He's performing tonite at the Folly. (there may be a few tickets left) he is presenting a master class tomorrow open to the public for free.

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In addition to the recital, Lang Lang will lead a free piano master class with young and talented students preselected from the Kansas City area on the Folly Theater stage. The class is designed to be enjoyed by audience observers; the public is invited to attend this free event from 11 a.m. to noon, on Wednesday, September 16 (the morning after his recital at the Folly).

Reservations are not necessary. The master class is a Lang Lang International Music Foundation event. Call 816-415-5025 or email info@hjseries.org for more information.

gosh.. i'm surprised no one has mentioned his exaggerated facial expressions.

Somebody did... I once saw a program about him, and he said he has been criticized for his facial expressions... He does exaggerate!

It's not about the facial expressions.. it's the way he plays.

boy i LOVED his playing.. unbelievably expressive. i don't have any problem with that.

Yeah as he sh**s all over the score.

Shame on you for this tasteless and wholly unjustified comment.

really..

i am somewhat puzzled by the unfans - Lang Lang seems to have many detractors. It is usual that wannabees attempt to increase their stature by criticizing those in the stratosphere of exceptional talent. it's done all the time... i just wonder why Lang Lang attracts so much attention.

i found his performance wonderfully expressive. i had opera glasses and kept checking to watch his face. on one rather simple Ibenez piece he was studiously theatrical with the flare of head tosses and the prancing of shoulders. All in all, his extraordinarily precise attention to dynamics was the impressive communication of the essence of the music i have ever seen and not in the least, 'over the top'. perhaps he has matured, or perhaps he is responding to all those negative things said about him.

i agree that he is different .. his rubato was SUPERRUBATO in a couple pieces... all over the place - that's not how i was taught. .. like that matters.

A funny thing happened.. I saw Stanislav Ioudenitch standing outside during intermission, and I stepped over and said 'I really didn't think you'd come'.

yesterday, Brendan had mentioned jokingly on facebook, that he'd be downtown to crash the recital .... i had a nonbrain moment and thought Stanislav was Brendan. Stanislav looked at me like i was nuts. He knows who i am because he gives a free concert every year for Park College and I sit in the front row.. i am the first one there. or perhaps i have melted into the sea of fans that drift thru his memory, and he doesn't remember that he actually opened the door of his house to me when i went to audition for his wife as a piano student.. (she was not flexible enough for my schedule at the time).


It was kind of embarrassing for me. my face reddened. i did snap his picture from the distance later. i didn't want to invade his privacy again..

Attempts to relieve cognitive dissonance of the realization that no matter what they do or how hard they study they will not be able to do a fraction of what he can. By belittling his performance they convince themselves (and themselves only) that the comparison is invalid or unimportant anyway since he makes facial expressions or <insert rude comment here...

I think it's quite the opposite. I think it's to relieve the cognitive dissonance of the realization that they CAN do MORE than a fraction of what Lang Lang can with a piano, and yet for lack of theatrics, marketing savvy, background story, or luck, do not get a fraction of the attention he gets.

There may be three factors that have attracted so much attention to Lang Lang's performances and hence have sparked more comments on his playing than that of others.

First : The media hyped him to excess when he first hit the concert stage. I don't remember the precise words that were attached to his musical persona, but he was lauded as being the "savior of classical music" or something to that effect.

Second : There is no question in the (video) performances I have seen that Lang Lang often indulged in excessive body movements and extreme facial expressions. Not that others don't to some degree, but he seemed to do it to excess, and not always to the benefit of the music.

Third : There are some who feel that his interpretations, and particularly his use of rubato, reach extremes that border on excessive. But, what is excessive to some is expressive to others.

I don't agree that all who criticize Lang Lang do so simply because they cannot achieve what he has achieved.

Regards,

I don't know. There are lots of people "in the stratospere" that people do not criticize. Maybe that lack of criticism is because people think they deserve the atmosphere up there, and they criticize LL because they think he does not. It's unfair to call people who criticize something they don't like "wannabes."

Also, I'm surprised you started a thread about the good work he and his foundation are doing, and followed up with a post about his facial expressions. What does that have to do with the master classes he's giving and sponsoring?

oh - i don't know.. just an offhand comment really. it just seems that his expressions and theatrics are always a topic when his name if mentioned. I know i am a fairly immature pianist.. but i envy his ability to convey the emotional component of music. His beethoven last nite was so alive... the anguish of a simple chord resonating thruout the hall. it helped for me to see his body approach it with strength and emotion. I appreciate his unique approach and kind of bristle when people degrade him without much thought.


it's a talent to convey to the uneducated, the 'meaning' of the notes performed i think.

i have too much housework and such to attend the masterclass. - in fact it's probably wrapping up now.. sigh.

It was good to hear about the masterclass posted. There's lots of LL bashing. He's not my favorite, but should get credit for "giving back" where he does.

LL's recent concert with Herbie Hancock got one of the most scathing reviews I've ever seen in Interntional Piano magazine.

It seems inconsistent to say you are a "fairly imnmature pianist" and then say you get upset when LL is critcized "without much thought".

Sounds like Lang Lang took a page from Liszt!

^Quite a remarkable retort ...

He does have exaggerated facial expressions, and sometimes might be overrated, but he is definitely underrated!

Anyway, about the concert itself -- I quite enjoyed the whole thing.

I can't say that his interpretations of Beethoven are what I would prefer, but they seemed perfectly legitimate. I'm just not a huge fan of all the rubato he splashes into the works. Especially in Op.2 No.3. It is clearly a work in the strict classical form, yet Lang's interpretation attempts to remold it as semi-romantic.

Similarly, in the Appassionata I just wanted him to pick up some steam and roll with the storm. Every time he got into the 'passion' of the piece, I was thrown off with an abrupt tempo or phrasing change. Anyway, these are just my observations -- his interpretations certainly held my interest.

I think his strongest piece was the Albeniz (Iberia). Lang has studied with Daniel Barenboim; perhaps Barenboim's expertise in this literature has rubbed off. As evidence of his theatrical style, Lang at one solemn moment in the piece reached all the way with his right hand to the lowest register of the keyboard to play a solitary note. Hehe.

The Prokofiev #7 was great as well. And you can't end the night better than with that crazy final movement!

Encore was Chopin 25/1.

believe me, i am immature

to tell the truth i fell asleep during the prokofief.. waking to the thunderous finish.. i felt so bad. i knew i'd fall asleep. i always do if i sit for more than 30 minutes. i missed essentially the whole piece.

way too long of a day.. way too busy a life.

If I was going to fall asleep in a concert, I'm pretty sure Prok 7 is the last piece I could fall asleep to.

I'm sure the ending was a nice wake-up call though.

I disagree with bruce on several essements why people criticize lang lang.
I personally just do not like his playing. I have nothing against him, because he does fill the concert halls, he also seems to be sincere, whether you consider him misguided or not in his views and stage antics.

This article found in the New York times, really kind of hit it on the head for me.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/arts/m...lang&st=cse

Thanks for linking this; it was an interesting read.

I agree with you on LL. He can certainly get around the piano in grand style -and how many pianists today can fill concert halls?- but it's just not my cup of tea. I don't own any of his CDs (the Yellow River Concerto tempts me, ideal fare for LL!), yet I have definitely heard my share of his recordings on the radio. The reaction has always been 'that was nice', but nothing to replace recordings I already own.

As for the facial contortions, I find them damn near offensive. But that is my problem and easily solved: as with Mitsuko Uchida, I just avoid their YouTube videos.

What is it, specifically, that you do not like about Lang Lang's playing?

Regards,

I wonder what motivates armchair psychologists who belittle LL's detractors by imputing jealousy to them instead of recognizing the manifold prosaic reasons for his limited appeal and mixed reputation—and whom they convince of their fanciful notion besides themselves.

Steven

From that program, I would be most curious to hear his Albéniz, and it doesn't surprise me that you say his Albéniz was the strongest of the night (though I realize that's just your opinion.) To me, it's music that can withstand a certain amount of "individualism".

I am a fan of pianists that choose "calmer" encores and am glad to see the Chopin as opposed to some ridiculous over-the-top transcription. I'll keep an eye out for what he does in the future, maybe even consider seeing him perform if he's every in my neck of the woods.

Daniel

I'm by no means as harsh on Lang Lang as some are but isn't he a bit too young to give a "master" class? It seems rather pretentious.