The spirit of Europe

Chinese pianist Li Yundi kicked off his spring world tour of 15 cities in Europe, Russia and the Middle East on March 18, alongside the international release of his new album, featuring three of Beethoven's most romantic sonatas.

As one of the most popular artists in China, Li's world tour has drawn plenty of attention from the Chinese press. Chinese fans followed recitals online through live broadcasts, despite the time gulf, and praise has flooded the Internet at the same time as applause filled the concert hall.

The Global Times interviewed Li after his concert in Rotterdam, halfway through the tour, which ends on May 12.

&<b>'European tour is a challenge'</b> As a frequent visitor and performer in Europe, Li is no stranger to the homeland of classical music. But this European tour means a lot to him. "This is the first time that I have performed Beethoven's works in public around Europe," explained Li, "Beethoven is my favorite composer, other than [Polish composer Frederik] Chopin." "This tour is a challenge for me," admitted Li, since Germany is the home of Beethoven, whose music has long and deep roots in German and European culture. "The fact that Beethoven is from Germany and his works are so well-known to European music lovers makes my performances here very special," said Li, "It brings back memories of my performance of Chopin's works in Warsaw, which had the same kind of feeling." Li says that unlike Chopin, Beethoven's are more mature and philosophical, echoing the "rational" German national identity. But at the same time, he sees the spirit of Romanticism in the beautiful and touching tunes. "So far, the responses from audiences have been positive," said Li, "I gained inspiration from each different place." Talking about the differences with his previous recitals in Europe, Li mentioned that a growing number of young people are coming to the concerts, unlike the mostly elderly audiences in the past. "I am deeply touched," said Li. He said he would be back next year. "The tour will surely continue in the coming years and I will visit the same places as well as the cities that I missed this time." <b>'Music is alive'</b> According to Li, the interpretation of musical works demands three points. First of all, the performer should understand the composer's ideas and the background of his creation. Secondly, repeated practice is required and the performer should try to find his optimal state for the performance, which is different from practice. "Most importantly, the performer should understand the emotions of life, including joys and sorrows," emphasized Li, "All music has been created in the experience of emotions." "Music is alive. The more you explore and understand it, the more you feel there is even more to know. That is why musicians from all generations were trying their best to interpret and perform those works. However, their interpretations differ from each other to a great extent," said Li. Li considers classical music to be a tradition in every generation to be inherited by musicians from all generations. During each generation, a particular social environment creates a distinctive performance. Music has been reformed or developed during history, but eventually it is a recreation or reinterpretation of the classics handed down from those who came before. The interpretations vary from generation to generation. He thinks that there is no good or bad music but simply different feelings. "Musicians are closely related to the era they are living in. Therefore, we are only inheritors of music. We cannot judge it in history, but we can pass it down," said Li. On how Chopin would see his works, Li said, "Due to the fact that contemporary musicians have better skills and better instruments, the way we perform now must be hugely different from the past. But I believe that if he ever had a chance to see my performance, he would enjoy it." He would love to see Chopin play his own works, he added with a smile. <b>'Harmony for all'</b> "It is an era of universal harmony. Everyone is sharing with each other, which also motivated me to share with people my professional knowledge of classical music," said Li Yundi. Li said he was happy with his life, and that despite the fatigue and tiredness of such a long trip, all his exhaustion disappeared as soon as he stepped onto the stage and saw the audience. A number of parents have asked Li if it would be a good choice to send their children to learn piano. He thinks that children who learn music will never feel lonely, because through communication with music, their inner world and feelings can be enriched. "There are around 50 million children who are learning piano on the Chinese mainland. This instrument could be a container of everyone's dreams. Even though they are not going to develop a career in music, their past experience of learning and understanding piano could assist them in realizing all their other dreams," explained Li. After the world tour, Li's focus will shift back to China, where he plans to perform in over 30 cities to offer a chance for all music lovers to hear him. <table width="516" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
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