is lang lang good or not?

[elevateme_returns]

ive heard loads of different opinions. i think he plays really well, but people who know a lot more about music than me have said he plays really badly. so is he actually good or not?

[rach n bach]

Is this some sort of trick question?   

Alright, I think that he is technically pollished, but emotionally empty.  But that's just my opinion...

RnB

[elevateme_returns]

not a trick question, i just want your opinions

[franzliszt2]

He can be great, he can be awful.

[thalberg]

Well the thing about Lang Lang is that he plays A LOT.  If you play that much, can you really be wonderful all the time?  I mean, if he plays 200 concerts  in a year and 40 of them are emotionally empty, does that make him a loser?  But if I play 1 concert a year and it sucks, then we have a problem.

Also, not everyone plays every composer well.  That's really hard to do.

Plus Lang Lang is young--it'll be interesting to see what he grows into.

[opus10no2]

Is this some sort of trick question?   

Alright, I think that he is technically pollished, but emotionally empty.  But that's just my opinion...

RnB

Emotionally empty?

He is overtly emotional, but do you mean that sometimes he appears to be 'going through the motions'?

If so, yes, it is impossible to feel the same enthusiasm for a piece when you're playing it all the time, but when he's on fire, there ain't no extinguishin that sunovabiatch!

[rach n bach]

He is overtly emotional, but do you mean that sometimes he appears to be 'going through the motions'?

If so, yes, it is impossible to feel the same enthusiasm for a piece when you're playing it all the time, but when he's on fire, there ain't no extinguishin that sunovabiatch!

Yes and yes.  I know that he plays an awful lot... but at the same time, he often lacks the depth that others can achieve.  I also tend to enjoy his recordings rather than video of him playing, he is just so overly dramictic it's a turn-off.  (if I can use that language...)  I still hold that he is a great pianist, but I still think that as he matures, he will get better, just like Horowitz and Angerich.

RnB

[krittyot]

he's the best.

[counterpoint]

Lang Lang is not as bad, as some people say. But he is very overrated. He is a funny guy, and as long as he is playing funny pieces, he is very entertaining. Same as for Horowitz 

[gruffalo]

i think he is better at performing certain composers. i think he should stay away from rachmaninov.

[pianowelsh]

better than your average piano thumping joe! The guy IS international class. However would i rate him in the top 100 pianists living - No... sorry langlang

[nicco]

A technical marvel. His interpretations less so.

[jre58591]

i think he is better at performing certain composers. i think he should stay away from rachmaninov.

i think he should stay away from a piano.

[infectedmushroom]

Obviously, Lang Lang has a great technique, no doubt about that. I think Lang Lang is a great Pianist, but for some reason, I can't really take him serious most of the time. Especially while watching a video performance of him, it's really hard for me to take the music that he's playing seriously. I mean, just watch all his face expressions... It's like he's acting everything and doesn't really know what he's playing.


On the other hand, Lang Lang is still young. He has humor and I think he's a very kind person too. If Lang Lang plays a "funny" piece, it suits his playing style very well. I'm curious about the opinions about Lang Lang if we are, let's say, 20 years further.

[phil13]

i think he should stay away from a piano.

Ahahahaha d@mn that actually made me laugh.

I seem to agree with the concensus that LL is truly boring if you listen to him, truly incredible if you watch his hands without listening, and truly terrifying (and not in a good way) if you watch his face.  

Phil

[rach n bach]

I seem to agree with the concensus that LL is truly boring if you listen to him, truly incredible if you watch his hands without listening, and truly terrifying (and not in a good way) if you watch his face.  

That sums it up quite nicely!

RnB

[opus10no2]

i think he should stay away from a piano.

I sense both gayness AND jealousy.

[dnephi]

I sense both gayness AND jealousy.

"For your piano -- Da DONGAH"

Clazzic SDC.

[zheer]

is lang lang good or not?

  He's flipping amazing, there are number of pianists including Hamaline that turn the piano into a sport, who can play faster louder and longer type of thing, though thats not my type of thing i know some people like that side of music making.

[elevateme_returns]

naming no names... lol

[soliloquy]

I like almost none of his playing.  It is overly showy, and while to someone who has very little knowledge of classical music or piano (as i'm sure a good deal of his audience falls into this category) to me it has absolutely no actual VALUE as music.  It is simply loud, fast and disgustingly over-affectated.  Also, his body movements are just offensive.  He has no musical sense or maturity.

[opus10no2]

predicktably an even more gay response.

[soliloquy]

predicktably an even more gay response.

Nice argument?  Wow, you really showed me the error in my thoughts with that one   Although I assume you can actually substantiate your stance on his playing?  Right?  Right?

No.


Predictably misspelled "predictably".  Predictable SDC response, where playing fast and loud is all that matters.

[opus10no2]

You disgrace your roots.

[rob47]

"Tommorow it will be my carnegie solo recital debut and i'm soooooo excited about it"
-Lang Lang

[henrah]

I agree with the consensus that watching him playing takes away from the music and is a plain 'turn-off'. But when listening to some of his interpretations, they can be really beautiful. His Liebestraume No.3 is a particularly great example methinks. When I watch it on youtube I scroll past the video window so I can just hear it

[phil13]

I agree with the consensus that watching him playing takes away from the music and is a plain 'turn-off'. But when listening to some of his interpretations, they can be really beautiful. His Liebestraume No.3 is a particularly great example methinks. When I watch it on youtube I scroll past the video window so I can just hear it

Wait, are we talking about the same consensus? (see my post above)

I really dislike his interpretations. His Rach Sonata No.2 is a good example.

His hands are amazing in the sense that he moves them so quickly, smoothly and effortlessly. But the face and the musicality (or his substitution for it), I could do without those.

Phil

[jre58591]

also, look at his liszt hungarian rhapsody no 2. technically, he cheats his way through a lot of it.  musically, we all know how horrible he is at that. he is being sacrilegious toward both liszt and horowitz at the same time. he should be wiped off the face of the earth for that horrible performance.

[phil13]

Are you talking about the one on Youtube, where he practically makes up the entire Friska?

Phil

[elevateme_returns]

also, look at his liszt hungarian rhapsody no 2. technically, he cheats his way through a lot of it. musically, we all know how horrible he is at that. he is being sacrilegious toward both liszt and horowitz at the same time. he should be wiped off the face of the earth for that horrible performance.

thats a little harsh. lol

[rach n bach]

Allright people... this is getting to be pretty confusing... so try voting here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=23992.new#new

RnB

[opus10no2]

also, look at his liszt hungarian rhapsody no 2. technically, he cheats his way through a lot of it.  musically, we all know how horrible he is at that. he is being sacrilegious toward both liszt and horowitz at the same time. he should be wiped off the face of the earth for that horrible performance.

At present, he has superior mechanique to Hamelin.

[jre58591]

At present, he has superior mechanique to Hamelin.

my ass he does. even in hamelin's older age, he still dominates. i know because i saw hamelin about 3 months ago and he was still in awesome technical shape. and its not like it really matters anyways. technique is nothing without a great musicality to back it up.

[nicco]

I'd like to see langlang pull off the busoni concerto like hamelin does.

[counterpoint]

At present, he has superior mechanique to Hamelin.

superior mechanique, that's a suprising point of view.   

Perhaps there's a little machine in his hands, so he can play faster scales?

But it seems, some people are interested in music and some are interested in technology 

[pianowolfi]

Well in all probability Lang Lang is the type of guy who may motivate one or two prospective students to take piano lessons with me or some other teacher on this forum. Or elsewhere. So why should I talk badly about him? He is a "classical popstar" and we need people like him. There are some people who talk about him now instead about Richard Clayderman (though this latter person has inspired one of my best students when he was younger, now he's very much into Chopin!), Vanessa Mae, Maksim or... Tim Hofman 

[jre58591]

I'd like to see langlang pull off the busoni concerto like hamelin does.

that supports what i said. lang lang doesnt even have the emotional control to keep himself composed in this piece, let alone the technique to even pull it off cleanly. i can just imagine his all'italiana movt *shudder*.

[opus10no2]

I'd like to see langlang pull off the busoni concerto like hamelin does.

So would I, it certainly is possible, if he felt like playing it.

my ass he does. even in hamelin's older age, he still dominates. i know because i saw hamelin about 3 months ago and he was still in awesome technical shape. and its not like it really matters anyways. technique is nothing without a great musicality to back it up.

No doubt he's still in great technical shape.
But Lang Lang , simply, could play faster octaves and scales, right now.

[jre58591]

But Lang Lang , simply, could play faster octaves and scales, right now.

not like it matters anyways. technique is nothing by itself. scales and octaves competitions dont exist. maybe you, the worshiper of technique in its pure form, could invent one.

[thalbergmad]

Indeed, perhaps piano playing should be part of the 2012 London Olympics.

The 100 octave sprint or most thirds in a minute.

I wonder how many pianists would get exposed as drug cheats. We could see drugged up athletic pianists sweating away at the piano wearing latex leotards.

Perhaps LL would win a double Gold Medal.

Thal

[elevateme_returns]

hahaha

[cygnusdei]

When I heard that Earl Wild once referred to LL as the j.Lo of the piano I thought it was a joke. But after hearing LL's Don Juan fantasy on the radio, I have to agree with Mr. Wild. He wasn't kidding.

[prongated]

When I heard that Earl Wild once referred to LL as the j.Lo of the piano I thought it was a joke. But after hearing LL's Don Juan fantasy on the radio, I have to agree with Mr. Wild. He wasn't kidding.

...I'm confused...j.Lo is supposedly one of the better/best [pop singer/celebrity/entertainer] out there...or is that the point?

[On a sidenote, the old dude knows who j.Lo is??? That's ...]

[elevateme_returns]

When I heard that Earl Wild once referred to LL as the j.Lo of the piano I thought it was a joke. But after hearing LL's Don Juan fantasy on the radio, I have to agree with Mr. Wild. He wasn't kidding.

what is it about his playing that makes him sound like a classical pop star? i dont get it

[henrah]

what is it about his playing that makes him sound like a classical pop star? i dont get it

I think it's that he plays for the audience, not for himself. He exaggerates nuances for the benefit of the audience, and shows off in many areas. I think his Carnegie Hall debut was different though, because the room would've been filled with knowledgeable musicians and non-musicians.

[mattgreenecomposer]

Not as good as Horowitz or Richter but 10x better than anyone reading this Forum..including me.

[jre58591]

Not as good as Horowitz or Richter but 10x better than anyone reading this Forum..including me.

in terms of technique, yes. in terms of interpretation, no. and you obviously havent heard some of the better people here on this forum. koji especially.

[opus10no2]

not like it matters anyways. technique is nothing by itself. scales and octaves competitions dont exist. maybe you, the worshiper of technique in its pure form, could invent one.

Are you a complete idiot?

I wasn't stating how much it 'matters', I was stating that Lang Lang has superior mech to Hamelin at present.

You said I was wrong, then just now conceded it to be true, but that it doesn't matter.

Silly boy!

[jre58591]

its past your bedtime, comme. go to sleep.

[opus10no2]

Talking down to someone who is so far above you, it isn't even funny, is just a bit dangerous.