August 14, 2011

• Yuja Wang -

  Listening to Yuja Wang play Prokofiev Piano Concerto 3 in C, Opus 26 was... impressive.  I'd seen/heard her play on youtube prior to this, which was technically impressive, but emotionally unfulfilling, in that her precision and technique were superb, but I had no sense of how well she connected with/in the music.  The performance yesterday convinced me that she's maturing into an ever more formidable pianist, with a depth of soul and love for the music that allows her to interpret the music in her own magical way.

  Phrasing Prokofiev is no mean feat.  The pianistic prestidigitation required to simply play his music is daunting.  But to give voice to the composer's "language," phrasing the currents of sound, rife with artful dissonance and conflicting arpeggios requires a much deeper understanding than what notes to play next.  Without that depth, the music is wooden and sullen... a technical demonstration without the lyricism that gives voice to the soul of the music. 

  Subtle in the realm of microseconds and iotas of intensity, yet breathtaking as all the nuances yield an epiphenomenon of intent.

  She gained a new fan yesterday.  Yuja Wang is a performer to pay attention to.

   

  • 2:24 pm
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