About Chinese pianists

[steven_957728]

Hi everyone, what's your opinions about Chinese pianist Lang Lang and Yundi Li? Let's discuss!

[tds]

both lang li and yundi lang are good

[s1d1f1]

tThey are great.
I think tht they are not just technical machines,as people say for them,as a mather,i think they could be some of the best pianists of today....
I personaly realy love Lang lang...

[samuelfoo]

Both of them are very well and excellent!
Lang Lang mostly play Franz Liszt 's pieces
and Yun Di mostly play Chopin 's pieces .

But I want to say in here Li Yun Di is more better than Lang Lang.
You can see their piano video at www.youtube.com

[retrouvailles]

Both of them are awful. Lang Lang has the oddest and most sacrilegious musicianship. Yundi Li has some of the most unassertive and bland playing I have ever heard. They both have good technique, but don't know how to use it. Avoid at all costs.

[rachfan]

As painfully hard as he tries, Lang Lang will never succeed in replacing Liberace.

[indutrial]

They're the lifeless prog-metal of classical musicians and China is as good at cranking out risk-free virtuosos as northern Europe is at cranking out horrible metal bands. All technique and by-the-book cleanliness...no soul, individuality, or creativity. I have Yundi Li's Liszt disc and I almost never listen to it. I heard part of his Prokofiev concerto on the local college radio and it too was way too safe and surgical. The playing is very impressive, but I'd rather sacrifice a small amount of technical precision for some more personality in the music.

Beyond that, Li's and Lang's repertoires are completely unadventurous. A whole bunch of romanticism imitating and little else. We don't need any more Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninov recordings!!! We also don't need any hideously backwards musical shitheaps like that horrible Yellow River Concerto, which sounds about as artistically forced upon poor Chinese musicians as the political regime's slogans are forced on the poor Chinese populace.

I'm convinced that China has way more to offer than those soulless showboats. It's a shame their inhuman government will never allow any truely individual art to thrive. Thankfully, every now and then someone manages to get the hell out of there and do great things in Europe or the States.

[retrouvailles]

Beyond that, Li's and Lang's repertoires are completely unadventurous. A whole bunch of romanticism imitating and little else. We don't need any more Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninov recordings!!!

Sadly that applies to most pianists today, professional or otherwise. It is a rampant disease it seems. And AMEN to your third statement.

[Petter]

Does a post colonization inferior complex exist in art (or at all)? Maybe that´s what they suffer from if what you say is true. But apparently Lang Lang has gotten millions of chinese to play the piano, which is quite remarkable and interesting for the future.
 I also heard of a chinese rapper called "Crazy sh*t". They are quite ingenious at times.

[Petter]

What an embarrassing selfquote, I have been sabotaged.

[kiwi_bd]

They're the lifeless prog-metal of classical musicians and China is as good at cranking out risk-free virtuosos as northern Europe is at cranking out horrible metal bands. All technique and by-the-book cleanliness...no soul, individuality, or creativity. I have Yundi Li's Liszt disc and I almost never listen to it. I heard part of his Prokofiev concerto on the local college radio and it too was way too safe and surgical. The playing is very impressive, but I'd rather sacrifice a small amount of technical precision for some more personality in the music.

Beyond that, Li's and Lang's repertoires are completely unadventurous. A whole bunch of romanticism imitating and little else. We don't need any more Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninov recordings!!! We also don't need any hideously backwards musical shitheaps like that horrible Yellow River Concerto, which sounds about as artistically forced upon poor Chinese musicians as the political regime's slogans are forced on the poor Chinese populace.

I'm convinced that China has way more to offer than those soulless showboats. It's a shame their inhuman government will never allow any truely individual art to thrive. Thankfully, every now and then someone manages to get the hell out of there and do great things in Europe or the States.

actually it has definitely nothing to do with their nationality...

[gyzzzmo]

I actually like the way how Yundi Li plays many things, especially how he plays La Campanella. I dont know if i ever heard better recordings (to my opinion).

About Lang Lang... Great technique but musically.... few things i heard of him i like. But i wouldnt be suprised at all if Franz Liszt had the same frantic way of playing, or is that blasphemy? :p

[rene_ceballos]

Lang Lang is outstanding.

I recall only a handful of pianists I really enjoyed watching performances at that age. He just needs to reach 40+ and stop doing those out-of-the-book movements and facial gestures to stop irritating some folks. I particularly sympathize with his hyper-enthusiastic, somehow rebel attitude though. It must have been really needed to achieve his level coming from where he does.

Yundi Li, I haven't heard much of him unfortunately but what I've heard has impressed me more technically than musically. I bet he has also loads of potential yet.

[mephisto]

I feind Yundi Li to be one of the best young lviing pianist. His Liszt is definetly impressive.

[thalbergmad]

Great fingers, no soul.

Thal

[indutrial]

Lang Lang is outstanding.

I recall only a handful of pianists I really enjoyed watching performances at that age. He just needs to reach 40+ and stop doing those out-of-the-book movements and facial gestures to stop irritating some folks. I particularly sympathize with his hyper-enthusiastic, somehow rebel attitude though. It must have been really needed to achieve his level coming from where he does.

If he's a rebel, why doesn't he rebel against putting out the same tired repertoire that has been played again and again and again and actually promote something new. Most of my interaction with Lang Lang's work has been from a listening point of view, so I've little to say about the gestures, etc... What I can say is that he definitely does nothing to recast the pieces he takes on and it's annoying to watch people deck him out with so much empty hype about "brilliance" and "genius." Wow, he can play better than you can. Get over it! Like I said before, it's about the same as when rock guitarists swoon over Yngwie Malmsteen or John Petrucci just because they can rip fast chromatic runs and rail through harmonic minor sweeps faster than other guitarists. Okay, great... Does any of that explain why neither of them have come up with any riffs that might actually be slightly memorable? Why lesser-known guitarists with less than half of their finger abilities are somehow coming up with more creative ideas... I'll stick with pianists and other musicians who aren't sucking on the teet of the dull-witted establishment so hard.

On Li's Liszt disc, the only piece he seems to really nail is the Campanella, and probably because it's a technique etude. The problem is that he brings the same cold approach to everything else he attempts, including and especially the Sonata.

[tompilk]

i definitely prefer yundi li, by a long way.
Talking about chinese piansts - I've just booked accommodation and flights for the first two weeks of La Roque de Antheon (yay! - 18th birthday pressie) and I see Dang Thai Son is playing. I'll go to see him anyway, but anyone know if he's any good or not?

[tds]

I see Dang Thai Son is playing. I'll go to see him anyway, but anyone know if he's any good or not?

heard his marvelous...tell us all bout it when ur back

[rene_ceballos]

If he's a rebel, why doesn't he rebel against putting out the same tired repertoire that has been played again and again and again and actually promote something new.

I think he does. I haven't hear any other pianist including as many eastern compositions as Lang Lang. Additionally, many of his takes on the 'standard' repertoire (I wouldn't dare to call 'tired' a Rach concerto or Liszt work myself) are really fresh. Some of those, *too* fresh to me.

Wow, he can play better than you can. Get over it!

Well, there's a couple of other folks who can do that, too. Yet I seem to dislike their music. I don't think this is the case.

I'll stick with pianists and other musicians who aren't sucking on the teet of the dull-witted establishment so hard.

Good for you. Diversity is bliss.

[remy]

I don't understand why Lang Lang thinks that playing with feeling means faking an orgasm at the piano.

Even Liberace would have been embarrassed.


remy

[thalbergmad]

Lang Lang's movements reminds me of a "Thunderbirds" puppet.

I actually prefer Liberace.

Thal

[hodi]

can they play bach , beethoven or mozart ?

[thalbergmad]

No, but neither can Lang Lang.

Thal

[retrouvailles]

I don't understand why Lang Lang thinks that playing with feeling means faking an orgasm at the piano.

Lang Lang and Yundi Li overcompensate with their facial and other physical expressions at the piano because they cannot adequately and properly express themselves emotionally in the music they play.

[bach1685]

I really like Yundi Li playing, especially when playing pieces by chopin which he does so often. He was after all the first Chinese piano player to win the international Chopin competition at the age of 18!

Lang Lang for me lacks a lot of emotional content in the way he plays. There is no doubt that he has an amazing technique, but I think there are more important aspects classical piano playing such as phrasing, interpretation and feeling. 

[rene_ceballos]

It's refreshing to see how different can be two observations on same aspect. I for instance, believe that Lang Lang excels in his performances on relatively simple interpretations.
He has really moved me when I saw him live performing Traumerei or Lieberstraume. He figured to get piano colors in those which I never heard by anyone else, nor imagined doing it myself after playing those thousands of times, for many years. Exquisite phrasing.

I was really impressed by his technique in Liszt (Don Giovanni), yet I have heard him play sloppyly as well (Bumblebee). I, for instance, am more impressed by Lisitsa's technique than Lang Lang.

He's not an ideal, target-to-follow pianist for me (Hamelin is, fwiw). Yet, it bothers me that many teachers criticize him just because he departs from 'standard behavior on the piano'. Many of the critics come from people who haven't even heard him or seem him performing.

[gyzzzmo]

Lang Lang and Yundi Li overcompensate with their facial and other physical expressions at the piano because they cannot adequately and properly express themselves emotionally in the music they play.

Theres quite a difference between Lang and Li in facial/physical/musical expression. Maybe you should watch/hear them play before you reply? 

[retrouvailles]

Theres quite a difference between Lang and Li in facial/physical/musical expression. Maybe you should watch/hear them play before you reply? 

I have heard and seen plenty of them and I know there is a difference. Actually, I think I have seen and heard too much of them. Both of them make me sick and I don't want to hear anymore of those two. I would rather spend my time listening to pianists that actually have value towards furthering the greater good of music. Now don't talk down to me again as if I were an idiot.

[thierry13]

Dang Thai Son is playing. I'll go to see him anyway, but anyone know if he's any good or not?

I think he's amazing. He's teaching at the university where I'll be studying next year 

[Kassaa]

It's refreshing to see how different can be two observations on same aspect. I for instance, believe that Lang Lang excels in his performances on relatively simple interpretations.
He has really moved me when I saw him live performing Traumerei or Lieberstraume. He figured to get piano colors in those which I never heard by anyone else, nor imagined doing it myself after playing those thousands of times, for many years. Exquisite phrasing.

Lol, his whole Kinderszenen is one big musical colorless fart and is NON-EXISTANT next to Horowitz or Haskil. (And yes I heard him live, sadly enough.)

[tds]

..one big musical colorless fart..

crunchy!

[opus10no2]

If he's a rebel, why doesn't he rebel against putting out the same tired repertoire that has been played again and again and again and actually promote something new. Most of my interaction with Lang Lang's work has been from a listening point of view, so I've little to say about the gestures, etc... What I can say is that he definitely does nothing to recast the pieces he takes on and it's annoying to watch people deck him out with so much empty hype about "brilliance" and "genius." Wow, he can play better than you can. Get over it! Like I said before, it's about the same as when rock guitarists swoon over Yngwie Malmsteen or John Petrucci just because they can rip fast chromatic runs and rail through harmonic minor sweeps faster than other guitarists. Okay, great... Does any of that explain why neither of them have come up with any riffs that might actually be slightly memorable? Why lesser-known guitarists with less than half of their finger abilities are somehow coming up with more creative ideas... I'll stick with pianists and other musicians who aren't sucking on the teet of the dull-witted establishment so hard.

On Li's Liszt disc, the only piece he seems to really nail is the Campanella, and probably because it's a technique etude. The problem is that he brings the same cold approach to everything else he attempts, including and especially the Sonata.

To me it's like comparing personality and looks.

Sure, the slow, 'musical' pianist might have a nice personality, a caring attitude and a loving heart, but Lang Lang and Yundi Li have the seductive looks, the charisma, and the marvelously toned butts.

Go cry to mommy and ask her why the girls call you ugly and wont kiss you. She will assure you that there will be some fat ugly bald chick out there who will take pity upon you and appreciate your soulful musical personality. 

[indutrial]

To me it's like comparing personality and looks.

Sure, the slow, 'musical' pianist might have a nice personality, a caring attitude and a loving heart, but Lang Lang and Yundi Li have the seductive looks, the charisma, and the marvelously toned butts.

Go cry to mommy and ask her why the girls call you ugly and wont kiss you. She will assure you that there will be some fat ugly bald chick out there who will take pity upon you and appreciate your soulful musical personality. 

Why don't you stick with your "who annoys you the most" thread. Last I checked the verdict there was that everyone found you to be the most annoying person on the forum. Whatever in the world the post above is supposed to be seems to be proof positive that they are 100% correct in that assessment.

[opus10no2]

Annoyance and envy go hand in hand.

I actually didn't see that topic.

[solesoccidere]

I recently got the chance to see Yundi Li live through my school. I had never heard of him before.

I was disappointed by the number of crowd-pleasing, even-people-who-don't-know-classical-music-know-these pieces on the program (noct 9/2, grand polonaise, etc). I was also quite taken aback by his pedaling technique--harsh and rather like a person driving a car slamming suddenly on the brakes.

Besides that, I found his tempos to be slightly fast and his Chopin to be a bit brutish. But his rendition of Pictures was amazing. It was colorful, exciting, and skillfully executed.

I have since found his recordings to be a mixed bag.

I was, however, amused at the number of asian girls about my age and asian families at the concert, since I live in a relatively homogenously white area with a strong black minority...for once, I felt like I fit in instead of standing out...

By the way, hi, I have been lurking but I thought I'd actually post for once.

[thierry13]

Annoyance and envy go hand in hand.

I actually didn't see that topic.

Will you, please, for once, explain us WHAT can you possibly think people envy from you ?