Customer Reviews

The Magic Of Lang Lang

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am 72 and have had the good fortune to listen to many of the great pianists "in person" at various musical venues over a lifetime. I have also developed an extensive music library over the years. Comparing artists is a waste of time and effort as each has his or her own particular strengths, weaknesses and nose grabbing abilities. I've loved the interpretations of Rubinstein, Horowitz, Lipatti, Perahia, Haskill, Cherkassky, Tanyel, Lupu, Tirino, Hess, de Larrocha, Argerich, etc. etc. This does not classify me as an expert; but only as a lover of great composition and exceptional pianistic artistry. Lang Lang is a prodigy, has exceptional technique and continues to improve with age and experience. If he does not develop any debilitating health issues, I suspect he will unfailingly become one of the pianistic giants of this century. More power to him as he provides great joy to his listeners. This album is an excellent introduction to this "incomparable" artist.

When certain reviewers have decided that Lang Lang is Asian and therefore cannot understand western music, or that he is young, and marketed differently from other classical musicians ('the hottest artist on the classical music planet', claims the NY Times) - is it any surprise that they have nothing positive to say about the musician or his music? An unbias review can hardly be expected. I always suspected snobbery runs wild in classical music and here's proof. This is why conservatories are starting to audition students behind drawn curtains, so they are judged based solely on their playing and not their appearance.
Is it any wonder then that classical music listeners are traditionally older? And considered a little stodgy?
That's where Lang Lang comes in. He is young, personable and down-to earth. It is because of these qualities, he has drawn massive appeal amongst younger people and made classical music 'hip' again. More power to him I say!
When it comes to classical music, everyone has their own taste and preference as to how they think a piece should sound. I am not saying that I love everything that Lang Lang plays, but my preference has nothing to do with Lang Lang being a great pianist or how other people should like his music. How many pianists gets invited to play Carnegie Hall anyway?

By all means, get this album. It is a nice sample of Lang Lang's playing. Listen to it with an open mind, and enjoy!

In my opinion Lang Lang isn't really playing Western classical music. For example his interpretation of Chopin's Nocture 8 might be pleasant to those who aren't intimately familiar with Chopin, but to an experienced ear it sounds rather bizarre. It doesn't feel like a coherent whole but rather a series of isolated effects with no understanding of the structure or flow of the piece. Somehow Chopin comes across sounding like New Age music. Perhaps it's a cultural thing---maybe he's playing excellent Chinese music from a Chinese perspective. I wouldn't know; I grew up in the West.

Lang Lang has an exceptional talent. I am not going to make an arrogant criticism of his playing or his interpretation. You can check the reviews from his other works if you wish to read criticisms of his playing. But I do wonder if the fame he receives is reasonable. How did he become famous? His name appears before Horowitz in China. My Chinese friends don't know Yundi Li, Horowitz or Richter but they all seem to know Lang Lang. Lang Lang didn't win the International Chopin Competition. He didn't win International Tchaikovsky Competition or Queen Elizabeth Competition either. It's sad to see that the elite winners from these competitions still can't get their names remembered by their audience. As for this CD, it's mostly a reproduction of his past works. The Tchaikovsky Concerto, Rachmaninoff concerto, Mozart and Chopin Sonatas... It's inadequate that this CD doesn't even have the full movements of the sonatas or the concerti. This record is nothing but a disappointment for the classical music listeners. I am one thousand percent sure that he doesn't only play the 2nd movement of Rachmaninoff's concerto when he performs on the stage. I merely see this record production as Lang Lang's Magical paycheck to the Deutsche Grammophon and himself. I say enough is enough. This recording shouldn't have been made.
I am giving 2 stars because I feel sorry for Andrei Bocelli

One of my favorite recordings ever. I am a piano teacher and I like to give this to my graduating seniors. Every time I listen to it I hear something new and different from the conventional performances.

Lang Lang is has an excellent technique and is exciting in live performances.
If you are looking for artistry, however, look elsewhere.
This record is a disappointment.

This music is very representative of his talent, although it starts off a little slowly. You can sense his playing as though you were there in person.

...as in what's supposed to be funny about calling this guy the world's most successful pianist? But then, if I got in line for the punch, maybe he'd sound better.

I went to my local CD shop in Berkeley to hear Lang Lang after discovering that two of my most respected reviewer/correspondents on amazon both loathed him furiously. Now I understand why. I should have suspected something when the clerk, an old friend, looked at me as if I were crazy when I asked him to play The Magic of Lang Lang on the store system. Glad I didn't order anything up front. Lang Lang has no great technique, no fast fingers, no subtle touch. And he has interpretational gifts only a pampered child at a private school recital could admire.

How appropriate to find him joined for one last melodramatic encore by Andrea Bocelli, whose groaning makes Tony Bennett sound like Pavarotti.

Get ready, fans! Think of something more scathing than calling me a moron, or I won't bother to answer. I don't like Dinnerstein much, either, but at least she can play sixteenth notes cleanly.

A long time later - Second Thoughts...
...not about his piano technique, which isn't first rate, but about his role in marketing music to a younger audience. I read an interview of Lang Lang on NPR yesterday, during which he talked precisely about trying to recruit younger listeners to classical music in the West. According to him, most classical music lovers in China ARE young, but most of his audiences in America and Europe are a sea of gray heads. Well, as a peformer, I have to say he's right. And if he really does appeal through some charisma to younger listeners, I'll love him for it. It's not unlike the case of the Harry Potter books; they're not all that good, but if they attract children away from game boys toward books, they are very welcome.

I listened to this CD on an aircraft sound system, which may not be the best environment, but I must say I was disappointed. Quite apart from the eclectic nature of the pieces, which are fragments arranged in no particular order, I expected much more in the way of intelligent or sensitive interpretation. The problem, which occurs consistently is a self-conscious virtuosity, which has nothing to do with the music, and everything to do with Lang Lang. He clearly CAN do it - the opening of the slow movement of the Rachmaninov C minor is magical, but as soon as the music takes a more dramatic turn we are back to the sort of over-the-top flamboyance that is evident on the rest of the disc. His playing is technically OK although there are plenty of pianists that are as good, but the exaggerated changes in dynamics and tempo make the whole CD sound as if it was recorded as background music for a bad romantic movie. There are too many brilliant pianists on CD to make this worth buying.

I am glad I kept playing it. It is yielding its treasures with further listenings. Maybe I own too many recordings of the same pieces by past virtuosi to appreciate a new(er) artist on first review, but I am in love with this recording now. I am on line to order another Lang Lang.