The ECM New Series debut of Myung Whun Chung features the widely-celebrated conductor as pianist. Recorded at Venice’s Teatro La Fenice, in July 2013, the album marks the first occasion that Chung has recorded solo. In a performer’s note, he describes the album as a gift for younger listeners, as well as a personal thanks to those who share his love of this music. Chung’s touch and sensitivity for dynamics cast a new light on familiar pieces – by Debussy, Chopin, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Schumann and Mozart – as they are experienced in a gently flowing sequence which also serves to highlight affinities between the compositions. Although conducting now fully occupies his professional life, Chung (born 1953 in Seoul) made his debut as pianist with the Seoul Philharmonic at the age of seven. He later studied the piano with Maria Curcio, the last and favourite pupil of Artur Schnabel. In 1974 he was a prize winner in the Tchaikovsky Competition. He then began his career playing piano trios with his sisters, Kyung Wha Chung and Myung Wha Chung.
Wie er im Beiheft der CD anmerkt, versteht Myung Whun Chun das Album als Geschenk an die junge Hörerschaft, aber auch als persönlichen Dank an all jene, die mit ihm die Liebe zu den hier interpretierten Werken teilen. Chungs Anschlag und Gespür für Dynamik rücken die vertrauten Werke von Debussy, Chopin, Beethoven, Tschaikowski, Schubert, Schumann und Mozart in ein ganz neues Licht, die organisch fließende Abfolge der Werke lässt die Affinitäten zwischen ihnen spürbar werden.