Story about me and Lang Lang

[franz_]

Yesterday, Lang Lang played in Brussels, in my country.
He had to play at the Bozar ( a concerthall in Brussels where I work).
When I wanted to go after a glass of water for me, backstages, I saw Lang Lang who just had to go on the stage. It was really impressive. He was just a few meters from me.
He played Liszt hungarian No.2, Mozart sonata, Chinese stuff, and... Chopin Sonata No.3
When he started playing that I was still backstage. I saw that there was a glass of water for him,...  and, scores. Lang Lang scores were laying there. I could't resist and had a look at his scores while he was playing in the concert hall. He noted all the things in English, like 'Soft, Surprise, Tempo'...

For me a nice evening!

[franz_]

I liked my story... 

[henrah]

Me too!

Those score notings could probably be related to his facial expressions too

[franzliszt2]

I'm going to see Lang Lang in few weeks play rhapsody on theme of paganini. I'm excited, and very curious to see these faces in real life haha

[pianowoman]

Wow!  Franz!  What a treat for you!  Very exciting!

[lisztisforkids]

The ultimate souvienir... I might not have been able to resist the temptation..

[gruffalo]

Wow!  Franz!  What a treat for you!  Very exciting!

which one?

[poltergeist]

You shoulda drank some of his wawa...or something ........

[ihatepop]

You should have sneaked away with one of his scores, or something.

ihatepop

[kempff1234]

You should have sneaked away with one of his scores, or something.

ihatepop

Tou should've taken the score, looked at all the spots he had simplified or planned to "cheat" to mak eit simpler and then send it to some music authority to put Lang Lang to shame

[steinway43]

Interesting but how was his performance? In every performance of his that I've ever heard there have been obscene amounts of wrong notes. I heard on the radio a recording of him trying to play the Thaikowsky no. 1 with the LA Phil and it was monstrously sloppy. I was embarrassed for him.  He's scandalously bad in my opinion-a complete fraud who gets by on his charisma.

[zheer]

.  He's scandalously bad in my opinion-a complete fraud who gets by on his charisma.

  Lang Lang plays in more concerts in a single year than most people do in a life time, i guess you are jealous of his success like many others, his performance at Carnegie Hall at only 21 was beyond the light.Now unless you can play at Carnegie Hall to such high standards you should not call him a fraud, i doubt you have a fraction of his talent. all the best .

[franzliszt2]

I seen him live, and he was very good. A damn lot better than most pianists in this day and age, he's different. I don't get why people critisise him, just because he plays differently. He's everything all you pianists want to be, on this forum there is so much stuff about Curtis, julliard, competitions, Chopin etudes..... Well Lang Lang studied at Curtis, played Chopin etudes in concert aged 13, could play 37 concerto's aged 17. Played with big orchestras. Won young Tchaikovsky competition, he continues to play wioth big orchestras, and has a huge following. His technique is formiddable, he expesses himself and himself alone through music. If you go to a Lang Lang concert and expect to hear a piece played like Kissin, or Richter, or anyother pianist, you will be disapointed. Listen to his playing, and respect that his views on the music are his views, if you like it you like it if you don't you don't. To say he's a scandel is just pathetic, the guy has achieved so much, so what if he hit wrong notes, is that what you listen to music for? He's only human after all.

Tou should've taken the score, looked at all the spots he had simplified or planned to "cheat" to mak eit simpler and then send it to some music authority to put Lang Lang to shame

Simplified? Cheat? Yeh sure, his technique isn't up to stuff, so he simplify's it? Cheats? How do you mean?

Also the guy is 23!!!! 23!!! Thats so young!  He has charisma, which is essential, name a concert pianist who doesn't? They all have great personalities, people with no personality will go nowhere in life.

[franz_]

... could play 37 concerto's aged 17.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

[arensky]

I seen him live, and he was very good. A *** lot better than most pianists in this day and age, he's different. I don't get why people critisise him, just because he plays differently. He's everything all you pianists want to be, on this forum there is so much stuff about Curtis, julliard, competitions, Chopin etudes..... Well Lang Lang studied at Curtis, played Chopin etudes in concert aged 13, could play 37 concerto's aged 17. Played with big orchestras. Won young Tchaikovsky competition, he continues to play wioth big orchestras, and has a huge following. His technique is formiddable, he expesses himself and himself alone through music. If you go to a Lang Lang concert and expect to hear a piece played like Kissin, or Richter, or anyother pianist, you will be disapointed. Listen to his playing, and respect that his views on the music are his views, if you like it you like it if you don't you don't. To say he's a scandel is just pathetic, the guy has achieved so much, so what if he hit wrong notes, is that what you listen to music for? He's only human after all.

Simplified? Cheat? Yeh sure, his technique isn't up to stuff, so he simplify's it? Cheats? How do you mean?

Also the guy is 23!!!! 23!!! Thats so young!  He has charisma, which is essential, name a concert pianist who doesn't? They all have great personalities, people with no personality will go nowhere in life.

Thank you. 


I don't always like his playing (often bangy and out of focus but amazing when he's well behaved), but he is an extraordinary talent and more than that an artistic individualist, a rare thing nowadays. When anyone deviates from the norm in art it causes controversy, as the establishment inveighs against the heretic ( if the establishment's dogma can be perceived as spurious it weakens them so they attack the rebel) his/her admirers band together to support him/her. It's all part of the evolution (hopefully) of an art form.

What this thread brings home for me is the nature of being a famous person. You can't even leave your music backstage without people wanting to steal it. Looking at it is OK, but leave the guy's music alone! Kleptomania, very weird... 

BTW, I'm sure this has been read and duly noted by his handlers...