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Don Basilio
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« Reply #15 on: 16:00:43, 01-09-2008 » |
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I have to say, I looked round the hall and there was hardly anyone of school age present. I did not know LL was a mega-star until Sean Rafferty kindly told me before the recital, so I had no pre-conceptions.
There was a fair amount of popularisation (the pre-rehearsed questions to the Infant Podigy I could have done without) but the choice of works was varied and not lowest common denominator.
Nonetheless, I note that some far from Blimpish members here (plus someone at home) were less than impressed by the actual musicianship, and felt LL did not deserve the hype.
Being ignorant of his reputation, I enjoyed the experience of a live recital in such close proximity to the piano. (As I told mum on the mobile while waiting for the next prom, if he was playing at her garage, I was standing outside her back door - mum's garden is not big.)
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« Last Edit: 18:48:38, 01-09-2008 by Don Basilio »
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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
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Milly Jones
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« Reply #16 on: 16:06:48, 01-09-2008 » |
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I was watching the performance with a 7-year old and for his sake was being very enthusiastic. I didn't mention my dislike, irritation or concerns, but just allowed him to enjoy it. I'm hoping that discernment on his part will come later, but for now I'm just going with the flow. He loved every minute and was enthralled by the little boy's performance. So it was hugely enjoyed on that score. I hated it.  |
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We pass this way but once. This is not a rehearsal!
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Philidor
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« Reply #17 on: 16:19:29, 01-09-2008 » |
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I was watching the performance with a 7-year old and for his sake was being very enthusiastic. I didn't mention my dislike, irritation or concerns, but just allowed him to enjoy it. I'm hoping that discernment on his part will come later, but for now I'm just going with the flow. He loved every minute and was enthralled by the little boy's performance. So it was hugely enjoyed on that score. I hated it. Exactly the same used to happen to me when teaching flute in the 1980s. Endless Galway and Annie's Song. You just grit your teeth, and encourage them to listen to good stuff he did before his swivel eyes got £ signs in them, e.g. a fantastic recording of him and Martha Argerich playing the Prokofiev flute sonata. It's still the best. I'm sure Lang Lang -- and Galway -- do much more good than harm. I get the impression on TOP they just like laying into an uppity Chinaman. Plus the Mozart last night was excellent: strangely up-tight and conservative for such a showman, which made it even more interesting. |
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jennyhorn
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« Reply #18 on: 16:23:56, 01-09-2008 » |
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let`s hope he records Tippett`s piano concerto-it shows him to much better advantage than all this flashy stuff.
Mozart Sonata was good though.
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Philidor
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« Reply #19 on: 16:30:28, 01-09-2008 » |
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I suspect Lang Lang and Mozart have similar characters...
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jennyhorn
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« Reply #20 on: 16:31:09, 01-09-2008 » |
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`utterly colourless` -No way! i actually like the bright,transparent sound he makes.
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Jonathan
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« Reply #21 on: 18:42:07, 01-09-2008 » |
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I heard the first half in the car on the way back home from visiting relatives - the Mozart was fine and the 1st of the Rachmaninov preludes was also fine but the famous G minor was pulled about and distorted in a very strange way! I didn't put the radio back on again when we got home as i fell asleep.
From what i've read here and elsewhere, it sounds like i missed an "interesting" concert - may listen again to the rest and then decide.
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Best regards,
Jonathan
*********************************************
"as the housefly of destiny collides with the windscreen of fate..."
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Antheil
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« Reply #22 on: 18:52:03, 01-09-2008 » |
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I am really looking forward to catching up with this broadcast after all the comments, I have only seen brief clips of Lang Lang on YouTube.
Will try and watch on iplayer tomorrow. I will be really interested to see what Jonathan makes of the Liszt.
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Reality, sa molesworth 2, is so sordid it makes me shudder
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Milly Jones
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« Reply #23 on: 18:52:51, 01-09-2008 » |
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I think it may have been better to listen to than to watch! Having said that though, his timing was way out sometimes, even to listen to. It was certainly interesting and believe me, nobody sleeps while he's on! Just not my cup of tea at all. |
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We pass this way but once. This is not a rehearsal!
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rauschwerk
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« Reply #24 on: 13:28:40, 03-09-2008 » |
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Just caught up with Mozart and Rach via IPlayer. Enough, thank you! He contravened far too many of Mozart's markings of phrasing, articulation, dynamics, sometimes so that he could do cliché echo effects. The Rach B flat was faster than the composer's already fast marking, so that too often the RH was just a blur. It didn't sound like the required Maestoso at all. In the Rach G minor the same faults as in the Mozart, combined with overpedalling, made me very irritated. If all this had shed light on the music, then ok, but to my mind it did not.
He took the last 3 bars of the G min at double speed, which reminded me that Geza Anda also did, in the first recording I ever owned. Does anybody know the precedent for this?
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gradus
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« Reply #25 on: 20:30:53, 03-09-2008 » |
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I had intended to listen to all of the recital but I didn't like the Chopin and the garden beckoned. As a piano showman he is wonderful and he appears to be a very nice chap who does excellent work to further the cause of piano playing.
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #26 on: 22:26:27, 03-09-2008 » |
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Does anyone have a recording of that broadcast of that Lang Lang/LSO/Davis Tippett piano concerto from the first time they did it (2005, IIRC)? Thanks to Mr Branson's tardy virgins delaying my train from the Thames to the Tay, I missed the first movement: the other two suggest that it might have been rather special.
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rauschwerk
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« Reply #27 on: 08:36:15, 04-09-2008 » |
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...he appears to be a very nice chap who does excellent work to further the cause of piano playing.
Yes, maybe, but there must be plenty of other 26 year old pianists who would make even better ambassadors than this altogether indifferent artist. |
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marbleflugel
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« Reply #28 on: 08:49:06, 04-09-2008 » |
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I was struck by the world-weary pragmatism of his bits in the Trelawney feature on the cult of ldearning the piano in China, where LL is a guest lecturer-some of his teachers were interned for their musicianship in the cultural revolution-and the contractual obligation of something like Nigel Hess' Concerto commissioned by Prince Charles. Hess is a talented media composer, but this piece is Tesco musak of the worst kind-Chas would have done beter with Debbie Wiseman/ H Goodal if that's waht he wanted- and you can hear that LL knows it. I guess it comes down to forces like record companies and patronage when you are in effect an outsider, exotica to the 'mainstream classical fraternity'. Ian wiould have more on this I guess if he's inclined to comment. LL sounds to me like a decent guy doing the best he can under the circs.
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'...A celebrity is someone who didn't get the attention they needed as an adult'
Arnold Brown
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Philidor
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« Reply #29 on: 11:38:31, 04-09-2008 » |
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I'd like to see internal Chinese Communist Party papers on Lang Lang. He's the face of New China and you know how concerned the Chinese are about 'face.' He's a prime cultural asset and they'll be following and, if necessary, manufacturing his career enthusiastically. Woe betide Lang Lang if he steps out of line.
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