Young violinist delivers seasoned debut recording

Thirteen-year-old Australian Chinese violinist Christian Li has released his debut album, featuring Vivaldi's thrilling chamber work The Four Seasons.

Released on Decca Classics, Christian recorded the album with an ensemble comprising members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

"The story and imagery created by the music in The Four Seasons is universal. It can be understood by people of all cultures and ages. I think that's why people still enjoy it after more than 300 years," says Li, adding that he has listened to it since he was 5 years old and first played Summer when he was 10 years old during the Menuhin Competition in Geneva in 2018.

Through Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, which was first published in 1725 and has been recorded by many great artists, Christian tried to record an album that will sound distinctive and true to his own character.

Christian's favorite movement is Autumn, particularly its final crescendo.

"It has lots of action and excitement. The music depicts hunters on horseback chasing down a stag. You can hear horns, you can hear dogs, you can hear guns firing, and all of these effects are made on the instruments," he says.

"I spent a really long time exploring the poems and harmonies in the music, and also experimenting with different sounds and effects to try and bring them vividly to life," Christian says.

For example, he suggested that the harpsichord player add some additional notes at the start of Winter to create a sense of mystery and eeriness.

"I hope the audience enjoys my interpretation. Although The Four Seasons has been recorded many times, I hope the listeners can recognize that it is me playing," he says.

Christian recorded the album in February in a concert hall in Melbourne. The orchestra was arranged with 16 players for the recording. The ensemble was made all the more difficult because the orchestra had to be socially distanced.

"We had fun trying lots of different musical ideas in our rehearsals, and they were so supportive," Christian says. "Recording is quite different to a live performance, since there are sensitive microphones around me that pick up every little detail. So, I have to control the bow very carefully.

"Initially I wore my leather school shoes to play, but the producer said that there were sounds coming from my feet as I moved to conduct the orchestra. So, without a second thought I ditched the shoes and socks, and suddenly felt free and enjoyed it," he says.

Other works on the album include Fisherman's Harvest Song, a traditional folk tune inspired by the fishermen in the South China Sea and adapted by contemporary Chinese composer Li Zili. Christian says it's a piece that shows the connection to his Chinese heritage and he is attracted to its beautiful melody and the imagery it creates.

"Actually it is the first Chinese piece that I've played, so it was a challenge to get the style and character authentically right. I was so lucky that I had the opportunity to have some lessons with a former student of the composer," Christian says, adding that he had performed it a number of times before finally recording the piece, including at venues in Australia, China and during his UK recital tour in 2019. A lot of people expressed their love for it, even though, for some, it was their first time listening to a Chinese composition, Christian recalls.

Born in Melbourne in 2007, Christian first picked up a violin at just 5 years old and came to international attention in 2018 when he became the youngest-ever winner of the Menuhin Competition, winning the joint junior first prize in Geneva, aged only 10 years old. During the competition, Li performed Vivaldi's Summer, the performance of which has since reached 1.7 million views on YouTube.

Neither of his parents are musically inclined, but Christian's grandfather was. He explains that his grandfather is able to play a song on the keyboard after hearing it just once.

"Actually I started playing the piano and the violin at the same time, initially as a hobby. I found violin easier and I am more freely able to express my feelings to the audience, so I enjoy playing the violin more," says Christian.