Screw CoPy CaTs!!. pop song 'they' by JEMS's themed by bach's prelude in F minor

[whitepiano91]

Pop group, Jem wrote a piece called 'they' based on a prelude by bach...in f minor. Search it if u dont believe me.

[mrchops10]

the point is...

[rimv2]

He was now at a pivotal point in his life and sadly opted for mediocredy.

[yoshiki]

He is one of the most talented keyboard player in the world.
If he can play all Chopin etudes when he was 13, He probably is capable of playing anything by the age of 33.

[steve jones]

In my naivity, I was actually immensely impressed by Lang Lang. Im not nearly at the level were I could critise the man on anything.

In fact, I often wonder about these people who slate him - the mans 22 years old, and he's phenomenal!!!

[Jacey1973]

In my naivity, I was actually immensely impressed by Lang Lang. Im not nearly at the level were I could critise the man on anything.

In fact, I often wonder about these people who slate him - the mans 22 years old, and he's phenomenal!!!

I totally agree. I really admire Lang Lang - sometimes i found he's a little heavy handed but overall such a fantastic and exciting pianist to watch - his playing is fantastic but i love the way he really looks like he's enjoying himself 100%.

I really look forward to seeing him live. When he played Tchaikovsky's 1st piano concerto on the opening night of the Proms a couple of years ago i was mesmorised! One of the best performances i've seen of it...if not the best.

[stevie]

He was now at a pivotal point in his life and sadly opted for mediocredy.

 

[piano_luvr]

I could be wrong, but I think it's mediocrity? LOL*   Oh well...like someone else on this thread mentioned, I am NO where even near the level of Elton John (let alone Lang Lang) to be criticizing him.  hehe 

[xvimbi]

I could be wrong, but I think it's mediocrity? LOL*   Oh well...like someone else on this thread mentioned, I am NO where even near the level of Elton John (let alone Lang Lang) to be criticizing him.  hehe 

All that is required (and sufficient) to judge a performance is a good ear and musical understanding. Being able to play an instrument is not!

[m1469]

All that is required (and sufficient) to judge a performance is a good ear and musical understanding. Being able to play an instrument is not!

However, it could be argued that being able to play an instrument, or understanding how to play an instrument (along with the other traits you mentioned), is an important aspect of a "true judgement", as well as an "overall" musical understanding.  It ALWAYS changes the context and expectations of one's judgement when one has "been in" the other's shoes.

Also, it is somewhat impossible to have a capable enough musical understanding, in order to make more complex judgements, without a more complex understanding of what is musically possible through an instrument (and perhaps the playing apparatus as well, for that matter).

For example, it would be ridiculous for someone who is expecting the exact timbre and tone of a violin to reverberate out of a piano box, to then hear the actual sound of the piano and call that sound illegitimate or unworthy simply because it did not live up to an ignorant expectation.

Hopefully, when a person studies an instrument, they are gaining in perspective on "how this thing really works" and how all of the elements fit together to create a package we call music.  This person's judgement would in the very least be quite different from one who knew very little about it.  Though, I personally cannot decide which might be "better".


m1469

[xvimbi]

However, it could be argued that being able to play an instrument, or understanding how to play an instrument (along with the other traits you mentioned), is an important aspect of a "true judgement", as well as an "overall" musical understanding.  It ALWAYS changes the context and expectations of one's judgement when one has "been in" the other's shoes.

Also, it is somewhat impossible to have a capable enough musical understanding, in order to make more complex judgements, without a more complex understanding of what is musically possible through an instrument (and perhaps the playing apparatus as well, for that matter).

For example, it would be ridiculous for someone who is expecting the exact timbre and tone of a violin to reverberate out of a piano box, to then hear the actual sound of the piano and call that sound illegitimate or unworthy simply because it did not live up to an ignorant expectation.

Hopefully, when a person studies an instrument, they are gaining in perspective on "how this thing really works" and how all of the elements fit together to create a package we call music.  This person's judgement would in the very least be quite different from one who knew very little about it.  Though, I personally cannot decide which might be "better".

Those aspects you mentioned might be helpful if one wanted to give advice on how to improve things technically. However, they are not required to judge a performance.

The best examples that illustrate this are composers and conductors. Neither one has a thorough understanding how to play all those instruments that they write for or conduct. What they do have, though, is a thorough understanding of the sounds and effects one can achieve with the instruments. This understanding is acquired through listening to a lot of music played by the best performers. Sure, many of them know one or two instruments really well, and thus they might write "better" or more virtuosic music for that instrument, but they can indeed judge perfectly well the performance of every single orchestra member.

[m1469]

Those aspects you mentioned might be helpful if one wanted to give advice on how to improve things technically. However, they are not required to judge a performance.

The best examples that illustrate this are composers and conductors. Neither one has a thorough understanding how to play all those instruments that they write for or conduct. What they do have, though, is a thorough understanding of the sounds and effects one can achieve with the instruments. This understanding is acquired through listening to a lot of music played by the best performers. Sure, many of them know one or two instruments really well, and thus they might write "better" or more virtuosic music for that instrument, but they can indeed judge perfectly well the performance of every single orchestra member.

Yes, I have heard this before, and I buy it.  I am not even sure why I brought up a counter argument  (I guess I am just trying different ideas on for size... this one was just not the right colour for me, I suppose).  I guess, in some way, I think the conductor may *get* a general principle behind the workings of an instrument, even if not consciously.  But, I agree with you 

And the rest of my point, I can't remember right now... ah well 

[leahcim]

Yes, I have heard this before, and I buy it.  I am not even sure why I brought up a counter argument 

You should have just asked him which of the 2 prevents Elton from doing it

[jackgal]

I've heard him live last week in Paris, with the orchestra of Paris (the best in the world  ), playing the 2nd concerto of Rachmaninov. He was really impressive. His energy is prodigious, and he was able to communicate this to the whole orchestra to impose his own vision of the concerto. I can't believe he's only 23 !

[Waldszenen]

I've heard him live last week in Paris, with the orchestra of Paris (the best in the world  ),

Funnily enough I've barely heard a decent recording by any Parisian orchestra...

I think the only pieces Lang Lang has played VERY well are the Mendelssohn No. 1, Schumann Abegg Variations, Tan Dun's Eight Memories and perhaps the second movement of the Tchaikovsky.

Everything else.... meh.

[Jacey1973]

I've heard him live last week in Paris, with the orchestra of Paris (the best in the world  ), playing the 2nd concerto of Rachmaninov. He was really impressive. His energy is prodigious, and he was able to communicate this to the whole orchestra to impose his own vision of the concerto. I can't believe he's only 23 !

Exactly - i'd love to see him live to really judge his playing properly. How many people on this forum have actually heard him live to be able to judge him properly? Recordings are all very well, but they lack the atmosphere and clarity of a live performance...

[xvimbi]

Exactly - i'd love to see him live to really judge his playing properly. How many people on this forum have actually heard him live to be able to judge him properly? Recordings are all very well, but they lack the atmosphere and clarity of a live performance...

Saw him twice in concert. Saw him playing from two feet away. Don't like his playing too much. Will see him anyway the next time - perhaps, I'll like his playing better then.

[rimv2]

It's a joke. Laugh, stupid.

Only things really bad about this guy is the faces he makes. And how the camera cant seem to stop focusing on them in his vids.

He'll fade away in a few years then reemerge as the greatest pianist ever. That is unless he takes all the harsh critism to heart, becomes an alcoholic and squanders his talents.

[rimv2]

Saw him twice in concert. Saw him playing from two feet away. Don't like his playing too much. Will see him anyway the next time - perhaps, I'll like his playing better then.

Know someone who saw him play Rem de Don Juan in concert. While it was techinically amazing, this someone said it was incredibly boring.

[musik_man]

Lang Lang is playing in April at Texas A&M, so I'll probably see him then, and finally be able to have an opinion on all these LL threads.

[stormcrow]

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about, I mean I like his playing as much as most people, but about the Chopin etudes he already had ten years of experience by then at 23 he's already been playing for 20 years! Please don't think that I'm degrading his abilities to play, I’m just saying that well…. for example if a person who had only been playing for 5 years or so, was to start working on the etudes and learn them in two or three years, (I don’t know what a realistic time frame is for those pieces) would that make the accomplishment any less impressive? Yes he would be older, but he’d have been playing for 3  to 4 years less, then afore mentioned.

What do you think?

[zheer]

Well it is amazing to play the Etude at 13,but when Lang Lang plays those Etudes when he is 40,it will not be so amazing he just got there faster.I could not play the Etudes when i was 13,but i have sight read all of them now and learnt a number of them am 25, not young. 

[pianowelsh]

Who cares! - This is frankly quite normal for the very best pianists on circuit. look at Kissen, Ashkenazy et al.

[casparma]

Too bad....

I started piano at 13..... and he played that at 13, but he started piano at 3.....


what a hilarious comparison...

[steve jones]

Pianowelsh,

I know what you mean. This is probably nothing for the cream, but it still hits home for us mere mortals. I started playing at 23, and its unlikely I'll ever be playing half as good as Lang Lang, when he was 13 

[zheer]

I have seen a video clip of lang lang when he was three, he played something by lizt it was amazing, we must not compare with him he is a genius,its like comparing your maths skill with Eienstine. At three i was playing with mackdonald happy meal toys ,and i still do.

[chromatickler]

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about, I mean I like his playing as much as most people, but about the Chopin etudes he already had ten years of experience by then at 23 he's already been playing for 20 years! Please don't think that I'm degrading his abilities to play, I’m just saying that well…. for example if a person who had only been playing for 5 years or so, was to start working on the etudes and learn them in two or three years, (I don’t know what a realistic time frame is for those pieces) would that make the accomplishment any less impressive? Yes he would be older, but he’d have been playing for 3  to 4 years less, then afore mentioned.

What do you think?

3 things to consider

1. the exact years of playing is not comparable between such examples. who's gonna get more progress in a year's worthy of study: a 3 year old who still pisses his pants, or a 20 year old with fully developed intellectual, memorization and physical capacities?

2. It is unlikely langlang prioritized the chopin etudes above everything else in terms of wanting to have played them as early as possible. before 13 he had already performed a bunch of concerti as well as entering numerous competitions where significant 'normal' repertoire is required.

3. with the chopin etudes, there's a GREAT difference between having 'learnt' them and actually performing all 24 in a single recital.

[omnisis]

I went to Lincoln Center last weekend to see what all the hype was about.  I got to see Lang Lang perform a very musical concerto (Chopin 1 PC) and I throughly enjoyed myself.  I would have liked to have seen something mroe fiery but it was a good oppurtunity to see Lang Lang perform in a manner that wasn't characterized by ostentatious pyrotechnics and stage showmanship.  Yes he played to the audience, but his playing, especially the phrasing and dynamic contrasts were very convincing.  One came away with the distinct impression that he intimately respected and revered the composer and his work.


There will always be another pianist who can play a certain piece better (depending on who you ask), so statements like "He is good, but I've seen better" are useless and can be said of almost any pianist.  The truth is he is very talented, has amazing technique and a true understanding of the music.  He will be amoung the greats someday I think if he doesn't succomb to the pressures of being a young virtuoso with so much fame.


~omnisis

[casparma]

Well,

during an interview with Yundi Li, in Mandarin, he said he started at age of 7, and he had a local piano competition at the age of 8 playing a prelude...

In that competition, a person, who would be his future piano teacher, was willing to take Yundi as a disciple, not because of his skill, but fasinated by his concentration and tenacity....although the young yundi li wasn't playing amazingly, that in fact, playing some wrong notes back then...

Yundi also said he plays about 7 to 8 hours a day...


So... basically, I think passion and resolution are a major part of a great musician... although talent is also influential, but with wrong attitude or maturity, nothing great can be done....

Dont you people think that if you do play 8 hours of piano a day, with same resolution, you can at least be a remarkable musician??


just my opinion....