So, Lang Lang, are you a genius?

So, Lang Lang, are you a genius?

News

norman lebrecht

May 02, 2022

Fascinating new interview with our Czech partners at Operaplus.

Watch.

Comments

  • Concertgebouw79 says:

    For the marketing Yes! Artisticly… I’am not sure.

  • John Borstlap says:

    If performers would be considered geniusses, nobody could be a genius, it would be mere term inflation.

    • Herb says:

      Glenn Gould was an authentic genius.

      • John Borstlap says:

        No.

        He was a frustrated composer who did not know how to write music in the 20th century – given the overall confusions – and became a performer as plan B.

        • Piano Lover says:

          What makes me laugh on GG.He said he retired from concert stage to learn how to play Bach.
          But if I compare the BEFORE and AFTER….no difference.Boring and that is it!
          Lunatic playing of Bach P&F n°1 from book I!!
          Awful!

        • Sue Sonata Form says:

          Albeit somewhat incoherently.

      • 18mebrumaire says:

        Maybe, but he was certainly a prize jerk.

      • Paul Carlile says:

        Gould was a sort of near-genius but unfortunately he didn’t like music! He could “perform” – as an excercise of slaughter, he could write brilliantly and was extremely talented and witty…. Mechanical precision quickly becomes uninteresting especially if color, nuance, dynamics…. are missing or limited. I understand those blinded by an amazing, reliable competence calling it “genius,” but GG was totally lost (and not always competent!) outside his Bach zone…(Horrible Hindemith, Gruesome Grieg, Scandalous Skriabin…)

  • Herbie G says:

    He’s the greatest keyboard mechanic of our age.

    • Concertgebouw79 says:

      Piano is more than that

    • A Pianist says:

      If I can tell, listening to his recordings, exactly what notes he is playing with his thumb…he probably does not have one of the great techniques of our age. And I can.

    • Hmus says:

      That title likely belongs to the late Franz Mohr… just sayin’

    • Aussie Pianist says:

      This is simply not true. He may be the most theatrical ‘famous’ pianist but that’s about all he is.

    • CRWang says:

      Yep. Lang Lang the great keyboard mechanic. Just don’t call him the greatest pianist of our age. Reminds me of what Franz Liebkind said: “There (Hitler) was a painter. He could paint an entire apartment in one afternoon. TWO COATS!”

  • IP says:

    There has never been any doubt that he is a genius, it is just not known at what.

  • Fred Funk says:

    Compared to the average viola player? YES!!

  • Piano Lover says:

    The joke of the century:Lang Lang a genius!!!

  • Alexander T says:

    Hardly.

  • Parsifan says:

    But please …

  • Ed says:

    Lang who?

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