If Lang Lang records with the Berlin Phil, Yundi has to be next

If Lang Lang records with the Berlin Phil, Yundi has to be next

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norman lebrecht

January 15, 2014

And so he tweets: I am very excited to announce that I will be recording Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with the Berlin Phil and conductor Daniel Harding!

Yundi’s on DG, Lang Lang’s on Sony. Let battle recommence.

yundi new image

Comments

  • Steve says:

    Yundi already has recorded with the BP (in 2007): Prokofiev 2 and Ravel Gmajor

  • Petros LInardos says:

    What if the played piano duos instead?

  • Neil van der Linden says:

    Yes I have that Prokofiev cq Ravel album, with Ozawa conducting.

    On DG. I think it was made during his first period on DG before his EMI stint.

  • James Louder says:

    A plague upon both their houses.

  • Lisa says:

    Lang lang and Yundi used to be the classical music new comers of similar level. But they are on totally different paths now. I don’t think that Yundi has ever performed Beethoven’s PC 5 live publicly in his professional career. But Lang Lang has perforemed Prokofiev PC3 and Bartok PC2 publicly on and off for many years. I watched the video of Lang Lang’s live performance of Prokofiev PC3 with Paris orchestra before his recording. His performance was just marvelous.

    I remembered in a Chinese TV interview that he gave a couple years ago, Lang Lang said that for those masterpieces he would perform for a few years, to make the performance mature, like wine, before making recording. I think that pianists like Yuja Wang and kissin also only record those pieces of music only after they have performed them in public for sometimes. Lang Lang hasn’t make Beethoven PC 5 recording yet, but in 2012-2013season alone, he performed Beethoven PC 5 two times in Europe in summer festivals , 5 times in US with different orchestra, 2-3 times in Asia. In the same season he also performed Beethoven PC 2 and PC 3 about 5 times each.

    Clearly the reason Yundi’s promoter decided to let Yundi record Beethoven PC 5 with Berlin Philharmonic is not because Yundi has played this piece beautifully. He has never played this piece publicly in his professional career. It is because it is effect way to promote Yundi to Chinese audience and rake some money from his Chinese female fans. There is nothing wrong with that. At least it introduces this glorious masterpiece to his fan in China. Modern audio recording and processing software can make any performance decent. There is nothing wrong to promote a young musician either. Lang Lang and Yuja are also being promoted, as well as many other young musicians in the west. The thing that I resent is that Yundi’s promoters always trash Lang Lang , saying that Yundi is much more noble and sincere musician than Lang Lang. That is just ridiculous.

    • space says:

      Yundi will perform Beethoven PC 5 in his Europe tour this year, then you will find out whether he plays beautifully or not in live. I feel surprised that instead of to spend 1 min to search the real news, you would like to type such long words to talk about “Modern audio recording and processing software” ,

      I never heard Yundi himeself and his team diminished Lang lang. Instead, LangLang himself and his team frequently diminish Yundi in public, I am sure everybody can find that from internet. Do you know that in China , Langlang’s team prompts him as “international No 1 piano super star” ? Do you ever heard of the No 1 actor? No 1 author or No 1 chemist in the world? lol.

      • Lisa says:

        I haven’t find any evidence LangLang himself and his team frequently diminish Yundi in public. There are plenty evidences on internet Yundi’s promoters praise Yundi while bashing Lang Lang, while people praise Lang Lang just praising lang Lang without mentioning Yundi.

        Anyway, good luck for Yundi. Yundi hasn’t played any concerto with any orchestra in almost two years. He played very little before that also. Evidently Yundi is taking a short-cut path to success, where this path eventually lead to is yet to see.

  • Edna Ferreira says:

    We cannot make comparisons between Lang Lang and Yundi, Hey!! Lang lang is so high and so great to be compared to anyone, he’s the Best One !!!!! i’m not saying that Yundi isn’t good and doesn’t have talent but, please, come on! Yundi has to perform a lot and take a lot of time in order to be compared with LL!! Lang Lang has showed to the whole world and recognized by this world as being the Best pianist , simply a genius!! These people need to read and see LL’s story and his achievements to say something about him!!

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