Time for Yuja?
Daily Comfort ZoneA Beethoven sonata, unusual for her.
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This “song” is:
“Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E flat major ‘The Hunt’ op. 31/3: 4. Presto con fuoco”
DG album description:
“from the early Classicism of Gluck to the improvisatory jazz piano of Kapustin, via music by Albéniz, Beethoven, Glass, Scriabin and more.”
“and more” refers to Brahms and Ligeti.
WHAT are we coming to?
It was a recital. It included the whole of op.31.3. WHAT is wrong with that?
Nothing (seriously) wrong with her recital. It’s the CD description and online flattening of major works into “songs” that’s wrong.
Like many streaming services, audio or video, YouTube’s code is likely written to refer to any single audio track as a “song”, regardless of whether it’s classical or pop
Empty prhrases. In the early 60’s Charles Rosen, horrified by some liner notes in a recording of music by Chopin, managed to write his own liner notes.
Yuja, Rana, the Beethoven “experts”. . . tabula rasa
Most of the great Beethoven players of the past would have loved to possess such a limitless technique, i think (as a pianist myself).
Good point. Interesting how in the past some great Beethoven interpreters didn’t stand out technically: Edwin Fischer and Artur Schnabel instantly come to mind. Solomon, Backhaus and Serkin were another matter.
Yes, not to forget Wilhelm Kempff, who played a wonderful natural und heartful Beethoven – no doubt that these great pianists of the past gave us great Beethoven interpretations. But i think, with new technical possibilities (also by Trifonow for example – what a sound!) we will here a new kind of Beethoven realisations – if they are always musically convincing, we´ll have to see for each artist individually.
Trifonov in Beethoven — no!
I prefer her 20th century focus, but OTOH, it’s cool to nestle this in with the other selections on the record. Good choice of a less-played entry. A little more Haydn, a little less pre-Romantic sturm/drang.
She injects energy into classical music at all levels!…I hope she gets scheduled for a CSO event…excitement here is on life support…
WAIT! She didn’t memorize this? She had to have a tablet on stage? THAT makes me wonder… just how fabulous is she? I sense a crack in the firmament of her skill in eliciting hyperbole from the critics!
We should judge by the results, not by externalities. Richter played using a score.
Why does it matter if she occasionally uses a tablet? Yuja plays mostly from memory, including very complex long pieces.
I think that it is unwise to criticize Yuja.
She has gloriously blazed her way through more difficult works of repertoire than almost all of her critics have ever encountered much less performed.
What is more she has done so with flawless execution and passion that only a very small number of performers in all of musical history have ever achieved.
It’s wonderful to hear Beethoven played by Yuja Wang. More please! Better still, let’s hear her Schubert. A few years ago it was announced that she would play the Three Klavierstücke D 946 in London, but the programme had changed by the time of the recital. Now that could have been amazing!