For an alternative opinion of Wang’s pianism see the current issue of the Gramophone. Reviewing her Verbier festival recital Jeremy Nicholas says “ She is an extraordinary musician in every way with an all embracing artistry few can equal: technique, breadth of repertoire, charisma, beauty of tone , agility- Yuja Wang has it all in spades… utterly thrilling… a recital of legendary status”

@GingerIndiana

7 ай бұрын

And here are 2 other ones : a musical critics from "The Guardian" (UK 2022) wrote : "Wang's flamboyance and virtuosity doesn't always convey a real sense of what music is about, but in works such as Ligeti's Études she is irrésistible". Yes in romantic repertoire she is completely out of style, but in modern and contemporary music she is fabulous. And another one from a musical critics in "Liberation" a few months ago (2023): "Yuja Wang has become the most famous pianist on the planet... Due to her sexy dresses, no doubt about that, but also due to her amazing technique and rhythmical skills.". Yes. (And not one single word about musicality... becaue that's just not her best quality... At least not yet. She's 36).

@angryjalapeno

5 ай бұрын

@@GingerIndiana Having heard her play the Rachmaninov piano concertos with Nézet-Séguin, I do believe she tends to downplay the romanticism frankly to the detriment of listeners like myself who likes their no.2 and no.3 wrapped with fox fur.

Hello Dave! Since you are talking about the Wang\Dudamel partnership would you consider reviewing their performance of John Adams' Must the Devil have all the Good tunes? Ibelieve that it was an amazing performance of a really great new work and I am curious to know what you think about it. Take care!

@murraylow4523

10 ай бұрын

That’s quite a statement. Supposedly Dave is in cahoots with Alex Ross. I can attest that I have never heard Dave say anything about Alex Ross whatsoever. Secondly it is possible that Alex Ross genuinely didn’t like the Adams piece. More recent Adams pieces have generally met with a mixed reception (I like some of his earlier work, but I can understand this). Why on earth either of them would have some animus to Yuja Wang I have no idea, and I’d pretty much be certain that they don’t. Dave clearly doesn’t. You’re beginning to sound like her “number one fan” which is a bit obsessive and disturbing. Maybe the antidote is to go listen to other accounts of the Rachmaninov concertos. There is no conspiracy here. @@sacre1913

@bloodgrss

10 ай бұрын

What a silly and stupid remark...@@sacre1913

@murraylow4523

10 ай бұрын

Look, sorry your appreciation of these matters is not convincing. You’re looking for some anti Yuja conspiracy where there isn’t one. You were also extraordinarily rude about Dave, who I’m certain knows vastly more about recordedclassical music than you do. Calling me a “simp” is also rude and tiresome. I wouldn’t dream of saying that to someone so there’s clearly something obsessive and wrong here. It’s not a way to have a good discussion or make friends, frankly@@sacre1913

@murraylow4523

10 ай бұрын

It’s not a joke. Now, I’m drawing a line here, getting drawn into an argument with you is not, on evidence, a good use of my time @@sacre1913

Is it the Soloist or the Conductor? Many thanks from Singapore!

@playandteach

6 ай бұрын

I don't know the pianist, but I have worked with Dudamel - but admittedly it has been a while. At the time he was young, and had a lovely blend of enthusiasm and control - in fact I played at a conducting competition which he won being heads and shoulders above the others. But also found his following few years as keeping that drive and integrity.

@janehartman6871

5 ай бұрын

It’s the sound engineers.

I'm not surprised by your opinion....for me stardom and exhibition, when it rises above the music, it's that we have nothing to say, or to bring something new. for these concertos, I remain faithful to rafael orozco, and de waart.

Denis Matsuev is doing a Rach piano concerto cycle marathon concert later this year with Alexander Sladkovsky, Christopher Chen and Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra. Is it worth attending?

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

How would I know in advance? Everyone has good days and bad days. "You pays your money and you takes your chances!"

@abrahamclott5604

10 ай бұрын

Where? In Kazan?

@hxyjdn

10 ай бұрын

@@abrahamclott5604 Multiple locations

@ConstantineFinehouse

10 ай бұрын

Everybody has good and bad days, but Matsuev on a good day still sucks...stay away, there will be other opportunities.

Hello Dave!! This video has made its way to the top 100 in the popularity list in only two days!! Wow what a rocket !!🎉🎆🚀 Best wishes Fred from Kristianstad.

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

Of course it has. What a joke.

Is the Trifonov/Nézet-Séguin-Cycle (also on DG) more recommendable?

@Joshua_Hershensohn

10 ай бұрын

I would say it is a very good interpretation in my opinion.

@khangma5472

10 ай бұрын

I do not enjoy the Trifonov cycle at all

What about the Rach 2 with Gergiev? To that seemed more balanced, but still emphasized the piano more than necessary. Thanks!❤

Dave could you review the new Franck Hulda opera recording from bru zane? Also Robert Trevino new Respighi disc?

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

I'll get to them.

Perhaps both need another 20-30 years to cultivate themselves musically

I found that some like her and some don't. Yes, she challenges a lot in classical music and threatens "positions" of previous masters. And that's how it's supposed to be.

@seheyt

10 ай бұрын

I don't think she challenges a lot. She definitely plays a lot of repertoire excellently.

@GingerIndiana

7 ай бұрын

No. You are supposed to respect the composer who is the real artist! If you want something new, you compose your own music or you 0oay contemporary composer (which she does well). With romantic repertoire, she's totally out of style... I didn't like her Rachmaninov either but the worst is Chopin or Schumann . On the other hand she is fantastic in modern and contemporary music (Bartok, Kapustin, Ligeti...) but also in Scarlatti which I heard recently! Not many pianists are able to play Bartok concerti but she does'...

Your comments about the shortcomings of the recorded performances match the dismay that I heard at the time from a friend who attended an associated concert at Disney Hall with Wang and Dudamel.

Maybe it would be interesting for you to review the recently completed Rachmaninov cycle with Anna Fedorova on Channel Classics as a sort of counterpoint. She did the three discs or so over a longer period of time if I am not mistaken...

@chambermuses7802

9 ай бұрын

And a far more wonderful cycle. Fedorova has all the technique, and a great deal more soul, without the blatant vulgarity, shallow opinions, and narcissism of Wang.

I've tried for years, with no success, to appreciate Wang as an interpretetive artist. Her technical brilliance is plainly evident but her interpretations leave me unsatisfied. I hope that with enough time she will develop interpretive talent equal to her articulative skills.

@JoePalau

10 ай бұрын

Understood. She has been over-praised for her technical abilities, which are abundant. I've come to learn she has a very high musical IQ. She reads scores analytically and develops musical ideas well. Now, I am watching the trajectory of her artistic. development. She is young. Barring injury, she will surprise us. She is growth-oriented. That will displease some. Velocity isn't everything.

@tarakb7606

10 ай бұрын

Same here. Great fingers but rather faceless interpretations.

@AdamCzarnowski

10 ай бұрын

Her Brahms 2 has got better and better, but Rana is a far more interesting pianist, to name but one.

@robertjones447

10 ай бұрын

Yuja Wang is low hanging fruit. I would like to hear Hurwitz on that highly talented Leonard Zelig of the keyboard, Yunchan Lim. Yes, he's great and exciting in the Rachmaninoff 3rd, but his performance is a mishmash of "greatest hits" passages from pianists of previous eras. It lacks the individuality of Weissenberg and the grandeur of Argerich and Horowitz.

@leestamm3187

10 ай бұрын

@@robertjones447 "Leonard Zelig of the keyboard." 😅 Good one, RJ.

After listening to this, I appreciate more and more, among recent cycles, the Trifonov/Philadelphia/Nezet-Seguin: the piano playing is more considerate and profound, while not wanting in virtuosity, but above all it is way better on the orchestral side, so important in Rachmaninov : better played, conducted and recorded. (I know , YNS is not exactly a "Dave fave"..). Overall the best modern cycle is still the Hough, but I find the "other" DG is pretty great IMHO.

Thank You, Dave Hurwitz!

I love the way both Pletnev and Pogorelich tackle these pieces. There is a real attempt to play them as if for the first time - like it was the composer making it up on the spot. Which in a way is the best way to hear them. Yes, that means reinventing the opening of Rach 2 pc, and too slow can not set up the tempo - but for me they both made you listen not just hear.

Dudamel makes orchestras sound like banjos, when the orchestra is audible!

"I grew up listening to [insert 70s grand master] and [insert additional past master] and she doesn't sound quite like them so I don't like her performance" It's funny to see all the creative rationalizations the brain comes up with to disguise something so simple xD

Strike two for DG's recent Rachmaninoff releases. First, the prosaic symphonies 2 and 3 from Philadelphia, now this concerto set. The composer deserves better.

@edwardscissorhands5417

10 ай бұрын

😅

It’s a bit sad that DG is concentrating on these things when it could put its resources and energy elsewhere. She’s a fantastic artist, and some of the criticism of her here is a bit irritating, but they just did all the Rachmaninov concerti with Trifonov, didn’t they?

I think Yuja is an extraorinary pianist - her technical skills are in class of their own and she does have wonderful musicianship. However, no pianist is necessarily suited to everything (Horovitz - Debussy - euuch, Gould - Scriabin - euuch!). I don't think Rachmaninov is completely suited to Yuja (she is terrific in Prokofiev, Scriabin, Ravel, Brahms, Stravinsky plus later 20th century). Having said this she gave a wonderful performance of the Paganini variations recently in the 2023 Proms.

@murraylow4523

10 ай бұрын

Horowitz played some excellent Debussy, sorry.

@tarakb7606

10 ай бұрын

​@@murraylow4523Absolutely.

@DK-nx9ri

10 ай бұрын

Doesn't this always end in an endless discussion because different strokes for different folks?

@murraylow4523

10 ай бұрын

I suppose it does, yes. @@DK-nx9ri

@murraylow4523

10 ай бұрын

Well yes. I was thinking, and if you excel at Liszt, Scriabin and Scarlatti, you pretty much have the approach and skill to do Debussy very well @@tarakb7606

What a strange review, at least for me. I immediately went to the fourth which, IMHO is not so much off of Michelangeli’s and yet I noticed, at least on my system, that something was off. The sonics just don’t convey the mood as if the engineers needed a bit of Milk of Magnesia. The sonics are so disappointing - something just isn’t there but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Then I heard David’s review; the hall or engineers? At any rate I no longer feel super critical. The performance of the fourth is limited largely, in my view, by the sonics or perhaps by the hall.

@muzluv33

10 ай бұрын

Have not heard these accounts yet (and I will) but I think the hall has something to do with the opinions on this recording. Attended concerts at Disney Hall and the acoustics as I remember them are quite dry and shall we say clinical? Add to that if the piano were really that forward it exacerbated the situation. As for the artists on this recording and younger performers of today - they would have to perform the music in a really, really different way for them to stand out and very often when they attempt this the venture misfires. IMHO it is safer to just perform the music as the composer intended and not attempt anything out of the ordinary. Too many young artists it seems are trying to imitate great artists of the past and this will never work. They just have to be themselves and let the music speak for itself. I would prefer this approach to some bizarre approach that would focus on the performer and distort the music. Hope to comment on the recording when I hear it.

I listened on Apple Music that has the full 1 - 4 & Rhapsody. While I agree that none of the performances might be considered “reference”, taken as a whole, the project is astonishing and admirable. I’m inclined to buy the CD set, despite the well-founded commentary on its limitations.

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

I'm sorry, but I don't understand how "astonishing" and "admirable" it can be when there are many other complete sets that are clearly superior.

@DaveRobinsonYT

10 ай бұрын

@@DavesClassicalGuide Sorry - I meant doing all those pieces in a single month. Very often pianists have a repertoire of just a couple of concerti that they play across the world for a season. As Rach 1 & 4 are relatively obscure, I thought the achievement was astonishing. Sorry if that seemed hyperbolic.

I don't think the blame falls squarely on the engineers. I saw her play Rach 3 live in Toronto a few months ago, and had moreorless the same impression you have of the recordings. The piano playing was fantastic, but the balance with the orchestra was completely off. It sounded more like a Mozart or Chopin concerto - essentially just a vehicle for the soloist - not the symphonic work that it is.

MID AT BEST, although she has my respect to record this all in one, in this case is quantity over quality.

Yes I fully agree with you. The recording quality is complete crap, but I have very rarely heard DG album which has very good audio realisation. Orchestra sound very round, soft and unnatural, and in many cases like a big soup without clear distinction between instruments. Piano is on the other hand miked with a very close up microphones. I this is by far the biggest recording disspointment in 2023.

not too surprised that it turned out this way: I was pretty excited when I heard of this cycle, (even if I think she's better suited to 20th century music), but, being her great in her special turbo-virtuosa way, I was expectant. Then I saw it was the Dude with the LA Phil and I go "oh no", because I think he's a loud and superficial musician, and has molded his band accordingly. And then I learned it's this crazy "marathon" thing..how can you do justice to each one of these monumental, profound pieces churning them out in a few days? what a pity

@GingerIndiana

7 ай бұрын

It's not beacuse she did them in a few days. Rachmaninov and other romantic composers are just not her thing and, as you said, she is 10 times better in other periods of music.

You have articulated my feeling on this perfectly. A real disappointment but not really a surprising one.

Wang’s performances do not breathe. After listening to her work, I feel exhausted, not exhilarated. Yes, she is technically brilliant, but musically deficient. I would advise studying with a veteran pianist who favors character over speed. I am confident she could develop into a major artist if she would think about the music. Years ago I saw a tutorial session with Lang and Barenboim. Almost immediately the character of his playing took life and shape. Maybe Barenboim’s influence could make a difference for her too.

@MisterPathetique

10 ай бұрын

There's a fantastic masterclass featuring Yuja Wang and the great Leon Fleisher on Schubert's C minor sonata. To this day, it's still the most inspiring masterclass I've seen, because Wang is both extremely talented and very responsive to Fleisher's guidance. And indeed, it shows how much potential she has. Perhaps she needs to spend more time with the music, developing more affinity for it, instead of doing Rachmaninoff marathons which clearly prevails quantity over quality.

@bloodgrss

10 ай бұрын

Silly-she has studied and learned from many great pianists, starting with Gary Grafman, her Curtis teacher. Barenboim as the apex of musicality? LOL. Are some of her dress choices not part of the criticisms against her? Dudamel inadequacies notwithstanding...

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

I agree, she is. and I don't care how she dresses. It has nothing to do with music.

@Nessuno777

10 ай бұрын

Barenboim is an enormously overrated pianist, Piero Rattalino is right, just listen to his Concerto by Schumann or his Schubert. Yuja Wang is on another planet, both technically and in terms of ideas and originality. Have you listened to Chopin's Preludes here on youtube? Or his Scriabin, or Ravel's Concertos? And what about the Suite op. Schoenberg's 25? I haven't listened to this Rachmaninov yet, but even if it wasn't a successful record it doesn't take anything away from his talent.

@CaradhrasAiguo49

10 ай бұрын

If you're talking about the Beethoven sonatas masterclass Barenboim hosted, the one most memorable quote from that session is Barenboim saying to Lang Lang (*paraphrased!): "When you think of musical works, you think of scenery. I'm the opposite, when I visit the scenery, I think of musical works"

Yuja actually testified that she was bored during her performance of the second concerto, so keep that in mind while listening to the recording…

@DavesClassicalGuide

2 ай бұрын

No, don't keep it in mind. That is terrible advice. Just listen to the recording and let it speak for itself.

@stevowilliams8279

2 ай бұрын

@@DavesClassicalGuide i apologize, i phrased that poorly. I do believe that her statement explains the quality of her performance, however.

I was there, hearing all 4 concerts in a span of one week. I must say seeing her perform is one thing, and hearing her with my eyes closed is another (far less satisfying). Her exciting stage presence and yes her interesting outfit are her main draw. BTW, Dave could never review for LA Times they love her and Dudamel unconditionally.

@GingerIndiana

7 ай бұрын

That's why when she played in Vienna, she just got a polite applause for her Schumann concerto form that audience with a well educated ear... (and she hadn't dressed like a whore on that day, she had a beautiful quite normal silvery long dress which was fine for Vienna.) Romantic repertoire is not for her.

@papagen00

7 ай бұрын

@@GingerIndiana nor Classical repertoire, her Mozart concerto was embarrassing.

@GingerIndiana

7 ай бұрын

@@sacre1913 Hi Sacre1913 (good taste of music choice for your pseudo 👌) I won an international competition in the US with that concerto but if you can play better I look forward to listening to you 😊🎶. If you are an unconditional fan of Mrs Wang, then keep your critical mind about the different periids5of music that she plays : as a musical critics said in "The Guardian" (UK 2022) :"Wang's flamboyance and virtuosity doesn't always convey a real sense of what music is about, but in works such as Ligeti's Études she is irrésistible". And I totally agree with that : in modern and contemporary music she is fabulous (how many pianists can play Bartok concerti for example?? And I also loved her Lindberg interpretation). But I'm sorry to say that in the romantic repertoire, especially Chopin and Schumann, she uses an excessive rubato which makes us lose the line, the construction and unity of the piece. It's like looking at a beautiful painting at a 20 cm distance, you never get an idea of the full picture! Listen to Menahem Pressler 's Chopin 1st Concerto and compare... With him you hear Chopin in all his beauty because he respects the composer with simplicity and a very sensitive sound. With her you hear Wang, not Chopin. (But she's only 36 and has lots of time ahead to improve, too).

I heard the Rach 2 with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra on the radio. OMG, yes, it truly was awful. How they could make such a brilliant piece sound like sunken ship is really remarkable.

You’re only as good as your sound engineer!

In my personal opinion, Yuja Wang is not the best pianist for Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff's music need to be passionate, with a full body and dark tone. Yuja Wang is the opposite. I like Yuja Wang but she is more to the fast and clear and straight forward style and I found her usually not very passionate. I think she is most suitable with 20th century music. Among female pianists, Hiroko Nakamura is the one I like the most for Rachmaninoff. For Chinese pianists, there is a not-so well known pianist called Rueibin Chen who is pretty good

@murraylow4523

10 ай бұрын

Wow, you sound so certain about that. Want is not a good pianist for Rachmaninov. Wow. Can you play it?

@DK-nx9ri

10 ай бұрын

I'm with you. To me she is always sensational. But never use an argument if someone can do something. I cannot paint (except my room) and yet I know which paints and painters I like. Like Michelangelo in Sistine Chapel.

@murraylow4523

10 ай бұрын

I get what you’re saying. I suppose I use that argument when I feel frustrated with unbalanced appreciation of people’s skills, whether performers or composers. I’m not very keen on summary negative judgments. @@DK-nx9ri

@walterprossnitz3471

10 ай бұрын

İt should be clear who is the best pianist for Rachmaninov. Unfortunately he hasn't record most of the solo music, but he has done all the concertos. His name is Sergei Rachmaninov. I'm happy with that - don't need to have anyone else....

@JBuddis

10 ай бұрын

@@murraylow4523 Can you play Rachmaninov then? I mean, if this is the requirement you must apparently have in order to opine on another pianist's affinity to play the music in comparison to others.

Absolutely spot on as ever, Dave. Despite her virtuosity, the interpretations and Dudamel's accompaniment are utterly dull and uninteresting. I say accompaniment deliberately because he does very little to give the orchestra their part in these pieces. It made me revisit Stephen Hough's cycle with Andrew Litton in Dallas. What a difference in every way! I would urge everyone to explore that rather than this.

Yujia is a modern pianist came out of the great American music school (with no disrespect), her style is exactly what modern pianists are getting into, huge personality, flawless techniques and rewritting what has been composed by the composer throughout the career. Therefore she is too bad to play any work from the romantic repertoire, do not judge her from the perspective of a classical musician/pianist, because she is not.

That she has great fingers goes without saying. However, I have always found her interpretations pretty ordinary and faceless. (You could say the same about Dudamel.)

Wang is fantastic but too mechanical for me. I started watching her performances on KZread and it was very evident in her needing to see the notes rather than feel the intended expression we’re all used to.

@bloodgrss

4 ай бұрын

"...feel the intended expression we’re all used to"!? A rather pompous take on what is merely your own personal preference. I find plenty of 'expression' in her playing. Her 'needing to see the notes' is a phrase without musical meaning...

@ducman1016

27 күн бұрын

“She has to see the notes” - What are you talking about? It’s very rare to ever see her using sheet music! Sooooo many boomers in the comments complaining about how she dresses (one person said she dresses like a whore!), and leveling lots of generic and vague critiques that don’t actually reflect any real understanding but rather shield the author in obscurity. Anyone and everyone who is ANYONE in the classical world is in awe of her, but haters gonna hate. I bet she wears what she does just to aggravate all you contrarian boomers 🤣🤣🤣🤣 It’s also a well known phenomenon that Asian pianists are criticized for being too technical and don’t play with appropriate emotion. Again, shield your racism and sexism with subjective obscurity but just know that to people who who KNOW, these empty critiques sound ignorant 💯

I have difficulties with her tonality/timber, It often feels straightforward brutal with less sophistication and complexity. Also sometimes the handling of the end of the note is on the verge of too short/rushing, especially the technically difficult parts. The speed she chooses is a bit pushing for her technics.

@bloodgrss

4 ай бұрын

Silly...