Sarah Palin Quits
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Photo du Jour 448
Happy 4th of July!
SFist Drinks: The Rio Grande Cocktail at 15 Romolo
Lang Lang's appeal draws beyond the boundaries of classical music. Our Chinese friend wanted to come with us because, says she, Lang Lang is "the Yao Ming of the piano." You don't get to become a global mega-star by showing restraint and humility and understated sophistication. Since we last saw him here two years ago, he became the face of the Olympics, performing during the Opening ceremony, and received endorsements by Audi, Sony or Rolex.Ca-shing! Check that clip above of him playing the Yellow River concerto in a red tuxedo on a red piano, and you get everything that can go wrong with him: tacky and kitschy, he's that close from making Elton John look refined. Lang Lang and Chopin, paired in a SF symphony series last week, seemed a match made in heaven: over the top, schmaltzy, Romanticism on steroids. Perfect for swooning teenage girls.
Boy were we wrong: Lang Lang's performance of Chopin's First piano concerto was, aside a sparkling brooch affixed to his black jacket which was missing its companion tiara, a model of taste and refinement. It was spec-ta-cu-lar. Lang Lang still has the wide-gestured showmanship, and the expressive attitudes we likened to that of a child. And the loudly stomping feet as well: if anyone want to offer him a gift for Christmas, here are the performing shoes we recommend:
But it seems to us his playing got more probing, more introspective. The assured technical ability is unabated, but Lang Lang seduced us more with the delicateness and the limpidity of his first movement, or the languidly architected slow movement. His playing felt less confrontational. Oh, and the synchronization difficulties Lang Lang had with conductor Mark Wigglesworth two years ago? Gone! Lang Lang now beats the time with his left hand while performing fireworks with the right. It's not very subtle as a hint, but he and the orchestra never lost each other while letting the music breathe and flow.
The piano concerto came in the second half of a program which opened with two orchestral bits from Wagner. We felt we were watching this clip below, except without the nasal voices and, well, with less drama, but more feel for the music.
We got you to smile, didn't we? Mark Wigglesworth conducted without the score, and gave an absolutely outstanding rendition. He found the perfect balance between the sections of the orchestra. The Tannhäuser overture kicks off with a brass march, and if the brass are the wild roaring and growling beasts of the orchestra, Wiggleworth tamed them and de-fanged them into a smooth, round sonority. The piece riles itself up into a storm, and Wiggleworth on the podium looked like his wand was conjuring a tempest that would get away from his control. Yet his grip over the orchestra never wavered, and what a treat it was.
At intermission, we ran into a critic in the press room, who needed to seat down in a quiet place, he told us, to recover from the beautiful performance. Us? We just were there for the cookie tray.
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Cedric - Liszt was thought by some to have gaudier taste (than Chopin) and a tendency to showmanship.
Anyone familiar with Lang Lang's live rendition of Balakirev's Islamey at Tanglewood should realize he's a true (young) virtuoso. Didn't watch the Olympics, or the clip above... sorry!