Dear DS:
(...) Overall I think that anyone's criticism at the lack of musicality in a performance is just another way of expressing jealously and contempt.
(...)
I must say that it's not. I don't speak for anybody else, but to myself this lack of musicality is annoying, and it really exists. Yourself said that he "is only 11" and that's the point: he's a child, acts like a child, thinks like a child, and - surprise! - performs like a child. Jake compared his interpretation to Pollini's, and I think that is the major problem with the prodiges: you can learn to move fast your fingers and do some tricks in a short span of time if you have the gift, as the case with this younger. However, it's impossible to acquire a deep knowledge of music and art is the same time. In my first post in this thread, I said that this sort of performance is not interesting as much as it happens with adult pianists. I really think that the battle "musicianship x techinique" is non-sense, because one can't go on without the other.
Let's exit the "prodige field" for a while. The incapacity to communicate is a lack of a great number of musicians, professionals included. The incapacity to render a score in a proper and creative way also is. And, last but not least, the incapacity to have significant insights about the composer and his/her music.
Furthermore, you have the market as it is. Let's suppose two situations: a professional pianist with brilliant technique, able to manage the Chopin studies with
bravura, but with an interpretation that bring nothing new, surprising or interesting. Most of people will shout out loud their
bravo, and s/he'll probably have positive critiques. In the other hand, a pianist playing the same studies and sounding full of proper ideas and proposing a fresh version, but with flaws and nothing out of ordinary about his/her technique. The people will probably want their money back.
I have no interest in both. We have so many good players of the standard repertory that another one, especially when it's just an "echo" of great recordings, is useless.
About this particular young talent, that's just and precise what he is: a talent. Perhaps in ten or fifteen years we will be commenting his outstanding level of performance and musicianship. Unfortunately, is much more probable that he will either don't get there or have a nervous breakdown, or both, as happened with so many prodiges before. In the case he became a professional, there is a high probability that his interpretation don't change so much. It's just to look around in the competitions: lots of talents and so few interesting performances.
A remark about his parents: is almost certain that they promote his career with personal interests. That's the way it is. Furthermore, he's chinese, doesn't he? The cultural and social aspects of youth there are very different from what we know in the western world. To be honest, I don't know if in China things are exactly the way they are in Japan, but in this country, it's not unnusual to a person grow from his/her early childhood "to be something", and when it fails, it's the end. Literally.
(...)
Therefore he must be practicing only a few hours a day, maybe more. He probably is taking a vacation right after the performance so I doubt he is feeling much stress.
Excuse me, but I think you're too optimist. Unless he is a remarkable exception: 1) he is playing several hours a day, probably with a direct and close supervision; 2) he doesn't have much time to do whatever else, due to the combination of formal education and piano study; 3) he is taking a rehearsal to be prepared to the next recital, since it is probably part of the family's budget.
Finally, I know that there are these "remarkable exceptions" but they are very few, and - again - are only young talents.
Best!
Topic: 11 old years boy plays chopin etudes, amazzing talent