Wang Xiohan & Van Cliburn

[dnephi]

I was watching the last VC broadcast at https://www.cliburn.org/index.php?page=arcperformances and I saw Wang perform an incredible Liszt Sonata, under 30 minutes.  It may have been a combination of the piano and the sound system, but it was amazing.  I really recommend browsing their archives.  PS, Moutouzkine pulls off a Corigliano Etude Fantasy in under 15 minutes, Stephen Beus' Barber Sonata is Legendary, and Joyce Yang does a fantastic job with the Etude Fantasy which personally I somehow don't like, and it is almost 20 minutes long. 

Go watch it!

:p

[iumonito]

I find remarkable that you are paying attention to the timing of the works.  What does that mean to you?

I liked Beus' Barber sonata too, by the way.  I was very surprised of him not going into the second round.

On the other hand, I found Wang's Liszt to be ghastly.  I much prefered his Schubert, Bartok and Ginastera in the previous Van Cliburn.

[soliloquy]

What?  :O

Joyce Yang missed a truly astounding amount of notes in the Corigliano.  If it wasn't for her incredible inaccuracy that could have possibly been the most furious Ornament Etude ever though.  Her VINE though... that was just disgusting.  Absolutely crushes any and all studio recordings that have been made of that piece so far.  Her Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 was also pretty nasty.  I would also look at Grace Fong's and Sa Chen's preliminary rounds; they certainly deserved to go much further in the competition.  Both of them played infinitely better than Kobrin, whose performances I found absolutely substanceless; simply accurate.  Also, listen to his Rachmaninov Etude Op. 33 No. 8 in C Sharp Minor- I think there were a few Chopin Nocturnes played with more fury lol  Moutouzkine's Corigliano Etude Fantasy was also very rushed and inaccurate- it was pretty obvious he was nervous.  Another competitor I felt should have gone through to the finals was Maria Mazo.  She had more balls than any of the men there, repertoire AND interpretation-wise.  I remember watching it live and thinking she would get disqualified in the second round because she wouldn't be able to finish the Appassionata in time... but i was wrong   of Xiohan, I thought the Beethoven Op. 111 was a lot more impressive than his Liszt Sonata.  Anyway, if you want to see a really great Barber Sonata live, go to www.piano-e-competition.com, then to the 2006 videos and watch Gregory deTurck.  Beus' I personally find overrated with the exception of the Fugue.  Besides, he looks like he's having a complete joygasm the entire time he's playing; he could give Lang Lang a run for his money.  He should honestly think about playing with a bag over his head =/

[csy]

Well, I would Kobrin deserved his Gold. Such a consistent pianist. Everything is in control and things are never sentimental.
Sa Chen is no doubt a marvelous musician.
For Xiohan, he got a little mess in the first movement of op.111. Liszt is musically nice even though technically a bit shaky.
Mazo left a strong impression on me for her Hammerklavier.....

[houseofblackleaves]

Anyway, if you want to see a really great Barber Sonata live, go to www.piano-e-competition.com, then to the 2006 videos and watch Gregory deTurck.  Beus' I personally find overrated with the exception of the Fugue.  Besides, he looks like he's having a complete joygasm the entire time he's playing; he could give Lang Lang a run for his money.  He should honestly think about playing with a bag over his head =/

Korchinskaya totally OWNED in that competition!

She should switch places with the guy that got first, I think it's ridiculous that she didn't win.  DeTurck and Yarden were placed really low too, what?

[soliloquy]

Korchinskaya totally OWNED in that competition!

She should switch places with the guy that got first, I think it's ridiculous that she didn't win.  DeTurck and Yarden were placed really low too, what?

Yarden's Schubert Sonata apparently did not go over well, and I think the abundance of Jatekok was just a BIT too out there for a single-round recital.  Also her Rzewski, while pretty accurate, was a bit watered down.  I did not hear DeTurck's concerto, although his Schubert D. 960 and his recital were both immaculate; I am surprised he did not take third.  Savitsi I think probably did deserve to win, and while Korshin-Skaya should have certainly taken first place in the First e-comp, I don't think her repertoire was effective enough to take first this time.  Her Prokofiev Sonata No. 6, the first movement in particular, is absolutely insane though.  Her Seventh is even better, believe it or not.

[csy]

I just think that Ryo Yanagitani's second prize was really surprising.......
I also think Korchinskaya-Kogan should tkae the 1st though.

Yarden's Schubert Sonata apparently did not go over well, and I think the abundance of Jatekok was just a BIT too out there for a single-round recital.  Also her Rzewski, while pretty accurate, was a bit watered down.  I did not hear DeTurck's concerto, although his Schubert D. 960 and his recital were both immaculate; I am surprised he did not take third.  Savitsi I think probably did deserve to win, and while Korshin-Skaya should have certainly taken first place in the First e-comp, I don't think her repertoire was effective enough to take first this time.  Her Prokofiev Sonata No. 6, the first movement in particular, is absolutely insane though.  Her Seventh is even better, believe it or not.

[houseofblackleaves]

Yarden's Schubert Sonata apparently did not go over well, and I think the abundance of Jatekok was just a BIT too out there for a single-round recital.  Also her Rzewski, while pretty accurate, was a bit watered down.  I did not hear DeTurck's concerto, although his Schubert D. 960 and his recital were both immaculate; I am surprised he did not take third.  Savitsi I think probably did deserve to win, and while Korshin-Skaya should have certainly taken first place in the First e-comp, I don't think her repertoire was effective enough to take first this time.  Her Prokofiev Sonata No. 6, the first movement in particular, is absolutely insane though.  Her Seventh is even better, believe it or not.

I didn't catch the first competition, but I've heard the MIDI of her 7th sonata (Not that that does her actual performance justice.)

In my humble opinion, Korchinskaya was far supirior to Mei-Ting.  In the 2006 comp. still, her Liszt and Schumann were astounding, and I've never heard such a convincing interpretation of the first movement of the Prok. 6.

That sonata is tough though, that sonata (as well as no.8?) seems to me that it's a piece with such potential, but no one ever plays it up to it.  The Prok.7 however, does (in my opinion) have a few interpreters that got the best out of it.  I'd have to think about it for a while...

Still, 06 ecomp had probobly the highest caliber of players of any competition I've seen (That and that one Van Cliburn a couple years ago... forgot which....)

[soliloquy]

Whoops meant Soyeon Lee not Sa Chen.  Chen was boring