Wonderful moments with the top talent of the piano and its sounds that take you to the heights. Master Lang Lang amazes me every time. His performances are unique. Thank you very much for unforgettable moments.
I don't care how brilliantly he played the coda at the end, it just doesn't GO like that! Did it ever occur to him that he might listen to Prokofiev's own recording to get some idea of the intended tempo? (Of course I'm tempted to guess that he wouldn't even care a damn). And you know what gets very old? His 'triumphant' everhead clenched fist at the end. . . just one of his countless gestures that demonstrate the irrepressible love he has for himself. It's probably safe to say that such a towering level of arrogance has never been seen in a 'classical' performer, and we ought to hope that nothing like this should ever come our way again.
I'll comment only on the Chopin waltz: Much lovely and stylistically effective playing here, but what he does from 17:26 to 18:00 (the grace-note section) is so ugly and vulgar-sounding as to be nearly unrecognizable. His aggressive approach here conjures up an image of chaos in a chicken yard. And here I go, yet again, voicing my acute uneasiness with his almost constant "Don't-you-see-that-I'm-one-of-the-happiest-persons-on-earth" smiling. Are there any other viewers who feel that a little of this facial gleefulness goes a long way? Through the years, he hasn't exactly been subtle in showing how much he ENJOYS playing, and at this point, everyone is well aware of this. I've often wondered if there might come a day when he decides to replace his audience-manipulating gestures with a traditional, distinguished, more professional stage demeanor. As I've said elsewhere, since the quality of his playing (most of the time) is on a high level, why the need to "add to the mixture" with all manner of cheap, tasteless, theatrics? (Of the latter, I don't have enough time to list them all).
I'll comment only on the 2nd movement of the concerto. Without the slightest apology, and with the most emphasis possible, I feel justified in asserting that his unabashed facial display of sickly-sweet mawkishness and orgasmic ecstasy is, in a word, nauseating. "But look how he lives and feels the music, how he enjoys playing!", his fans are quick to say. Well, go ahead with this assessment, but try to keep in some little corner of your mind that his painstakingly contrived theatrical exhibition is uniquely unprofessional and shamelessly manipulative. No other pianist has ever conducted himself in such a brazen, stomach-turning fashion. In this video, check out 39:20 to 40:00 and DARE to say that this isn't one of the most sickening, revolting sights you've ever observed. I don't care a hoot what Lang lovers say. . . this is an embarrassment, and that's all there is TO it! The classical music world, for god's sake, deserves to be shown respect and dignity, but don't look for these here. . . you'll find nothing of the sort.
You played gorgeous and I am every day only you. I love you like my promesse and you ask me « love me ». Perfectly but never you have a little look for me. Sublimely your colors. You are a Genius. Love 💕
This last movement first motif takes off and never touches ground, here Lang Lang labours laboriously taxiing but never even getting engines firing for take off. Try this this version and hear the difference: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MeJUju-VIAo.html
