Yeol Eum Son – PlayWrite
A collection of rarely heard works by pianist-composers including Weissenberg, de Larrocha, Landowska, Gulda and Lipatti
Pianist Yeol Eum Son has released her new album 《PlayWrite》 as a physical edition in South Korea on September 11, ahead of its international release through naïve on March 26, 2027.
The album focuses on a subject Son has explored for years: the music of 20th-century pianist-composers. Rather than returning to familiar standard repertoire, 《PlayWrite》 brings together works by celebrated pianists whose own compositions have often remained in the shadow of their performing careers.
Rediscovering Pianists as Composers
The program includes music by Alexis Weissenberg, Alicia de Larrocha, Wanda Landowska, Shura Cherkassky, Earl Wild, Friedrich Gulda, Walter Gieseking and Dinu Lipatti, among others.
The album features 20 short and relatively rarely performed works, revealing a wide range of influences extending from Romanticism to Baroque music, folk traditions and jazz.
For Son, the project is less about presenting a monumental recital program than about revealing another side of musicians primarily remembered as performers. The pieces also offer a glimpse into how some of the 20th century’s great pianists thought about the instrument when writing music of their own.
From 《Women, Pianists, Composers》 to 《PlayWrite》
The project also connects with Son’s digital EP 《Women, Pianists, Composers》, released earlier this year. That recording featured works by Alicia de Larrocha, Wanda Landowska and Tatiana Nikolayeva, further exploring the creative output of pianists who were also composers.
The same repertoire has increasingly appeared in Son’s recital programs, alongside music by Weissenberg, Earl Wild and Friedrich Gulda, extending the 《PlayWrite》 concept from recording studio to concert stage.
Korean Release Accompanies Autumn Recitals
The Korean physical release coincides with Son’s autumn recital schedule in South Korea and Europe. Her upcoming performances continue to feature repertoire connected with the album, including a recital at London’s Wigmore Hall.
《PlayWrite》 stands apart from a conventional classical release built around familiar masterworks. Its central idea is the rediscovery of major pianists as creative artists in their own right, bringing attention to music that has largely remained outside the standard repertoire.
The album was released physically in South Korea on September 11, 2026, with its international release through naïve scheduled for March 26, 2027.
