Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Lang Lang--Hurrah!

If you think that LL suddenly discovered that he had a hanging fingernail at that moment and fixed it before resuming play, then I think you’re allowing your passion against Lang Lang bashing (as you call it) to cloud your judgement of reality.

But fair enough – like I said, I don’t hold strong views on Lang Lang, and I did admit that my idealised image of concert pianists was naive.

Everybody doesn't. Why do LL fans get so upset when people who know a thing or two about the art point out his failings?

Only because the attacks usually aren't just against LL-- that's fine-- but also against the musicianship of the fans. I'm not a die-hard fan, and I dislike some of what he does, but I think his touch and tone are often wondrous, and I actually think he's a thoughtful, risk-taking musician. But notice that even your statement implies (to some degree) that I don't know "a thing or two about the art". I think that's unfair.

-Jason

"a true artist encourages the works of those below him"
-- Anonymous

I'm neither a fan nor a disparager of LL. I just wonder why so many people in the classical forums waste so much energy trash talking about famous performers.

To my layman ears, he is a terrific technician, but a very poor interpreter.

Well here's the thing: If you can listen to a recording of him without looking at him play, there is some music he plays that are very good, but when you can hear other pieces and notice his extreme exaggeration of rhythms, etc., you start to lose respect for it. Playing music emotionally is fine, but when it comes to the point of "sounding fake" and OVER exaggeration, it tends to be less satisfying.

That Tchaikovsky was terrible. I give him he does try to bring something new, but he fails miserably in my view. Actually , i don't think he reflects much on a work, seems to me he learns the pieces and then interprets it more or less freely as he feels on the day. Tha's at least the impression i get from his Tchaikovsky; the problem is that there is no beauty in that interpretation.

The Rach preludes were "cold". No majesty oe elgance, like it's been said.

Haochen Zhang, on the other hand, whom i didn't know, seems to be 10 times the artist LL is proving to be. And he is chines and he is younger than LL.

? Yes I am the guy, and I am quite flattered . We should have coffee, or peyote sometime. Though, coolhand luke was cool. Things that are provocative are 'cool'. I like to think that there is nothing provocative about a peyote concert... rather, that the true cause for provocation is that there are people simple or scared enough to be offended by such an idea.

Why is it as waste of energy? You want to talk about the weather, instead?

And "trash talk" is not exactly how I'd characterize people trying to verbalize the nature of their problem with LL, even though sometimes it does devolve into that. I think some people here a trying to understand the issue with him in a more nuanced way than just "I hate it".

I chuckled when I read your comment. Then I searched for the video and watched it. Thank you giving me a good laugh!

His playing does sound good, at a much higher level than I could ever hope to achieve, and as I'm not familiar with the piece, I don't know how true to it he was.

However, I, like many others had to listen but not watch. If he wore a bag on his head whilst he played, perhaps his performance would be improved!

EDIT:
Although having said that, he seems to be enjoying himself, and is certainly an 'entertaining' performer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b85hn8rJvgw&feature=related

Here's one thing me and Lang Lang agree on, the melody in the Prokofiev is very catchy.

Who dislike Lang Lang he or she is just jealous

Sure, I'm jealous that I can't have such blatant regard for the written text, or that I can't act when I play like he does.

Haha best argument ever!!!

Or wait a minute... maybe we could also be jealous of people we really respect, like Horowitz, Rubinstein etc. instead? Or are you now saying that anyone who plays at a higher technical level than we, we automatically have to envy? Or does it have to do with how many people watch him? Or how much money he makes again?