! Is it his PERFORMANCE?.. or just Jealous of LANG LANG? (see article) !

[pianoplayerstar]

I'm reading this article and I'm thinking, "this reporter is just jealous?"

Or is Lang Lang's PERFORMANCE actually not up-to-scratch?

Why?

Does he really just Whack at the keys? or can we all learn how he PERFORMS so that we can PERFORM like him?

He certainly doesn't have the sound of Perahia, but I must say that Lang Lang's technical expertise is bar-none probably one of the best out there.

Is it just his repertoire or his actual playing performance?
pps

article:  https://slippedisc.com/2015/12/lang-lang-gets-hammered-in-london/

[themeandvariation]

I'm reading this article and I'm thinking, "this reporter is just jealous?"

Or is Lang Lang's PERFORMANCE actually not up-to-scratch?

Why?

Does he really just Whack at the keys? or can we all learn how he PERFORMS so that we can PERFORM like him?

He certainly doesn't have the sound of Perahia, but I must say that Lang Lang's technical expertise is bar-none probably one of the best out there.

Is it just his repertoire or his actual playing performance?
pps

article:  https://slippedisc.com/2015/12/lang-lang-gets-hammered-in-london/

Does he really just Whack at the keys?

idk -  Is it hard for you to tell if someone is whacking something?  

"He certainly doesn't have the sound of Perahia, but I must say that Lang Lang's technical expertise is bar-none probably one of the best out there."

Is he?  How can you tell if you are not certain as to whether he is whacking? - ("Perahia", notwithstanding).

apparently, according to one musician, only "crack is whack".


 "and I'm thinking, "this reporter is just jealous?"

Yes, lets determine beyond all doubt as to whether this reporter  is jealous -

but that will all impinge on the judgement as to the whack content.


One might wonder as to the whack content of your own posts..

I can't decide for myself.. Let's have a vote!

[classicalinquisition]

lang lang plays exquisitely.he connects well with the public and those who mock him or view his playing as anything close to subpar are critics whose words and comments sound against a wall and nothing more. sorry to sound so blunt, but i must defend this young pianist who has put in a lot of time and effort in helping his country as well as taking the piano world by storm, literally. the best quality about him is his humility and balance in his interviews. whether that is how he is in real life as a person nobody really knows since we only can observe based on what we see, read, and hear online through articles and videos. those who do not hold an affinity to his playing may have some merit but not to the extent of such harsh criticism. critics are those that only may observe and critique without any actual basis

[georgey]

lang lang plays exquisitely.he connects well with the public and those who mock him or view his playing as anything close to subpar are critics whose words and comments sound against a wall and nothing more. sorry to sound so blunt, but i must defend this young pianist who has put in a lot of time and effort in helping his country as well as taking the piano world by storm, literally. the best quality about him is his humility and balance in his interviews. whether that is how he is in real life as a person nobody really knows since we only can observe based on what we see, read, and hear online through articles and videos. those who do not hold an affinity to his playing may have some merit but not to the extent of such harsh criticism. critics are those that only may observe and critique without any actual basis

I am not very familiar with Lang Lang.  I have 1 album:  The magic of Lang Lang.  I think it is great.  I agree with everything you say here.  The 1 thing that catches my eye:  I don't see recordings such as "the complete Beethoven piano sonatas", or "the complete Chopin Works" like you will see with Ashkenazy or others.  I see Beethoven concertos 1 and 4.  I see The 2 Chopin concertos, a Chopin album, a Rach album, a Listz album, a Mozart album.  He is still young though.  Maybe he will record the complete sonatas of Beethoven at some point or even smaller project like the complete Mazurkas of Chopin..

[classicalinquisition]

he has performed cd's re chopin, liszt, mozart, and rachmaninov, including beethoven. i doubt he is interested in recording a full beethoven sonata cd to prove himself. it would be a basic and simple recording for him compared to his concertos he has completed and recorded.

[pianoplayerstar]

Classical Inquisition, thank you.

I thought this article was quite peculiar and it just sounded like some disgruntled writer.  Maybe it was just bad journalism on the writer's part.

Welcome, classicalinquisition!

[classicalinquisition]

thanks star. i have read some of your posts here and i must admit it is quite stimulating to read. you should be a fisherman baiting all of us to read it while irating half of the readers for your musical acumen perhaps from jealousy and enlightening the other half of the readers who enjoy reading your posts and maybe some of the responses as well. i probably fall under the category of the latter half of the readers.  i don't know where you get all your information and knowledge. either you know music or you know and play it. some play and cannot express themselves in the music world when it comes to writing about it. others do not play and just write. others may do both. maybe you do both. i do not know and i do not care. you are a good fisherman. lol

[georgey]

he has performed cd's re chopin, liszt, mozart, and rachmaninov, including beethoven. i doubt he is interested in recording a full beethoven sonata cd to prove himself. it would be a basic and simple recording for him compared to his concertos he has completed and recorded.

I just ordered his recording of Beethoven concertos #4 and #1 as well as his Mozart album.  I look forward to hearing these.  Thanks.

[pianoplayerstar]

I am curious how performing in public differs from performing in a recording studio.

I am sure Lang Lang prefers to perform in public as it opens up his playing to claps and praise in 'live' fashion.  I may be wrong.

In a recording studio, you can do as many takes as you'd like, whereas, with live concerts, there is no turning back - kinda like movie acting vs. Broadway show acting.. which is TOTALLY different from PERFORMING PIANO PIECES in the WORLD OF CONCERT PIANISM.

[classicalinquisition]

I just ordered his recording of Beethoven concertos #4 and #1 as well as his Mozart album.  I look forward to hearing these.  Thanks.

i'd like to compare his concerto no. 5 with brendel's

[mjames]

Lang Lang is mechanically gifted, most definitely, but his choices in interpretation are just odd. I once listened to his performance of Chopin's 4th ballade and wow, the voicing was horrendous, and the crescendos and tempo rubato were soooo awkward.

[georgey]

Lang Lang is mechanically gifted, most definitely, but his choices in interpretation are just odd. I once listened to his performance of Chopin's 4th ballade and wow, the voicing was horrendous, and the crescendos and tempo rubato were soooo awkward.

I listened to this for the first time just now.  I am familiar with the Krystian Zimmerman version.  I see what you are saying: "the voicing was horrendous, and the crescendos and tempo rubato were soooo awkward".  and I can see how you feel this way, and I could also.  But I HEAR A QUALITY AND INSPIRED PERFORMANCE HERE for the most part!

I once heard on youtube Lang Lang fooling around with the Chopin Op 53 Ab polonaise and was dialing up the "cornyness" at will to great extremes.  I then heard on youtube him play this same piece at a concert (maybe Carnegie hall) and it was beautifully and tastefully played.  I think he can do both.

[dcstudio]

Personally I am a fan of anyone who brings that kind of mainstream  attention to the piano. He is a phenomenal player. Some people are just snooty and they believe that because they dont agree with his interpretations, or they don't like his style, that he shouldn't get the attention that he does. I have made money because of him. He inspires many students to take lessons. I love the guy--more power to him.

It's not like he didn't work for it and his technical prowess is indisputable . Whether or not you like him he is good for the world of classical piano so lay off the Lang Lang bashing.  

[mjames]

The topic's about Lang Lang's performances, not whether or not he should be famous. I was providing a vague reason as to why someone wouldn't appreciate Lang Lang's music, aside from jealousy of course. I would hardly call it bashing, and frankly I don't really care if he's famous or not.

@Georgey I've watched quite a few videos and they were all as you would call it "corny", but if he can do both then good for him. I've never had any interest in him and I doubt it matters, I'll just stay in my own little world. In regards to the ballade, I honestly can't see the quality in it, especially in the coda.

[visitor]

he is good.
But that is his problem, he is just good in a field with tons of good players. But nothing i have heard from him comes across as particularly inspired or sensitive,  And i see where the nick name bang.bang comes from, there are times his tone is more than a little harsh when he plays out, its worse w his fast and loud passafe work.
I dont particularly really dislike his playing, but nothing of his output has yet to compell me to seek out and listen to him more.

His appearance with Lindsey Sterlinh in her recent  video was kind of cool though and his playing was at the better end of his spectrum

that whack bang sound suits this music well so it is not wothout its place or appropriateness

[ronde_des_sylphes]

That blog site is notorious for being something of a controversialist / polemicist page.

Personally, I find he's quite a conundrum. He's a buffoon in terms of stage antics (I can barely watch him), but his technique is excellent and he can play very quietly when he feels like it. I don't suspect there to be a probing intellect at work, but I won't hold that against him as some of the dullest music-making emanates from so-called 'intellectuals'. It's possible there is a potential true great waiting to escape, but the posturing gets in the way. In other words, I think he has the capacity to play wonderfully but doesn't yet do so.

[visitor]

That blog site is notorious for being something of a controversialist / polemicist page.

Personally, I find he's quite a conundrum. He's a buffoon in terms of stage antics (I can barely watch him), but his technique is excellent and he can play very quietly when he feels like it. I don't suspect there to be a probing intellect at work, but I won't hold that against him as some of the dullest music-making emanates from so-called 'intellectuals'. It's possible there is a potential true great waiting to escape, but the posturing gets in the way. In other words, I think he has the capacity to play wonderfully but doesn't yet do so.

i tend to agree, there sre glimpses of real greatness but i havent seen it consistent enough to convey control amd intent, i wonder if he gets in his own way at times. It will be interesting to see his development over the next 10 or 15 years

[mjames]

i tend to agree, there sre glimpses of real greatness but i havent seen it consistent enough to convey control amd intent, i wonder if he gets in his own way at times. It will be interesting to see his development over the next 10 or 15 years

In the ballade video there are some wonderful cantabile moments, and he pulls off some of the counter-melodies beautifully...but they're quickly ruined by the out-of-the-blue accelrandos and crescendos. And what frustrates me even more is that he pulls off some great voicing in areas that aren't so ---in your face counterpoint--- but when it comes to passages like the coda, where its a mine-field to show off your skills in voicing, he completely disregards the counterpoint and just "plays the notes." I don't think he's musically incompetent, it's so obvious that he does it deliberately but i honestly don't know why he chooses to do so.

I don't hate Lang Lang, but like you said, in a world of great pianists coming across someone with great technique isn't exactly rare, and there are quite a lot of technically efficient pianists who ALSO have tasteful musicality.... For me there's no reason to listen to him when I have the options of listening to Neuhaus, Maculsinzki, or my teacher haha...

[dcstudio]

The topic's about Lang Lang's performances, not whether or not he should be famous. I was providing a vague reason as to why someone wouldn't appreciate Lang Lang's music, aside from jealousy of course. I would hardly call it bashing, and frankly I don't really care if he's famous or not.

Well if he wasn't famous this wouldn't be a topic at all so I disagree with you there. the bashing statement wasn't directed at you...I have been a member for 10 years and in thst time there have been many strings devoted to bashing the phenom that is Lang Lang.  I apologize for not being more clear on that. P.S. members have claimed that he steals every interpretation, he has bad technique, no originality...a host of things. it seems to me that what people are jealous of, really, is his fame.  Like I said, I like him and  I too provided a vague reason why someone wouldn't appreciate his music... 

[louispodesta]

Well if he wasn't famous this wouldn't be a topic at all so I disagree with you there. the bashing statement wasn't directed at you...I have been a member for 10 years and in thst time there have been many strings devoted to bashing the phenom that is Lang Lang.  I apologize for not being more clear on that. P.S. members have claimed that he steals every interpretation, he has bad technique, no originality...a host of things. it seems to me that what people are jealous of, really, is his fame.  Like I said, I like him and  I too provided a vague reason why someone wouldn't appreciate his music... 

I usually ignore those red flashes that urge you to wait because an additional post has been made, but this time I am glad I did.

1)  It just dawned on me, as a pianist/philosopher, that I am supposed to be smarter than this.  Accordingly, when these posts periodically appear here and on Frank Baxter's sorry website, that is not by chance.  People talk and talk about everything under the sun, and during this time their is nothing about Lang Lang.

2)  Then magically, someone (supposedly an objective observer) innocently posts an inquiry.  And, then it all starts again.  Gosh, North Texas State girl, I thought you knew when you have been had.

3)  For those Ds's out there (you know what that stands for) that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump got to where they will be on the same stage on Monday by happenstance, you have my sympathies.

4)  Artur Rubinstein (real name Arthur) did not have a manager, he had an Impressario.  And, if you think Lang Lang is no different, then you are as gullible as the most accomplished jazz/classical pianist "dcstudio."

5)  I was taught over 40 years ago (when the term Xenophobia was not used universally against the Chinese) that the Chinese are extremely proud of being the worlds' greatest copyists.  Something, parenthetically, for which they are very proud.

6)  The previously posted comment on Lang Lang's playing of the fourth Chopin 4th Ballade could not be more on point.  When he played the Chopin 1st Piano Concerto (live and on PBS Television), Lorin Maazel kept turning around and staring at him.  You could almost see smoke coming out of his ears!

7)   On point, this piece is saccharin in nature, and everybody knows it.  It is supposed to be milked for every ornament or embellishment possible.  That is why Chopin wrote it because the 2nd Concerto was actually written and performed first, and was not well received.

  So what did Lang Lang do, he did what all great Chinese do, he copied it/styled his performance from a favorite recording.  That is a recording that performed it like the 2nd Concerto should be played.

9)  This is why this "Impressario Style" pianist plays a solo recital and it sounds like seven different pianists.  It is simply the reincarnation of seven different recordings.  Please go to any Youtube live recordings of any of his solo performances and listen for yourselves.  Don't look, just shut your eyes and listen!

10)  The Beatles and all those rock and rollers who came after them did not invent hyperbole "Hype."  Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, and Chopin did it very well before them!

11) Finally, (as a technique student of my coach Thomas Mark and the late Charles Aschbrenner), I could care less.  Based on the way Lang lang continually cocks his right hand below the keyboard and then commonly "mashes" chords with his left hand, he will end up like his coach Gary Graffman before him.

[georgey]

.

[georgey]

In the ballade video there are some wonderful cantabile moments, and he pulls off some of the counter-melodies beautifully...but they're quickly ruined by the out-of-the-blue accelrandos and crescendos. And what frustrates me even more is that he pulls off some great voicing in areas that aren't so ---in your face counterpoint--- but when it comes to passages like the coda, where its a mine-field to show off your skills in voicing, he completely disregards the counterpoint and just "plays the notes." I don't think he's musically incompetent, it's so obvious that he does it deliberately but i honestly don't know why he chooses to do so.

I don't hate Lang Lang, but like you said, in a world of great pianists coming across someone with great technique isn't exactly rare, and there are quite a lot of technically efficient pianists who ALSO have tasteful musicality.... For me there's no reason to listen to him when I have the options of listening to Neuhaus, Maculsinzki, or my teacher haha...

You say:
but when it comes to passages like the coda, where its a mine-field to show off your skills in voicing, he completely disregards the counterpoint and just "plays the notes." I don't think he's musically incompetent, it's so obvious that he does it deliberately but i honestly don't know why he chooses to do so.

I say:
So I just listened to Lang Lang’s Ballade #4 a second time.  That was all I needed to give it a thumbs up (which I did on youtube).  As far as the coda goes, you do raise a valid point.  I believe Lang Lang felt it was appropriate to go berserk here for an effect.  I may not agree with this 100%, but I like it VERY MUCH.  Voicing does not apply after a person goes berserk.  CAN’T YOU FEEL IT!?!?!?   Just kidding .  Sounds like your teacher is a great performer!

So we may have a disagreement.  I still think the Cadenza* of the Schumann concerto could not have been written any better by any human.  Ultimately, it will be up to HISTORY to judge these things.  Best wishes to all.  

* - Does anyone know if an alternate cadenza to the Schumann was ever written and performed by anyone?

[dcstudio]

I usually ignore those red flashes that urge you to wait because an additional post has been made, but this time I am glad I did.

1)  It just dawned on me, as a pianist/philosopher, that I am supposed to be smarter than this.  Accordingly, when these posts periodically appear here and on Frank Baxter's sorry website, that is not by chance.  People talk and talk about everything under the sun, and during this time their is nothing about Lang Lang.

2)  Then magically, someone (supposedly an objective observer) innocently posts an inquiry.  And, then it all starts again.  Gosh, North Texas State girl, I thought you knew when you have been had.

3)  For those Ds's out there (you know what that stands for) that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump got to where they will be on the same stage on Monday by happenstance, you have my sympathies.

4)  Artur Rubinstein (real name Arthur) did not have a manager, he had an Impressario.  And, if you think Lang Lang is no different, then you are as gullible as the most accomplished jazz/classical pianist "dcstudio."

5)  I was taught over 40 years ago (when the term Xenophobia was not used universally against the Chinese) that the Chinese are extremely proud of being the worlds' greatest copyists.  Something, parenthetically, for which they are very proud.

6)  The previously posted comment on Lang Lang's playing of the fourth Chopin 4th Ballade could not be more on point.  When he played the Chopin 1st Piano Concerto (live and on PBS Television), Lorin Maazel kept turning around and staring at him.  You could almost see smoke coming out of his ears!

7)   On point, this piece is saccharin in nature, and everybody knows it.  It is supposed to be milked for every ornament or embellishment possible.  That is why Chopin wrote it because the 2nd Concerto was actually written and performed first, and was not well received.

  So what did Lang Lang do, he did what all great Chinese do, he copied it/styled his performance from a favorite recording.  That is a recording that performed it like the 2nd Concerto should be played.

9)  This is why this "Impressario Style" pianist plays a solo recital and it sounds like seven different pianists.  It is simply the reincarnation of seven different recordings.  Please go to any Youtube live recordings of any of his solo performances and listen for yourselves.  Don't look, just shut your eyes and listen!

10)  The Beatles and all those rock and rollers who came after them did not invent hyperbole "Hype."  Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, and Chopin did it very well before them!

11) Finally, (as a technique student of my coach Thomas Mark and the late Charles Aschbrenner), I could care less.  Based on the way Lang lang continually cocks his right hand below the keyboard and then commonly "mashes" chords with his left hand, he will end up like his coach Gary Graffman before him.

Hi Louis.

Nice to see you haven't lost your affinity for Lang Lang....   quite a response there.

L.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

it seems to me that what people are jealous of, really, is his fame. 

It's possible some critics may be but really I find this quite unlikely, and rather a redundant explanation as if nobody had heard of him we wouldn't be having this conversation.
 
Listened to the opening of the fourth ballade and thought it was a crude disgrace. Almost no subtlety and some bizarre LH banging. The coda was little more than noise. (In contrast, I'm obliged to say that the Liszt Don Juan on youtube is very good.) If he gets kids into playing piano, this is of course good, but let's hope they don't try to ape everything he does.

[dcstudio]

 ;DHe is a phenomenal player... and I can't say that I enjoy every note he plays either but I do like his  fame and that he brings in masses. One can assume that some of those who were first intrigued by Lang Lang will later evolve into aficionados of classical piano who have an appreciation for the finer performers. This genre needs have this kind of mass appeal now and then.  He is good for business. lol.

[georgey]

It's possible some critics may be but really I find this quite unlikely, and rather a redundant explanation as if nobody had heard of him we wouldn't be having this conversation.
 
Listened to the opening of the fourth ballade and thought it was a crude disgrace. Almost no subtlety and some bizarre LH banging. The coda was little more than noise. (In contrast, I'm obliged to say that the Liszt Don Juan on youtube is very good.) If he gets kids into playing piano, this is of course good, but let's hope they don't try to ape everything he does.

I listened a 3rd time just to make sure.  Still thumbs up for me.  But I can understand some of the comments here.  What, you don’t like the lack of subtlety and the berserk ending?  I prefer Zimerman included here, but I still find Lang Lang’s performance to be exciting.  This is a live performance don't forget.

Best wishes to all.  

[outin]

There are a few world famous pianists whose playing cannot touch me. LL is among them. Then again so are Arthur Rubinstein and Martha Argerich. I don't even know exactly why, but their playing does not dot draw me in to the music the way some other pianists do. I have not heard any of them live though so it's all based on recordings. I certainly don't mind unconventionality, so that cannot the reason for my lack of interest for LL.

Anyway, LL seems to have a special gift: He knows how to take his audience. He played in Hki a few weeks ago and the audience loved him. I would not pay a cent to go listen to him play LvB but it is obvious that those who did (and it was not cheap) felt it was very much worth it.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

What, you don’t like the lack of subtlety and the berserk ending?  I prefer Zimerman included here, but I still find Lang Lang’s performance to be exciting.  This is a live performance don't forget.

Zimerman is too "polite" for me here, but LL is crude. I think this is much more to the point (and it retains a lot of furioso in its own way). Richter, live:

[louispodesta]

A few comments:

1)  I meant what I said about Lang Lang's agent setting up his phony posts.  Hey, that is what you pay them for, which is keeping your name out there as the most famous pianist alive!

2)  It is interesting to me that the particular piece chosen for commentary is one that has been the favorite of the academic piano world for recent memory.  I play the G Minor and the A Flat, but I would never lose sleep over the Fourth Ballade.

3)  As someone who by now has a snippet of credentials as an applied musicologist/philosopher, I have always noticed (since my NTSU days, "dcstudio") that certain pieces come into favor at a particular time.  Now, it is the Chopin Fourth Ballade and also the Brahms Sonata.  Back in 1971, it was the Barber Sonata (jazz) and for everyone else, the music of Poulenc.

4)  But never forget, we are still talking about Donald Trump.  Oh, I am so sorry, I meant Lang Lang.

Philosophers know causality and their associated dynamics.  With Donald Trump and Lang Lang, it is exactly the same!

And, in a word, it has been know for many centuries as "Propaganda."

[louispodesta]

Correction, my apologies:

It should be:  And, in a word, it has been "known" for many centuries as "Propaganda."

Thanks.

[dcstudio]

  I play the G Minor and the A Flat,

I would love to hear you play either. Please post them.

[chopinlover01]

Correction, my apologies:

It should be:  And, in a word, it has been "known" for many centuries as "Propaganda."

Thanks.

You surely are aware the edit button exists, no?

[pianoplayerstar]

That spiderman video is pretty neat; however, it seems like Lang Lang was utterly bored and needed some other challenge.  Still interesting as I never knew he would infuse himself in pop movie culture such as this one.

ok, here are the dissenters:

mjames

georgey

ronde des

louispodesta -maybe.. but maybe not. please clarify.

outin - neutral, but wouldn't "pay a cent" to see lang lang play.

_______________________________________________________  

My question to you all and to those who disagree with dcstudio and classicalinquisition (who seem to have a strong affinity for Lang Lang) is whether you can 1st achieve the standard to which you claim Lang Lang misses or lacks.

Having said this, someone mentioned Argerich.  Argerich is incredible in my opinion.

Her Rachmaninov Conc. 3 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6vARZLkaSY] takes you into a different world.  I must agree with somebody here as to Rubenstein's playing.. it's doesn't quite touch me, but some stuff of his do touch a chord. Generally, I don't know what it is whether it's the way Rubinstein looks coupled and mixed with how he plays.

Maybe he's too handsome for playing certain songs.

A piano player who is too beautiful or handsome just doesn't cut it.  or does it?

There's got to be a 'look', a 'charm', and sort of 'connection' in order to create a PERFORMANCE that touches the ears and eyes of the audience:  US.

It's that "X" factor no one can actually pinpoint other than to say that she or he is a "baffoon" or "au contraire" to that.

Lang Lang went to Curits.

Lang Lang went to Julliard.

NOW HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THAT THE BEST MUSIC SCHOOLS WHO SEARCH THE ENTIRE GLOBE FOR "THE BEST", HAVING CHOSEN THESE YOUNGSTERS TO BE BE THE BEST AND TO BE THRUST INTO THE LIMELIGHT OF FAME AND POPULARITY... HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THAT CURTIS AND JULLIARD WERE WRONG?

no way hosay! no Can Do, my friends!

It's like saying Harvard and Yale are just schools.  No. the entire world wants to get into these schools, and those who poo-poo this is only the ones who couldn't get it, or didn't have the drive, sacrifice to get accepted.  Of course, these schools may have deparated from their spiritual roots of seminary (a real pity by the way) and now touting it's secular methodology of academica, it is a lesson to us all, whatever and whoever you are, the rule that if you work hard and sacrifice some things, you will go somewhere and you CAN shoot for the best.

Lang Lang sacrificed a bunch only to be met with PRAISE ACCOLADES, LAURELS, 'AND' cRITICISMS... this is the way popularity and fame works.

The public will not accept anyone who hasn't worked hard to PERFORM IN THE MAINSTAGE OF LIFE.

Lang Lang, I can only presume worked harder like no other to get where he is; I wouldn't say luck as anything to do with it.

So critics who criticise his performance really don't have traction.

HOWEVER, having said that, I do believe Lang Lang's ability to play the piano is incredible.  

His "X" factor is connection with an Audience.

Murray Perahia is someone whom you don't really have to see who he looks like, but your ears can tell it sounds nice... same goes for Trifinov... and now same goes with that Korean guy Sung-Jin Cho (?); you close your eyes, and you can actually here them.

------> WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL WITH LANG LANG'S PERFORMANCE?!! <-----------------  

ANSWER:  What Lang Lang does it create a bridge from Classical to the Mainstream; without him, I don't think Chinese kids would care; Lang Lang has a kind of 'availability', 'humility', and 'charisma' to get things going, to generate business, and profits, and $ is what often can make the world turn sometimes.... imagine, I'm sure there are many bean counting economists out there in China, UK, and elsewhere who actually have created actuarial analyses of his surge to the piano fore and the # of pianos China as created, the # of lessons and new Chinese teachers have come up.. and that's only in China!... then there is Korea, the UK, Singapore, Taiwan, Africa, Canada, and US..... just imagine what he has done.

The average dude/dudette does not know what or who Richter is.. and they don't care; they don't even know who Argerich is or even Trifinov.. and they don't care.

But Lang Lang? (Answer: (well.. i heard of this Chinese boy/dude who played piano at Obama's event.... ") ------> THIS is what Lang Lang's performance has created.

Exposure.

A Bridge from the Classical piano world to the layperson.

... in a skewed way, he sort of looks like mozart with his eyes.  Mozart had a kind of round beady eyes. If you look at Lang Lang's eyes, they look the same; they have a look; ( I don't know if Lang Lang's dad realized it or not, but I'm sure his dad saw or even created or even convinced himself of the striking similarities between Lang Lang and Mozart... traveling all over.. sacrificing... worrying about $$$.. and all).

Anyway, Lang Lang's performance is awe-striking.  You can't just hear his CD's, you have to go to a concert and watch him play.

I recall Horowitz (before Lang Lang was even existent) saying he's not into all this expression filled playing.. which I understand is a sort of higher-than-thou kind of comment as if to say "yeah; i'm above that ... now .... Now, that I'm so good, I can play WITHOUT EVEN TRYING".... well, I am speculating .. not for Horowitze, but others who may venture to say this sort of thing...........

Lang lang's manager probably told him to tone it down as he became more famous as you all recall his facial contortions were so awry and so strange.. you just HAD to watch who this freakish pianist, but-plays-sowell, was! it as Lang Lang.  

Horowitz' style is NOW obsolete; you will not see a popular pianist without expressions.

Look at this young man (just out of his teens I believe?):  

I believe the reason he won this competition is because he tries SO HARD and you can see it in his face... either he tries hard or he is COMPLETELY IN THE MOMENT.....----> that doesn't matter as long as the AUDIENCE believes he's really putting in A LOT OF EFFORT...... this makes the audience feel like "okay, i got money money's worth"... or "okay, I'm sitting here and this dude is really trying so hard" =====> at least it's a PERFORMANCE.

and THAT'S what Lang Lang is about.

He got into Curits. Done.

He got into Julliard. Done.

[TRANSLATION:  Lang Lang understood technicals, and everything else there needs to be known about the piano and music at least enough to get into Curtis and Julliard].

LANG LANG IS A TRUE PERFORMER.  ... AND HE'S LIKEABLE TOO IN MY OPINION WHEN SEEN IN INTERVIEWS AND ONLINE: His "Public Persona", if you will.

pps

[classicalinquisition]

ridiculously long, but still an interesting read. again. your arbitrary points and random comments still triggers me to read your post. bravo.

[classicalinquisition]

Zimerman is too "polite" for me here, but LL is crude. I think this is much more to the point (and it retains a lot of furioso in its own way). Richter, live:

this is a very low quality recording. tough to gauge.

[classicalinquisition]

I listened to this for the first time just now.  I am familiar with the Krystian Zimmerman version.  I see what you are saying: "the voicing was horrendous, and the crescendos and tempo rubato were soooo awkward".  and I can see how you feel this way, and I could also.  But I HEAR A QUALITY AND INSPIRED PERFORMANCE HERE for the most part!

I once heard on youtube Lang Lang fooling around with the Chopin Op 53 Ab polonaise and was dialing up the "cornyness" at will to great extremes.  I then heard on youtube him play this same piece at a concert (maybe Carnegie hall) and it was beautifully and tastefully played.  I think he can do both.

i blind tested this video and i must say the beginning is too contemplative. as i continued to listen to it, what Lang Lang is trying to do here is a different interpretation from what is normally mainstream from other pianists. he is using less pedal and attempting to create different voices with the left hand. if you continue to listen to him, in the middle of it, you can see how he slowly just very slowly begins to create an echo with the pedal, but withdraws from using it. this happens right before the cough from the audience. a pity, but a nice marker. you can hear how Lang Lang is thinking as he is playing and there is a kind of improvisational approach to his post-audience cough playing as if he is trying to tell the audience as if he is trying to say something different. you can even hear what might sound like inadvertent dissonance, but he is most likely doing this on purpose, as anything but this would mean he just had too much food before he performed here. Lang Lang's ending is pure virtuosic. i do not believe it is corny. i do not believe it is in any way awkward after you actually view the performance. just to make sure and confirm my beliefs, after i blind-heard this, i saw it as well. a world of an enhancement. to the dismay of many critics, i must say Lang Lang is in a world of his own. he is beyond talent and that is why many believe his playing is awkward. i have to echo stars long and somewhat dreary comment above as to lang langs ability to connect with the public. perhaps he speaks to the beginner naive ears of the public and to the ultra expert but not to the middle ground piano dilettantes.

[mjames]

What pomposity, we don't like his music because he is too far beyond our understanding? I also enjoy the assumptions that because we (or at least I) don't enjoy Lang Lang's approach to Chopin, it's because I'm only into "mainstream" interpretations.  lol Also, I suppose you must be one of the "naive ears of the public" because considering all the bs you said in that other thread, I'd hardly consider you an expert. 

Typical fanboy behavior.

[louispodesta]

A few comments:

1)  I meant what I said about Lang Lang's agent setting up his phony posts.  Hey, that is what you pay them for, which is keeping your name out there as the most famous pianist alive!

2)  It is interesting to me that the particular piece chosen for commentary is one that has been the favorite of the academic piano world for recent memory.  I play the G Minor and the A Flat, but I would never lose sleep over the Fourth Ballade.

3)  As someone who by now has a snippet of credentials as an applied musicologist/philosopher, I have always noticed (since my NTSU days, "dcstudio") that certain pieces come into favor at a particular time.  Now, it is the Chopin Fourth Ballade and also the Brahms Sonata.  Back in 1971, it was the Barber Sonata (jazz) and for everyone else, the music of Poulenc.

4)  But never forget, we are still talking about Donald Trump.  Oh, I am so sorry, I meant Lang Lang.

Philosophers know causality and their associated dynamics.  With Donald Trump and Lang Lang, it is exactly the same!

And, in a word, it has been know for many centuries as "Propaganda."

Like I said before, Lang Lang's agent should be paying you all a fee.  Go ahead and track all of the posts for the last year and see if his name even appears.
 

[ronde_des_sylphes]

(1)
My question to you all and to those who disagree with dcstudio and classicalinquisition (who seem to have a strong affinity for Lang Lang) is whether you can 1st achieve the standard to which you claim Lang Lang misses or lacks.


(2)
 I must agree with somebody here as to Rubenstein's playing.. it's doesn't quite touch me, but some stuff of his do touch a chord. Generally, I don't know what it is whether it's the way Rubinstein looks coupled and mixed with how he plays.

(3)
Lang Lang went to Curits.

Lang Lang went to Julliard.

NOW HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THAT THE BEST MUSIC SCHOOLS WHO SEARCH THE ENTIRE GLOBE FOR "THE BEST", HAVING CHOSEN THESE YOUNGSTERS TO BE BE THE BEST AND TO BE THRUST INTO THE LIMELIGHT OF FAME AND POPULARITY... HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THAT CURTIS AND JULLIARD WERE WRONG?

(4)
It's like saying Harvard and Yale are just schools.  No. the entire world wants to get into these schools, and those who poo-poo this is only the ones who couldn't get it, or didn't have the drive, sacrifice to get accepted.  

 (5)
The public will not accept anyone who hasn't worked hard to PERFORM IN THE MAINSTAGE OF LIFE.

Lang Lang, I can only presume worked harder like no other to get where he is; I wouldn't say luck as anything to do with it.

So critics who criticise his performance really don't have traction.




(6)
Anyway, Lang Lang's performance is awe-striking.

(7)
Horowitz' style is NOW obsolete; you will not see a popular pianist without expressions.

(1): that old chestnut again.
Immediately self-contradicted by (2): unless you are better than Rubinstein was.
(3): by that logic, going to a good school renders you immune to criticism.
(4): nonsense. You presumably haven't got much life experience if you can come out with that.
(5): the public has no idea how hard people work: and your conclusion is a non sequitur.
(6): in your opinion.
(7): demonstrably false.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Lang Lang should be taken on his merits (and he's not without them), but this sort of exaggerated "you can't, or are not competent to criticise him" approach does no-one any favours and is frankly absurd.

[louispodesta]

Once again, the Lang Lang booking agents are jumping up and down because (social activist philosopher speaking) Adele has now spoken on a directly related subject.

Her comment on the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie pending Divorce is: "Who the F..ing S..t  cares!

Accordingly, in terms of orchestrated Hype, I put Lang Lang in the same category.  No one really cares on a daily basis, on this website or others, how this pianist plays anything!

It is called "Propaganda" for a reason, and it is no way indigenous to geo-politics.  It has been part and parcel to the world of the Fine Arts for centuries, in my opinion.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Her comment on the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie pending Divorce is: "Who the F..ing S..t  cares!

Accordingly, in terms of orchestrated Hype, I put Lang Lang in the same category.  No one really cares on a daily basis, on this website or others, how this pianist plays anything!

It is called "Propaganda" for a reason, and it is no way indigenous to geo-politics.  It has been part and parcel to the world of the Fine Arts for centuries, in my opinion.

Good for her! LL is more innately meritorious than their pathetic tiff, but nonetheless he remains overhyped beyond belief.

[dogperson]

Lang Lang should be taken on his merits (and he's not without them), but this sort of exaggerated "you can't, or are not competent to criticise him" approach does no-one any favours and is frankly absurd.

For any of you that don't believe that Andrew is qualified to 'criticise LL', you should check out his audition room postings, his Sound Cloud account, and be aware that he does produce CDs of his work.   I would like to see all of those who express unqualified love of LL and feel they are so very competent to make that statement match Andrew's repertoire.  If you want to contend that only a holy few are qualified to criticise, then only a holy few should be qualified to love LL and not see any of his faults.  


https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=62362.0
https://soundcloud.com/andrew-wright-35  
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=61771.0

[tenk]

I would love to hear you play either. Please post them.

This will never happen.

[mjames]

There are plenty examples of "wild but still listenable" classical players but I felt like sharing an actual Chinese pianist because I didn't want to be accused of "Western bias" (it happens, lol). Here is an example of an unbelievably original, virtousic, explosive, and yet coherent and beautiful performance. Unlike our superstar, the guy isn't raping the piano. Lang Lang should take notes...

(also this guy's control of tone and color is amazing. the voicing is also wowowowowowo.)

[josh93248]

There are plenty examples of "wild but still listenable" classical players but I felt like sharing an actual Chinese pianist because I didn't want to be accused of "Western bias" (it happens, lol). Here is an example of an unbelievably original, virtousic, explosive, and yet coherent and beautiful performance. Unlike our superstar, the guy isn't raping the piano. Lang Lang should take notes...

(also this guy's control of tone and color is amazing. the voicing is also wowowowowowo.)

Holy sh*t Mjames, great vid!!!!

[emill]

To Langlang's credit is the new found interest of many young persons in classical music.  Together with the likes of Maksim, the young here are are giving classical music a second listen when they would normally just discard it as something odd and suited for the elderly.

I must admit though that Langlang's interpretation of some pieces borders on the atrocious ... yet in some pieces his playing leaves me breathless.

[pianoplayerstar]

listen to the coda. [AMAZING]
-enough said

[stevensk]

listen to the coda. [AMAZING]
-enough said

No, enought is`t said. For me, classical music isn`t just a Las Vegas circus.  -Thats what we have pop music for. Its not about an show, its about our life as human beeings. Classical music is something that goes SO much deeper than ANY  hi speed dorky  turkish march does

[bernadette60614]

My husband and I have seen Lang Lang in performance with two screens showing his hands in action. The audience was packed..with everything from 5 year olds to retirees and points in between. And, the audience had a fantastic time.  There is a lot to be said for a pianist who can make a diverse classical program enjoyable for a highly diverse audience.

There is room for many different kinds of pianists.  I was thinking about when/why/how I fell in love with piano...it was watching Victor Borge, who both played and did a running, humorous commentary. Similarly, I fell in love with opera through Anna Russell and Bach through P.D.Q. Bach.

If you've ever seen Lang Lang, the person, discuss piano on YouTube (he happens to be our son's favorite classical pianist), he's a big kid.  He's having the time of his life showing off what he can do, and many people have the time of their lives...for the first time in their lives...enjoying the way he plays classical music.