Rachmaninov - Lang Lang

let me hear your opinion on Lang Lang's new CD

graham

2005-02-09 22:26:42 UTC

Post by y***@yahoo.com
let me hear your opinion on Lang Lang's new CD

Why? If you are a fan of Yundi, you'll probably like Bang Bang!

m***@yahoo.com

2005-02-10 07:01:06 UTC

Yundi and Lang Lang are not same type. Yundi is much more musical.
Don't mix the two.

Post by graham

Post by y***@yahoo.com
let me hear your opinion on Lang Lang's new CD

Why? If you are a fan of Yundi, you'll probably like Bang Bang!

Tom Deacon

2005-02-10 11:41:01 UTC

On 2/10/05 2:01 AM, in article

Post by m***@yahoo.com
Yundi and Lang Lang are not same type. Yundi is much more musical.
Don't mix the two.

I certainly don't.

But they are both without much interest to lovers of piano music. They are,
however, highly popular among teenaged girls in the Orient.

TD

Alex

2005-02-10 14:26:37 UTC

Post by Tom Deacon
On 2/10/05 2:01 AM, in article

Post by m***@yahoo.com
Yundi and Lang Lang are not same type. Yundi is much more musical.
Don't mix the two.

I certainly don't.
But they are both without much interest to lovers of piano music. They are,
however, highly popular among teenaged girls in the Orient.

I can't agree - Yundi Li's recordings are good: finely played, spontaneous
performances. His Chopin Scherzi and Liszt Sonata are very fine - and very
well recorded as a bonus. I'm not claiming he's a great pianist yet, or if
he ever will be, but he is talented and a fine musician. He did win the
Gold Medal in the Warsaw Chopin Competition at the end of the day - which is
not a guarantee of quality but it's not bad...

Lang Lang, althogh I've only heard a little of him, seems to be becoming a
bit of a joke.

Tom Deacon

2005-02-10 15:12:20 UTC

Post by Alex

Post by Tom Deacon
On 2/10/05 2:01 AM, in article

Post by m***@yahoo.com
Yundi and Lang Lang are not same type. Yundi is much more musical.
Don't mix the two.

I certainly don't.
But they are both without much interest to lovers of piano music. They

are,

Post by Tom Deacon
however, highly popular among teenaged girls in the Orient.

I can't agree - Yundi Li's recordings are good: finely played, spontaneous
performances. His Chopin Scherzi and Liszt Sonata are very fine - and very
well recorded as a bonus.

I haven't heard the CD. I just heard him play those pieces live. And they
were just competent, not more. Very depressing, as one had great hopes.

As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of that piece came out with
our own Canadian, Naida Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li. Check her out if you doubt me.

Post by Alex
I'm not claiming he's a great pianist yet, or if
he ever will be, but he is talented and a fine musician.

I am relieved to hear that. I left his recital outside of Montreal in a
state of total disgust.

Post by Alex
He did win the Gold Medal in the Warsaw Chopin Competition at the end of the

day - which is not a guarantee of quality but it's not bad...

That competition is becoming less and less reliable over the years. It used
to be the Gold standard. Now it's producing results which you can only call
odd.

Post by Alex
Lang Lang, althogh I've only heard a little of him, seems to be becoming a
bit of a joke.

He was from the get-go.

The piano world doesn't need any flash Harrys like Lang Lang. But he might
try Barnum and Bailey, if they still exist.

TD

Alex

2005-02-10 16:07:34 UTC

Post by Alex
I can't agree - Yundi Li's recordings are good: finely played, spontaneous
performances. His Chopin Scherzi and Liszt Sonata are very fine - and very
well recorded as a bonus.

I haven't heard the CD. I just heard him play those pieces live. And they
were just competent, not more. Very depressing, as one had great hopes.
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of that piece came out with
our own Canadian, Naida Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li. Check her out if you doubt me.

I have only heard his recordings, I must admit - I do like Naida Cole's CD
of Ravel etc, I agree she is talented. Didn't know she had recorded the
Liszt Sonata, will investigate that.

I heard James Tocco play the Prokofiev Third under Pletnev in London last
week - pretty good although I feel I missed a few notes in the most
demanding passages. He replaced Berezovsky.

Tom Deacon

2005-02-10 17:08:15 UTC

Post by Alex

Post by Alex
I can't agree - Yundi Li's recordings are good: finely played,

spontaneous

Post by Alex
performances. His Chopin Scherzi and Liszt Sonata are very fine - and

very

Post by Alex
well recorded as a bonus.

I haven't heard the CD. I just heard him play those pieces live. And they
were just competent, not more. Very depressing, as one had great hopes.
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of that piece came out with
our own Canadian, Naida Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li. Check her out if you doubt me.

I have only heard his recordings, I must admit - I do like Naida Cole's CD
of Ravel etc, I agree she is talented. Didn't know she had recorded the
Liszt Sonata, will investigate that.
I heard James Tocco play the Prokofiev Third under Pletnev in London last
week - pretty good although I feel I missed a few notes in the most
demanding passages. He replaced Berezovsky.

I like Tocco, at least what I have heard of him. But he is no Berezovsky,
that's for sure.

TD

sidoze

2005-02-10 22:20:06 UTC

I attended that Tocco/Pletnev concert too and I thought it was a
miserable performance. The man seemed utterly indifferent and blase,
and he was rather embarassingly lacking in power. What a disappointment
after having Pogorelich initially scheduled to play the work that
night, then after he cancelled, Berezovsky.

Alex Leach

2005-02-10 23:12:15 UTC

Post by sidoze
I attended that Tocco/Pletnev concert too and I thought it was a
miserable performance. The man seemed utterly indifferent and blase,
and he was rather embarassingly lacking in power. What a disappointment
after having Pogorelich initially scheduled to play the work that
night, then after he cancelled, Berezovsky.

I agree the performance lacked power, but I assumed that was owing to the
hall's poor acoustics. But I thought he played some lyrical passages well.
He is still not top class, clearly.

sidoze

2005-02-10 23:54:24 UTC

Post by Alex Leach
I agree the performance lacked power, but I assumed that was owing to the
hall's poor acoustics. But I thought he played some lyrical passages well.
He is still not top class, clearly.

You made me laugh about the acoustics, something I doubt they'll be
able to fix during the restoration. I agree with you though, they
certainly didn't help Tocco at all. If you're in London tomorrow night
(Friday) you might be interested in hearing Trpceski play the same
concerto at the Barbican with the BBC SO. We'll be there.

Dan Koren

2005-02-10 22:06:14 UTC

Post by Tom Deacon
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of
that piece came out with our own Canadian, Naida

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----------------------------------|||||||||||||||

My, my! The Deacon has finally noticed her! ;-)

Post by Tom Deacon
Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li.

She also wipes the floor with Horowitz and Argerich.

However, I find the interpretation more of a mixed
bag. She does some parts better than in any other
performance on record, however other parts sound
curiously uninflected or even perfunctory. I hope
she may record the work again in a few years when
her intepretation matures.

In the meanwhile, if someone forced me to pick just
one performance of the Liszt Sonata, it would have
to be Ernst Levy's. Not even Richter or Sofronitsky
make as much sense of the music as he does.

dk

David Wake

2005-02-11 06:49:13 UTC

Post by Tom Deacon
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of
that piece came out with our own Canadian, Naida

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----------------------------------|||||||||||||||
My, my! The Deacon has finally noticed her! ;-)

Post by Tom Deacon
Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li.

She also wipes the floor with Horowitz and Argerich.
However, I find the interpretation more of a mixed
bag. She does some parts better than in any other
performance on record, however other parts sound
curiously uninflected or even perfunctory. I hope
she may record the work again in a few years when
her intepretation matures.
In the meanwhile, if someone forced me to pick just
one performance of the Liszt Sonata, it would have
to be Ernst Levy's. Not even Richter or Sofronitsky
make as much sense of the music as he does.

Dan, for once I am in full agreement with you.

David

w***@hotmail.com

2005-02-11 14:43:37 UTC

Post by Tom Deacon
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of
that piece came out with our own Canadian, Naida

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----------------------------------|||||||||||||||
My, my! The Deacon has finally noticed her! ;-)

Post by Tom Deacon
Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li.

She also wipes the floor with Horowitz and Argerich.
However, I find the interpretation more of a mixed
bag. She does some parts better than in any other
performance on record, however other parts sound
curiously uninflected or even perfunctory. I hope
she may record the work again in a few years when
her intepretation matures.
In the meanwhile, if someone forced me to pick just
one performance of the Liszt Sonata, it would have
to be Ernst Levy's. Not even Richter or Sofronitsky
make as much sense of the music as he does.

Dan, for once I am in full agreement with you.
David

And I do not agree with Dan. Cole is certainly a good pianist, but I
think what Argerich did in the Liszt sonata remains (definitely from a
pianistic point of view!) unique!

O, please do not mention Andre Rieu any more. That man is a disgrace to
(classical) music. As a fellow Dutchman, I feel ashamed that his CD's
are sold even in the USA. I have seen them in New York and couldn't
believe it.

Willem

n***@comcast.net

2005-02-11 17:48:09 UTC

Post by w***@hotmail.com

Post by Tom Deacon
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of
that piece came out with our own Canadian, Naida

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----------------------------------|||||||||||||||
My, my! The Deacon has finally noticed her! ;-)

Post by Tom Deacon
Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li.

She also wipes the floor with Horowitz and Argerich.
However, I find the interpretation more of a mixed
bag. She does some parts better than in any other
performance on record, however other parts sound
curiously uninflected or even perfunctory. I hope
she may record the work again in a few years when
her intepretation matures.
In the meanwhile, if someone forced me to pick just
one performance of the Liszt Sonata, it would have
to be Ernst Levy's. Not even Richter or Sofronitsky
make as much sense of the music as he does.

Dan, for once I am in full agreement with you.
David

And I do not agree with Dan. Cole is certainly a good pianist, but I
think what Argerich did in the Liszt sonata remains (definitely from a
pianistic point of view!) unique!
O, please do not mention Andre Rieu any more. That man is a disgrace to
(classical) music. As a fellow Dutchman, I feel ashamed that his CD's
are sold even in the USA. I have seen them in New York and couldn't
believe it.

Speaking of Dutchmen, whatever happened to Rian de Waal (sp?) I heard him
play some Godowsky that came off rather well.

Thanks,

Norm Strong

Matthew B. Tepper

2005-02-11 20:42:11 UTC

Post by n***@comcast.net
Speaking of Dutchmen, whatever happened to Rian de Waal (sp?) I heard him
play some Godowsky that came off rather well.

Indeed, I have his Hyperion CD of same, and enjoy it very much.

--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
My personal home page -- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/index.html
My main music page --- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/berlioz.html
To write to me, do for my address what Androcles did for the lion
Take THAT, Daniel Lin, Mark Sadek, James Lin & Christopher Chung!

Brendan R. Wehrung

2005-02-12 03:35:44 UTC

Post by w***@hotmail.com

Post by Tom Deacon
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of
that piece came out with our own Canadian, Naida

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----------------------------------|||||||||||||||
My, my! The Deacon has finally noticed her! ;-)

Post by Tom Deacon
Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li.

She also wipes the floor with Horowitz and Argerich.
However, I find the interpretation more of a mixed
bag. She does some parts better than in any other
performance on record, however other parts sound
curiously uninflected or even perfunctory. I hope
she may record the work again in a few years when
her intepretation matures.
In the meanwhile, if someone forced me to pick just
one performance of the Liszt Sonata, it would have
to be Ernst Levy's. Not even Richter or Sofronitsky
make as much sense of the music as he does.

Dan, for once I am in full agreement with you.
David

And I do not agree with Dan. Cole is certainly a good pianist, but I
think what Argerich did in the Liszt sonata remains (definitely from a
pianistic point of view!) unique!
O, please do not mention Andre Rieu any more. That man is a disgrace to
(classical) music. As a fellow Dutchman, I feel ashamed that his CD's
are sold even in the USA. I have seen them in New York and couldn't
believe it.
Willem

We Americans have to atone for Liberache, but most of us dismissed him as
mere entertainer, despite the candelabra.
http://www.liberace.com/bio.cfm
Don't you think he out-Rieu'd Rieu?

Brendan
--

L***@aol.com

2005-02-12 06:43:09 UTC

Post by Brendan R. Wehrung
We Americans have to atone for Liberache, but most of us dismissed him as
mere entertainer, despite the candelabra.
http://www.liberace.com/bio.cfm
Don't you think he out-Rieu'd Rieu?

Liberace can be heard and/or seen to remarkably good advantage on cd's
and a couple of dvd's.

*********Val

Matthew B. Tepper

2005-02-12 08:27:26 UTC

Post by Brendan R. Wehrung

Post by w***@hotmail.com
O, please do not mention Andre Rieu any more. That man is a disgrace to
(classical) music. As a fellow Dutchman, I feel ashamed that his CD's
are sold even in the USA. I have seen them in New York and couldn't
believe it.

We Americans have to atone for Liberache, but most of us dismissed him as
mere entertainer, despite the candelabra.
http://www.liberace.com/bio.cfm
Don't you think he out-Rieu'd Rieu?

At least Liberace was not packaged and sold as though he were Horowitz or
Rubinstein. When a record company promotes Church as though she were
Callas, or Bocelli as though he were Bjoerling, something is just wrong.

Beaver Lad

2005-02-12 09:51:02 UTC

Post by Brendan R. Wehrung

Post by w***@hotmail.com

Post by Tom Deacon
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of
that piece came out with our own Canadian, Naida

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----------------------------------|||||||||||||||
My, my! The Deacon has finally noticed her! ;-)

Post by Tom Deacon
Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li.

She also wipes the floor with Horowitz and Argerich.
However, I find the interpretation more of a mixed
bag. She does some parts better than in any other
performance on record, however other parts sound
curiously uninflected or even perfunctory. I hope
she may record the work again in a few years when
her intepretation matures.
In the meanwhile, if someone forced me to pick just
one performance of the Liszt Sonata, it would have
to be Ernst Levy's. Not even Richter or Sofronitsky
make as much sense of the music as he does.

Dan, for once I am in full agreement with you.
David

And I do not agree with Dan. Cole is certainly a good pianist, but I
think what Argerich did in the Liszt sonata remains (definitely from a
pianistic point of view!) unique!
O, please do not mention Andre Rieu any more. That man is a disgrace to
(classical) music. As a fellow Dutchman, I feel ashamed that his CD's
are sold even in the USA. I have seen them in New York and couldn't
believe it.
Willem

We Americans have to atone for Liberache, but most of us dismissed him as
mere entertainer, despite the candelabra.
http://www.liberace.com/bio.cfm
Don't you think he out-Rieu'd Rieu?
Brendan
--

===============================

At least Liberace was amusing! (I actually met the guy, and got a
lovely autograph. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT.) André Rieu just makes my heart
sink. But they appeal to the same demographic. I know. I've seen Rieu's
videos, and I saw Liberace live, and the SAME PEOPLE are in both
audiences.

Josep Vilanova

2005-02-13 16:38:54 UTC

Post by Beaver Lad
At least Liberace was amusing! (I actually met the guy, and got a
lovely autograph. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT.) André Rieu just makes my heart
sink. But they appeal to the same demographic. I know. I've seen Rieu's
videos, and I saw Liberace live, and the SAME PEOPLE are in both
audiences.

I've never heard of that Rieu person. Don't think they show him much, on
British TV. Or at least not on any program I care to watch.

j

Matthew B. Tepper

2005-02-13 18:49:42 UTC

Josep Vilanova <***@hotmail.com> appears to have caused the
following letters to be typed in news:BE35331D.21FF%

Post by Josep Vilanova

I've never heard of that Rieu person. Don't think they show him much, on
British TV. Or at least not on any program I care to watch.

He is a fixture of that Quisling of culture in America, PBS. And remember
that "fixture" can also be a euphemism for some of the porcelain amenities
found in a bathroom.

Brendan R. Wehrung

2005-02-14 05:15:29 UTC

Post by Josep Vilanova

I've never heard of that Rieu person. Don't think they show him much, on
British TV. Or at least not on any program I care to watch.

British TV doesn't do fundraising?

Brendan
--

Tony

2005-02-14 05:18:22 UTC

Post by Josep Vilanova

I've never heard of that Rieu person. Don't think they show him much, on
British TV. Or at least not on any program I care to watch.

Consider yourself lucky!

Tom Deacon

2005-02-11 20:35:24 UTC

Post by Tom Deacon
As for the Liszt Sonata, well, a rival version of
that piece came out with our own Canadian, Naida

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----------------------------------|||||||||||||||
My, my! The Deacon has finally noticed her! ;-)

This is very amusing. I heard her first recording - for DG in Canada only,
as a matter of fact, and produced by a former colleague of mine at the CBC -
before Koren was born. He is 5 years old, isn't he? Thought so.

Post by Tom Deacon
Cole, on a Decca CD entitled "Reflections" and she
wipes the floor with Yundi Li.

She also wipes the floor with Horowitz and Argerich.

Nonsense.

Post by Dan Koren
However, I find the interpretation more of a mixed
bag. She does some parts better than in any other
performance on record, however other parts sound
curiously uninflected or even perfunctory. I hope
she may record the work again in a few years when
her intepretation matures.
In the meanwhile, if someone forced me to pick just
one performance of the Liszt Sonata, it would have
to be Ernst Levy's. Not even Richter or Sofronitsky
make as much sense of the music as he does.

Arrau makes more sense than anyone, and you know it. Don't be silly.

TD

vmartell

2005-02-10 17:51:04 UTC

I have to assume that there is no comparison against Stephen Hough
(sp?) and his recent Dallas cycle.
Or is there?

V

Brendan R. Wehrung

2005-02-10 23:02:47 UTC

Post by Alex

Post by Tom Deacon
On 2/10/05 2:01 AM, in article

Post by m***@yahoo.com
Yundi and Lang Lang are not same type. Yundi is much more musical.
Don't mix the two.

I certainly don't.
But they are both without much interest to lovers of piano music. They

are,

Post by Tom Deacon
however, highly popular among teenaged girls in the Orient.

I can't agree - Yundi Li's recordings are good: finely played, spontaneous
performances. His Chopin Scherzi and Liszt Sonata are very fine - and very
well recorded as a bonus. I'm not claiming he's a great pianist yet, or if
he ever will be, but he is talented and a fine musician. He did win the
Gold Medal in the Warsaw Chopin Competition at the end of the day - which is
not a guarantee of quality but it's not bad...
Lang Lang, althogh I've only heard a little of him, seems to be becoming a
bit of a joke.

Maybe in years to come he'll do a two-fer with "Maestro" Rieu.

Brendan
--

Dan Koren

2005-02-10 22:00:48 UTC

Post by Tom Deacon
On 2/10/05 2:01 AM, in article

Post by m***@yahoo.com
Yundi and Lang Lang are not same type. Yundi is much more musical.
Don't mix the two.

I certainly don't.
But they are both without much interest to
lovers of piano music. They are, however,
highly popular among teenaged girls in the
Orient.

Have you learned that first hand?

dk

Tom Deacon

2005-02-10 22:25:51 UTC

Post by Tom Deacon
On 2/10/05 2:01 AM, in article

Post by m***@yahoo.com
Yundi and Lang Lang are not same type. Yundi is much more musical.
Don't mix the two.

I certainly don't.
But they are both without much interest to
lovers of piano music. They are, however,
highly popular among teenaged girls in the
Orient.

Have you learned that first hand?

Well, if you call Valour 21 or Valour 13 or whatever moniker that person
goes by, "first hand".

Their charms do seem to work on them.

TD

L***@aol.com

2005-02-11 06:37:59 UTC

Post by Tom Deacon
On 2/10/05 2:01 AM, in article

Post by m***@yahoo.com
Yundi and Lang Lang are not same type. Yundi is much more musical.
Don't mix the two.

I certainly don't.
But they are both without much interest to lovers of piano music. They are,
however, highly popular among teenaged girls in the Orient.
TD

Maybe they like being saluted with ten fingers.

Alex Leach

2005-02-09 23:48:33 UTC

Post by y***@yahoo.com
let me hear your opinion on Lang Lang's new CD

What, the Rach 2/Paganini Rhapsody with Gergiev? Didn't know it was out
yet.

patter

2005-02-10 00:07:17 UTC

Post by y***@yahoo.com
let me hear your opinion on Lang Lang's new CD

I have not heard it yet-but on classicstoday.com Hurwitz called it an
absolute horror story in every aspect. Scared me into not buying it-but
I might try to hear it free someplace-like at a party for freaky
recordings perhaps! Cheers!

Tom Deacon

2005-02-10 01:11:48 UTC

On 2/9/05 7:07 PM, in article

Post by patter

Post by y***@yahoo.com
let me hear your opinion on Lang Lang's new CD

I have not heard it yet-but on classicstoday.com Hurwitz called it an
absolute horror story in every aspect.

Hurwitz called it an "absolute horror story"?

This is funny, of course.

Does that mean he's had a falling out with Universal?

TD

a***@att.net

2005-02-10 02:20:30 UTC

If his playing is anything like that in the Tchaikovsky PC1 then it
surely will be a big disappointment. As I stated in my comments earlier
today about the the T. his playing was too carefull, lacking in color
and just not impressdive in any way.

AB

Post by patter

Post by y***@yahoo.com
let me hear your opinion on Lang Lang's new CD

I have not heard it yet-but on classicstoday.com Hurwitz called it an
absolute horror story in every aspect.

Hurwitz called it an "absolute horror story"?
This is funny, of course.
Does that mean he's had a falling out with Universal?
TD

L***@aol.com

2005-02-11 06:41:59 UTC

Lang Lang has a close-up, intimate style in the Tchaikovsky and
elsewhere. Not comfortable yet with big playing. That's why some of
you hear banging. He doesn't know how to play big.

He also is outside of the culture.

*************Val

Eddie Oliver

2005-02-12 07:31:10 UTC