Watercolour

Released when he was just 20, this is an assured debut album from the award-winning pianist. What marks him out here is an instinct for tempo, dynamics and phrasing well beyond his years, particularly in a beautifully restrained, controlled performance of Liszt’s fiendish “La campanella”, and in the opening Schubert impromptu, where the delicate balance of stateliness and wit is brilliantly negotiated. Yang’s own pieces, his “3 Aquarelles”, are masterful, impressionist works that combine oriental harmonies with a stunning modernist twist—all played with superb poise. Peter Maxwell Davies’ lilting “Farewell to Stromness” provides a touching coda.