A Very Biased Concert Review
22 year old Chinese piano sensation Lang Lang played today at the Orpheum theater. Overall, Lang Lang definitely did not disappoint me - I've heard him played on the radio before, and live with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra back in June (playing Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto). Here are the pieces he played, and my two-cents worth of comments:
1. Schumann: Abegg Variations - beautiful piano playing, extremely good pedal and keyboard control. Virtuosic, but at the same time deeply moving. I thought he was able to bring out the youthful fire of the romantic Schumann. (Although admittedly, I'm nowhere being a Schumann expert)
2. Haydn: Piano Sonata (in C major, if my ears did not fail me) - I thought overall it was very well done. (Anything that Lang Lang does is well done.) But what concerts me is his romantic playing; it does not exactly work the best for a Classicist like Haydn. Lang Lang failed to observe the repeat sign of the first movement, which is a surprise to me. Second movement is romantic, but maybe it should be more sentimental. But the brilliance and humour of the third movement makes up for everything.
3. Chopin: Andante and Waltz - both pieces are absolute Poetic (with the capital P)...other than the fact that Lang Lang might have made the Waltz a bit too virtuosic, otherise there is nothing else to be complained.
Intermission: Saw Jade (Chan, my friend), and had a wonderful chat with her. She, too, has brilliant wit, which I greatly admire.
4. Tan Dun: 8 Piano Pieces, op.1 - for me this is the climax. The Chinese folk melodies and the pentatonic style is fresh, and beautifully incooperated into the western style.
5. Chopin: Nocturne #8 in D-flat major - My heart melted into a pool of boiling passion as the piece ends in gentle sixth-scales.
6. Liszt: Don Juan Fantasy - there is really nothing to be amazed at except virtuosity. But that's way more than enough. Now I know why Liszt was called the Devil - I would call Lang Lang the devil too, after seeing/hearing those hands doing its magic.
Encores:
1. Schumann: Dreaming - Is it just me, or did Lang Lang forgot the last couple of bars, but made up the ending?
2. Liszt: a fantasy - this one I'm not sure what it is, but I'm just identifying it by its style. It's as difficult as the Don Juan Fantasy, so I'm guessing only Liszt could have written it.
3. Liszt: Dream of Love - what more beautiful to end this wonderful concert?
For just how I felt in general, see my previous entry of "Time and Music".
1. Schumann: Abegg Variations - beautiful piano playing, extremely good pedal and keyboard control. Virtuosic, but at the same time deeply moving. I thought he was able to bring out the youthful fire of the romantic Schumann. (Although admittedly, I'm nowhere being a Schumann expert)
2. Haydn: Piano Sonata (in C major, if my ears did not fail me) - I thought overall it was very well done. (Anything that Lang Lang does is well done.) But what concerts me is his romantic playing; it does not exactly work the best for a Classicist like Haydn. Lang Lang failed to observe the repeat sign of the first movement, which is a surprise to me. Second movement is romantic, but maybe it should be more sentimental. But the brilliance and humour of the third movement makes up for everything.
3. Chopin: Andante and Waltz - both pieces are absolute Poetic (with the capital P)...other than the fact that Lang Lang might have made the Waltz a bit too virtuosic, otherise there is nothing else to be complained.
Intermission: Saw Jade (Chan, my friend), and had a wonderful chat with her. She, too, has brilliant wit, which I greatly admire.
4. Tan Dun: 8 Piano Pieces, op.1 - for me this is the climax. The Chinese folk melodies and the pentatonic style is fresh, and beautifully incooperated into the western style.
5. Chopin: Nocturne #8 in D-flat major - My heart melted into a pool of boiling passion as the piece ends in gentle sixth-scales.
6. Liszt: Don Juan Fantasy - there is really nothing to be amazed at except virtuosity. But that's way more than enough. Now I know why Liszt was called the Devil - I would call Lang Lang the devil too, after seeing/hearing those hands doing its magic.
Encores:
1. Schumann: Dreaming - Is it just me, or did Lang Lang forgot the last couple of bars, but made up the ending?
2. Liszt: a fantasy - this one I'm not sure what it is, but I'm just identifying it by its style. It's as difficult as the Don Juan Fantasy, so I'm guessing only Liszt could have written it.
3. Liszt: Dream of Love - what more beautiful to end this wonderful concert?
For just how I felt in general, see my previous entry of "Time and Music".
posted by Tristan at 10:55 p.m.
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