Sophia Liu | Chopin, Liszt Review

by Illiam Sebitz

Sophia Liu arrives on the recording scene with the confidence of a seasoned storyteller, her fingertips fluent in the dialects of the Romantic piano. Born in Shanghai and honed in the conservatories of Berlin and Paris, Liu’s musical lineage is woven from Eastern lyricism and Western virtuosity. By the time she reached her early twenties, she had already earned accolades for her uncanny ability to coax a singing line from the piano. Chopin, Liszt is a carefully curated journey through Liszt’s theatrical flair and Chopin’s intimate dances.

The program opens with Liszt’s most beloved piano miniature, “O Lieb, so lang du lieben kannst,” a work that straddles the line between vocal cantabile and pianistic fireworks. Liu approaches the piece with a reverence for its lyrical origins, allowing each melodic ascent to unfold naturally. From there, she moves into the sprawling “Réminiscences de Norma,” where her recitative‑like introductions set the stage for a dramatic dialogue between Bellini’s operatic themes and Liszt’s virtuosic interjections. The subsequent Chopin selections, ranging from the youthful vigor of the “Rondo à la Mazur” to the nuanced subtleties of the late mazurkas, are presented with a blend of buoyant articulation and reflective depth. In the performances that follow, Liu delves into the specifics of her interpretation to develop a portrait that frames Liu as a performer and compelling narrator poised to leave an indelible mark on the modern Romantic repertoire.

Liszt’s most sung piano miniature is treated with a balance of sentimentality and romanticism. Her phrasing honors the vocal roots of the text “O Lieb, so lang du lieben kannst,” letting each melodic ascent feel like a breath rather than a climb. The opening’s bell-like voicing suggests a tenor aria accompanied by a harpist. As the harmonic horizon widens, Liu’s left-hand inner voicings shimmer, articulating harmonic progression rather than mere accompaniment. The second statement of the melody is coloured anew by modulation and handled with a painter’s ear for timbre by Liu. Her ideal legato touch shapes phrase endings to evaporate into resonance rather than blunt release. Her dynamics move from tender and suspended to pronounced and assertive. Liu maintains melodic integrity across these shifts through voicing balance and timing.

At seventeen minutes, the operatic “Réminiscences de Norma, S. 394 (after Bellini)” paraphrase is a vast architecture of thematic transformation, a crucible for a pianist’s stamina and storytelling. Liu’s introduction is recitative and proportioned; her transitions between Bellini’s melodic material and Liszt’s bravura interpolations are seamless. The cabaletta-like passages reveal immaculate wrist control and rhythmic clarity as the trills sparkle without hysteria. What distinguishes her reading is her narrative flow as an unfolding story. The coda, explosive yet controlled, crowns the journey.

Composed when Chopin was only fifteen, “Rondo à la Mazur in F major, Op. 5” is a youthful experiment marrying classical rondo form with Polish folk rhythm. Liu’s reading exudes buoyancy and crystalline articulation. She highlights the rhythmic displacements that make the piece feel alive. The left-hand’s mazurka-like accents are precise yet supple; the right-hand filigree sparkles like early Mozart filtered through Polish dance. Her phrasing is subtle as she plays with time. The coda is shaped into a joyful culmination.

In “Mazurka in B-flat Major, Op. 17 No. 1 (Vivo e risoluto)” Liu dances. Her staccato attacks have lift and percussiveness; the rhythmic snap on the third beat that propels the mazurka lilt is alive throughout. She sculpts each repeat with variant inflection, celebrating that repetition in Chopin is a canvas for reinvention.

Liu’s tempo in “Mazurka in E Minor, Op. 17 No. 2 (Lento, ma non troppo)” is slow enough to breathe, as she teases out the sighing appoggiaturas and shapes inner voices. Her repeat of the opening A-section introduces new colour, a hallmark of her interpretation skills.

“Mazurka in A-flat Major, Op. 17 No. 3 (Legato assai)” glows in Liu’s hands. Her pedaling is clear enough to preserve rhythm, deep enough to sustain legato. The dance’s rhythmic duality has a strong triple meter over elastic melodic gestures. Lui displays control of legato tone at medium-soft dynamics, which is highlighted through her voicing and pedal transparency.

Chopin’s minor-key introspection in “Mazurka in A Minor, Op. 17 No. 4 (Lento, ma non troppo)” finds warmth here. Liu interprets the rhythm figures as expressive gestures rather than rhythmic constraints. The dialogue evokes emotion as her pacing allows the composition to articulate its message.

“Andante spianato in G Major, Op. 22 I. Tranquillo” is among Chopin’s most refined cantilenas. A nocturne disguised as an introduction. Liu’s tone is translucent, phrasing in long arcs. She uses half-pedal to create a floating sonority reminiscent of bel canto legato. Her left-hand undulation feels natural and supportive beneath the melodic line. A steady yet expressive reading.

The brilliance of youth meets the poise of discipline in “Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-flat Major, Op. 22 II. Allegro molto.” Liu’s Polonaise bursts with rhythmic swagger but eschews bombast. Her octaves sing rather than shout, and the rhythmic syncopations are buoyant. The orchestral writing within the piano texture is rendered with structural clarity; every fanfare-like flourish emerges from harmonic logic. The climactic passages thrill precisely because she holds something in reserve until the final ascent.

Sophia Liu’s Chopin, Liszt marks a significant moment of prodigious facility and interpretative awareness. Her Liszt speaks with narrative control, and her Chopin dances with authenticity and songfulness. For the classical fan, the recording is a fine reading in modern Romantic pianism. It offers a trove of demonstrations of tone balance in bel canto phrasing, articulation across contrasting national idioms, and the shaping of repeats as storytelling devices.  Chopin, Liszt presents an artist whose refinement, training, and emotional intelligence position her for a major career.

Artist: Sophia Liu
Album: Chopin, Liszt
Label: Mirare Productions

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Release Date: October 10, 2025

About the author

Illiam Sebitz

Born and raised in a picturesque European village, my fondness for music began during my formative years, when the charismatic tones of the recorder first filled the halls of my primary school. This early fascination escalated into my lifelong pursuit of embracing the melodious charm of the flute; I have even spent time refining my skills at a music conservatoire. As a seasoned music connoisseur, I find myself captivated by the multifaceted world of music. I enjoy writing music reviews to better enable me to explore genres as diverse as world, rock, jazz, classical, folk, and film music, each offering a unique auditory journey that enriches my life and intellect.

In my spare moments, you'll likely find me meticulously crafting my latest woodworking project, sharpening my skills with flute etudes, or inventing tales of fantasy through the art of creative writing. My eclectic interests and expertise harmonize to create a symphony of passion and curiosity that resonates within every aspect of my life as a music enthusiast.