Wang's brilliance lights Rachmaninoff
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Amid the launch of Chinese pianist Yuja Wang's new recital album, "Transformation," last spring came this quote: "For me, conveying the music through the piano is more important than the instrument itself. The music is what interests and intrigues me."
My heart warmed when I read it then, and it all but melted when she performed last night at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under music director Manfred Honeck. While it is not as if classical music is filled with self-absorbed performers, but at the highest level, the pull of showmanship has become strong. Classical music needs a superstar or two who are as impressive in their dedication to the art as their ability. It looks like Ms. Wang, 23, will be that.
- When: 8 p.m. Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
- Where: Benedum Center, Downtown.
- When: : Heinz Hall, Downtown.
- Tickets: $20; 412-392-4900.
The Beijing native soloed in Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2 in her PSO debut last spring, but Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" was an even better showcase of her artistry. Whereas many pianists try to dominate this set of variations, she worked with it. This approach simply gave more punch to the places in which the piano should jump out of the texture, such as the quote of the Dies Irae in Variation No. 7 or the cascading runs of Variation No. 11. Not to mention that most Romantic of melodies, Variation No. 18. But even here, where most pianists lay it on, Ms. Wang crafted music with elfin grace, leaving the second half of the phrase almost an echo of the first.
First Published September 25, 2010 12:22 am
