Yuja Wang - kinda cool

[Florestan]

I've seen her live a few years ago during the Enescu Festival. She played Bartok's Second PC, I can't remember conductor and orchestra. I was seated far enough not to see her hands but close enough to see her legs. 

It was a great performance. It's so refreshing to see a good-looking babe who can really play. 

[Todd]

How many other classical musicians can you say that about?

Herbert Schuch and Gülru Ensari are fun (check out their videos on the former's Facebook page); Michail Lifits has a great sense of humor; FFG comes across as a dedicated musician as well as a fun and sensitive guy; Benjamin Grosvenor seems rather fun based on interviews and how he presented himself in person the two times I saw him perform; the late Yakov Kreizberg definitely oozed fun and charm in person.  That's just off the top of my head.  I suspect a good number of classical musicians are quite fun to be around.  Some are not.

Wang is a massive talent, and she has recorded some of the best Prokofiev available.  She shines most in 20th Century rep, and I would surely love to hear her perform some Tristan Murail.

[milk]

Herbert Schuch and Gülru Ensari are fun (check out their videos on the former's Facebook page); Michail Lifits has a great sense of humor; FFG comes across as a dedicated musician as well as a fun and sensitive guy; Benjamin Grosvenor seems rather fun based on interviews and how he presented himself in person the two times I saw him perform; the late Yakov Kreizberg definitely oozed fun and charm in person.  That's just off the top of my head.  I suspect a good number of classical musicians are quite fun to be around.  Some are not.

Wang is a massive talent, and she has recorded some of the best Prokofiev available.  She shines most in 20th Century rep, and I would surely love to hear her perform some Tristan Murail.

These are a lot of people I've never heard of. I'll have to do some searching. I will also look for her Prokofiev.

[amw]

Is this the only Yuja thread? I just came here to say that it's impossible not to like her. She's fun. How many other classical musicians can you say that about? I know, it's not high on the list of necessary qualities. Well, I'm just watching clips of her playing and talking about music. I don't actually own any of her recordings as I don't actually get into her repertoire. I wonder if she'll venture into different musical territories.

I know a lot of classical musicians who don't like her!

I didn't post about this at the time this thread originated, but I think it's at least difficult to argue that she doesn't count among the greatest living pianists in terms of pure technique; very few other people have her level of control over a piano. And while I see people deny that she has any significant expressive range, this usually seems to be a combination of professional jealousy, weird classical music racism (a surprising number of people still for some reason believe Asians are biologically predisposed to be soulless répetiteurs or something), and stylistic objections. It is perhaps most accurate to describe her as a modern-day Vladimir Horowitz; her playing is extraverted and flashy and designed to have an immediate impact on an audience. A direct piece-to-piece comparison is instructive here—I swear I've done this before, but here.

https://www.youtube.com/v/sBTSAbyAAi8
Wang 2020

https://www.youtube.com/v/4q0O2MXjayc
Horowitz 1949

There are obviously as many differences as similarities, but one can hear an allegiance to a particular tradition of interpretation, and one which purists often object to. (I will say she strikes me as better live than in the studio.)

(In a similar way one could describe, e.g., Arcadi Volodos as a modern-day Sviatoslav Richter or ABM, Marc-André Hamelin as a modern-day György Cziffra and so on.)

The intense focus by a lot of classical listeners (and some musicians) on her appearance and outfits does feel rather chauvinist. She's on record as being interested in fashion and choosing particular outfits to harmonise in some way with the music she's playing. As someone who isn't usually attracted to women I guess I don't really see it as deliberately provocative or titillating or whatever. (A lot of the outfits are even boringly practical in some respects; like, yeah, for Kreisleriana you want your arms to have as much freedom of movement as possible.) And I do prefer seeing a bit of creativity in how classical musicians dress, rather than the usual parade of black dresses and suits.

[Florestan]

the late Yakov Kreizberg definitely oozed fun and charm in person. 

Unfortunately I've never seen him live but I saw him in a video recording of Mahler's First (don't remember what orchestra he was conducting) and indeed he oozed fun and charm. The way he greeted the audience after the perfiormance put a big smile on my face. His untimely death was a great loss for the classical music community.

From what I've seen on video tape, his brother Semyon Bychkov is also a fun and charming guy.

Another cool guy is Nikolai Demidenko. I've seen him live twice and each time he was all smile and completely unassuming --- and on the first occasion he smilingly and willingly gave the largest number of encores I've ever witnessed in person: four.

[Todd]

In a similar way one could describe, e.g., Arcadi Volodos as a modern-day Sviatoslav Richter or ABM

I more or less agree with your entire post, except this, which I must protest.  Volodos in some ways transcends the two cited pianists.  He is his own thing.  (And of course, early in his career, he was Horowitz reincarnated, if Sony's PR was to be believed.) 

The Wang-Horowitz comparison is apt, except I actually like Wang more, and in her live recordings she demonstrates more artistic merit, more flexibility, more nuance, and supreme ability. 

Ms Wang's conscious wardrobe choices serve to gain her attention and reveal outright sexism in some cases.  The best part is, she knows it.

[amw]

I more or less agree with your entire post, except this, which I must protest.  Volodos in some ways transcends the two cited pianists.  He is his own thing.  (And of course, early in his career, he was Horowitz reincarnated, if Sony's PR was to be believed.) 

Perhaps true. I prefer him to all three of those pianists, but there is always some conscious degree of self-styling that artists engage in, and that's the terrain he seems to have chosen, or his publicists did, in any case.

The Wang-Horowitz comparison is apt, except I actually like Wang more, and in her live recordings she demonstrates more artistic merit, more flexibility, more nuance, and supreme ability. 

Ms Wang's conscious wardrobe choices serve to gain her attention and reveal outright sexism in some cases.  The best part is, she knows it.

I wouldn't disagree with either of these judgments. It is interesting for me to compare her early-career Kreisleriana (above) to Horowitz's late-career one (1967?) in which he consciously renounces pretty much all aesthetic display; it's his best recording of the piece. His earlier recordings do not come off to my ears despite their greater flashiness. By comparison she turns in a performance that's still flashy and extraverted but nevertheless personal enough to stand alongside recordings by much more "intellectual" "respectable" pianists (for this Verbier performance specifically, Alexander Lonquich and Michel Dalberto come to mind; Martha Argerich as well, though Wang is not quite good enough to challenge one of my personal ruling triumvirate of Krielserianas).

[Brian]

Classical music as a genre is not always the easiest to express "fun" in, which is why dressing a certain way stands out and why even, judging from this thread, smiling at everyone stands out.

I think Emanuel Ax used to participate in a series of prank videos on YouTube? He's also been on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me."

[Todd]

Perhaps true. I prefer him to all three of those pianists, but there is always some conscious degree of self-styling that artists engage in, and that's the terrain he seems to have chosen, or his publicists did, in any case.

Volodos shifted approaches after his first couple releases, and in the few interviews I've seen with him, in print or video, he definitely seems to be presenting himself in a quasi-Richter way.  How much is real, how much fabricated, I do not know, and ultimately I do not care.  I just want him to record more.  I still see him as unique given his playing ability and style. 

By comparison she turns in a performance that's still flashy and extraverted but nevertheless personal enough to stand alongside recordings by much more "intellectual" "respectable" pianists (for this Verbier performance specifically, Alexander Lonquich and Michel Dalberto come to mind; Martha Argerich as well, though Wang is not quite good enough to challenge one of my personal ruling triumvirate of Krielserianas).

While individual tastes differ, I think it is absolutely correct to always compare Wang to the best of the best.  That's the game she's playing.  (And Lonquich is by far the best of this very good lot in this piece; his Kreisleriana is one for the ages.)

I think Emanuel Ax used to participate in a series of prank videos on YouTube? He's also been on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me."

Yeah, I forgot about Ax.  Pair him with Ma, and those two can exude fun and even goofiness. 

[Florestan]

The intense focus by a lot of classical listeners (and some musicians) on her appearance and outfits does feel rather chauvinist.

You probably mean sexist. 

Be it as it might, I see no reason why glamour and sexiness should be banned from, or frowned upon in, the realm of "classical" music. On the contrary, they should be welcome. For almost a century and a half going to a concert has been considered as almost the equivalent of going to church: one should sit stiff and still and pay no attention to anything else than the service music, ideally eyes closed. It's high time to do away with this Romantic affectation. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4miyv7agvNQ

[Todd]

I've found most of the musicians that I've come across to be delights, open, and honest.

I have had limited experience meeting performing classical (and other) musicians, and that has been my experience.  I try not to project any preconceived notions about how people are in person based on album covers, repertoire, promotional posters, etc.  Those are all fictional fluff.

[Brian]

I have had limited experience meeting performing classical (and other) musicians, and that has been my experience.  I try not to project any preconceived notions about how people are in person based on album covers, repertoire, promotional posters, etc.  Those are all fictional fluff.

Aw, but I had such high hopes for Paolo Giacometti.



Not to mention the all-time champion, Clas Pehrsson.

[staxomega]

Volodos shifted approaches after his first couple releases, and in the few interviews I've seen with him, in print or video, he definitely seems to be presenting himself in a quasi-Richter way.  How much is real, how much fabricated, I do not know, and ultimately I do not care.  I just want him to record more.  I still see him as unique given his playing ability and style. 

I believe that Volodos made a conscious decision to change his interpretation style with his Brahms and second Schubert disc.

However this documentary on him came out much earlier than those two releases, he is a bloody great actor if he is faking that disconnect that Richter also seemed to have: https://youtu.be/2vCsUwAULiM

Regarding Horowitz I almost never listen to him with the intent on hearing certain repertoire (maybe Scriabin's music is an exception), but I listen to him to just hear him play piano. My most listened to releases from him are the old mega Carnegie Hall box, select recordings from the Horowitz Unreleased (though there is a lot of subpar playing on it), and most recent Carnegie Hall "Great Comeback" where you can hear him improvise at the piano. This one might be the most interesting to me.

Yuja Wang and Volodos would be at the top of my list for pianists I haven't seen yet. I had Radu Lupu on it as well, but I was working too much when he was regularly performing

[Todd]

I believe that Volodos made a conscious decision to change his interpretation style with his Brahms and second Schubert disc.

It started well before those discs.

[staxomega]

It started well before those discs.

Where does it start?

Edit: I see you mentioned after his first couple of releases, so these include or after the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerti?

[Todd]

Edit: I see you mentioned after his first couple of releases, so these include or after the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerti?

It first shows up in the encores of the Rach 3 disc and develops from there.  By the time of the Vienna recital, the shift was basically complete. 

[milk]

I know a lot of classical musicians who don't like her!

I didn't post about this at the time this thread originated, but I think it's at least difficult to argue that she doesn't count among the greatest living pianists in terms of pure technique; very few other people have her level of control over a piano. And while I see people deny that she has any significant expressive range, this usually seems to be a combination of professional jealousy, weird classical music racism (a surprising number of people still for some reason believe Asians are biologically predisposed to be soulless répetiteurs or something), and stylistic objections. It is perhaps most accurate to describe her as a modern-day Vladimir Horowitz; her playing is extraverted and flashy and designed to have an immediate impact on an audience. A direct piece-to-piece comparison is instructive here—I swear I've done this before, but here.
There are obviously as many differences as similarities, but one can hear an allegiance to a particular tradition of interpretation, and one which purists often object to. (I will say she strikes me as better live than in the studio.)

(In a similar way one could describe, e.g., Arcadi Volodos as a modern-day Sviatoslav Richter or ABM, Marc-André Hamelin as a modern-day György Cziffra and so on.)

The intense focus by a lot of classical listeners (and some musicians) on her appearance and outfits does feel rather chauvinist. She's on record as being interested in fashion and choosing particular outfits to harmonise in some way with the music she's playing. As someone who isn't usually attracted to women I guess I don't really see it as deliberately provocative or titillating or whatever. (A lot of the outfits are even boringly practical in some respects; like, yeah, for Kreisleriana you want your arms to have as much freedom of movement as possible.) And I do prefer seeing a bit of creativity in how classical musicians dress, rather than the usual parade of black dresses and suits.

Ah, Bach! This is up my alley. She's certainly not bad. Maybe it's not ringing any bells for me but I still think she's a top talent. I wonder how fast she'd sell out if she came to Japan. Probably before I could get a ticket. Yes, maybe she's really at home in romantic and modern music. I think she's a very intelligent and lively artist. Good for her to march to her own drum in terms of her other interests.
Not to start a firestorm but I find it interesting how she's supported Woody Allen and criticized #metoo. You don't see that every day from anyone in a spotlight.