao: Why are the flowers so red? Liu Chi, Zhang Zhao: My MotherlandEMI Classics2013YUNDI: Beethoven Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13-"Pathétique" / Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27, No.2 -"Moonlight" / Piano Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op.57 -"Appassionata"Deutsche Grammophon2013The art of YUNDI Liszt: Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat, S.124, 1. Allegro maestoso Chopin: Nocturne in E flat major, Op.9, No.2 / Impromptu No.4 in C sharp minor, Op.66 "Fantaisie-Impromptu" Mozart: Piano Sonata No.10 In C Major, K.330 1. Allegro moderato Liszt: No.3 in G sharp minor ("La Campanella") Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major, M. 83 2. Adagio assai Scarlatti: Piano Sonata in G major, K.13 Chopin: Nocturne No.1 in B flat minor, Op.9 No.1 / Etudes, Op.10 No.5 in G flat major Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178 Lento assai - Allegro energico/Liebestraum No.3 In A-Flat, S.541 No.3 Chopin: Piano Sonata No.3 in B minor, Op.58 2. Scherzo (Molto vivace) / Impromptu No.1 in A flat, Op.29 Schumann: Carnaval, Op.9 1. Préambule 2. Pierrot 14. Reconnaissance 18. Promenade Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor, Op.16 2. Scherzo (Vivace) Liszt: Rigoletto paraphrase, S.434Deutsche Grammophon2014YUNDI: Emperor Fantasy Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major Op.73 -"Emperor" Schumann: Fantasie in C, Op.17Deutsche Grammophon2015YUNDI: Chopin Preludes Chopin: 24 Preludes, Op.28 / Prelude No.25 in C sharp minor, Op.45 / Prelude No.26 in A flat major, Op.posth.Deutsche Grammophon2016YUNDI: Chopin Ballades Berceuse Mazurkas Chopin: Ballade No.1 in G minor, Op.23 / Ballade No.2 in F major, Op.38 / Ballade No.3 in A flat major, Op.47 / Ballade No.4 in F minor, Op.52 / Berceuse in D flat Op.57 / Mazurkas, Op.17Deutsche Grammophon2020Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 YUNDI Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11 Chopin: Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor, Op.21Warner Classics2024Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg Mozart: Piano Sonata No.8 (K.310) Mozart: Piano Sonata No.11 (K.331) Alla Turca Mozart: Fantasia in C minor, K.475 Mozart: Piano Sonata No.14 (K.457)Warner Classics
Video releases (and see above for CD with DVD) Year of issueDetailsRecording dateRecord label2005Yundi Li: Live in Concert Chopin: Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20 / Scherzo No.2 in B flat minor, Op.31 / Scherzo No.3 in C sharp minor, Op.39 / Scherzo No.4 in E major, Op.54 / Nocturne in E flat major, Op.9, No.2 Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178 / Rigoletto paraphrase, S.434 Yu Shi Wang: Sun FlowersDeutsche Grammophon2008The Young Romantic: A Portrait of Yundi Documentary of Li as he prepares to perform with the legendary Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Bonus Yundi Li plays at La Roque-d'Anthéron Chopin: Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20 / Scherzo No.2 in B flat minor, Op.31 / Scherzo No.3 in C sharp minor, Op.39 / Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54 Liszt: No.3 in G sharp minor ("La Campanella")2004-2008Euroarts2010YUNDI: Live In Beijing Chopin: Nocturne in B flat minor, Op.9, No.1 / Nocturne in E flat major, Op.9, No.2 /Nocturne No.5 in F sharp, Op.15 No.2 / Nocturne No.8 in D flat Op.27 No.2 / Nocturne No.13 in C minor, Op.48 No.1 / Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante Op.22 / Mazurkas, Op.33 / Piano Sonata No.2 in B flat minor, Op.35 / Ren Guang: Colourful clouds chasing the moon Chopin: Étude in C Minor, Op.10, No.122010EMI Classics
Contributions Year of issueAlbum detailsRecord label2004Love Moods - The Most Romantic Classics Chopin: Nocturne in E flat major, Op.9, No.2Deutsche Grammophon2006Steinway Legends: Legends in the Making Chopin: Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise for piano & orchestra, Op.22Deutsche Grammophon2007Piano Moods Liszt: Liebestraum No.3 in A flat, S.541Deutsche Grammophon2009Chopin Complete Edition Chopin: Impromptu No.1 in A flat, Op.29 / Impromptu No.2 in F sharp, Op.36 / Impromptu No.3 in G flat, Op.51 / Impromptu No.4 in C sharp minor, Op.66 "Fantaisie-Impromptu"Deutsche Grammophon2021The Chopin Masters Chopin: Piano Sonata No.3 in B minor Op.58 / Andante spianato in G major & Grande Polonaise brillante in E flat major Op.22Deutsche Grammophon
References General
Specific
External links Yundi at Deutsche Grammophon Yundi at Warner Classics Yundi at YouTube Yundimusic Official Website [ Yundi] at Allmusic