methink lang lang is technic-wise very talented, and musically quite fine, but not the over-the-top variety... look at his carnegie hall debut program: schumann abegg vars, haydn sonata in C, schubert wanderer fantasy, some chinese-impressionist pieces, 1 chopin nocturne, and liszt don juan fantasy. they are mostly technical pieces, not the kinds that require deep musical/emotional involvement like sadness or appassionata or beauty. even the chopin nocturne he chose is one of the cooler, distant chopin. his playing is indeed uncommonly clean and polished, methink that's what pushes him to the top with the critics (as well as his technique, of course)...