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That's what one of the college students a couple of rows up from us yelled as the applause was just starting, as Yuja Wang, pianist and fashionista, entered the stage in her signature orange-red mini-dress and stiletto heels (made famous last year at Hollywood Bowl) for a performance with MTT and the SF Symphony of the Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto Friday night. The shout must have amused MTT, because he still seemed to be chuckling as he started the performance.Yuja's performance of the Rachmaninoff Third may be somewhat known, because there used to be (I think) a video of one of her performances on the Arte classique or Medici web sites for awhile. And I think there's a soundtrack still available on YT of one of her other performances of this work too, but, as with all of Yuja's performances, you really do need to see it to get the full Yuja experience (not to mention, as I've stated before, the lossy streaming sound from YT can in no way be used to fully assess all the qualities of a performance). This was the first time that my wife and I had ever sat in the section behind the orchestra, and, even aside from the interesting visuals that location provides, the sound quality was, strangely, just about the best I've ever heard at Davies Hall: it just had a body and a substance (and a bass extension) that it doesn't have at most other locations in the hall. (We were in the second row, center - to the keyboard side.) The one weakness however had to do with the solo piano - with the lid raised, the sound was projecting out into the main part of the hall, and it seemed pretty weak where we were. Nevertheless, I got used to it, and I could tell that Yuja was projecting the full dynamic range of that particular instrument.
You can say what you want about Yuja using her sex appeal to further her career, but I contend that she has a unique quality of playing which is still opening up new insights on many standard repertoire piano works. As with her recording of the Rachmaninoff Second Concerto and Paganini Rhapsody, some of the sections of this Third Concerto were played with a finesse and delicacy that had to be heard to be believed. I don't know of any other performance of this work which has these qualities, especially in that fantastic waltz section of the slow movement (starting at cue 32 if you have a score), with all its repeated-note sparks and electricity. Magnificent! Similarly, at cue 48 in the last movement (that puckish, whimsical part over the soft E-flat chords in the orchestra): no other pianist's touch surpasses (and most don't equal) Yuja's in this section. Brava!
Does this mean that Yuja's performance leads the pack? Hardly - but it certainly has its unique and insightful qualities, such as those just mentioned. However, at times, one might wish for a more aggressive approach at certain spots, and, as a total performance (including the orchestra's contribution) there were some details that didn't quite mesh, such as the end of the first movement, where the horns and trumpets have those quiet fanfare figures, while the piano counterpoints a high-but-thick texture of bell-like sonorities (cue 22). MTT wasn't anticipating quite correctly and allowed the orchestra to get slightly ahead - Yuja looked over at him with a pained expression, as if to say, "What are you trying to do to me?", but the lack of coordination was only momentary. In any case, Yuja got back at him at the beginning of the last movement, where MTT had set slightly too slow a tempo. Within two measures of her entrance, Yuja had ratcheted up the tempo and left MTT and the orchestra in the dust (again, only momentarily!).
My wife's "stealth" photo of Yuja and MTT acknowledging the cheering at the end.I could write a lot more about this performance, but perhaps you get the idea.
Oh yeah - there were some other works on the program: Fauré's Pavane and Sibelius' Third Symphony. In the Fauré, I could see that they were all trying for an expressive flexibility via slightly more rubato than in most other performances I've heard - sometimes it worked very nicely, but a few times, it sounded as if the parts didn't dovetail quite correctly. BTW, the orchestra's flutist has a really beautiful tone. In the Sibelius Third, I was impressed at the virtuoso playing - especially with the unanimity and tone quality of the entire string section. I think a lot of players now in the orchestra had participated in the Sibelius cycle that Blomstedt recorded for Decca back in the 90's, and they still have a really good feel for it.
Finally, my wife had commented, "You know I'm only going to this concert to humor you!" But she admitted that she was glad she had gone, and that she liked the performances by and large, and even grudgingly observed that she thought Yuja was "cute", although, as she also observed, "I'll never know how she does that pedaling in those stiletto heels!"
BTW: we both want to give a big, big thank you to Analog Scott, who very graciously provided us with the tickets for this concert. Thanks again, Scott!
Edits: 06/16/12 06/16/12 06/16/12Follow Ups:
Row N, on the right side of Davies. Where I sat (and Davies is variable in this way) the orchestral sound was solid and deep, but I didn't think that Yuja's sound was very big. Fluent, but not that big. I was in the back of the hall for her encore, and that actually carried better, so it might have been my seat location.
I was actually there for the performance of Sibelius' 3rd...turns out it was only the third time that the SFS has programmed it, and the first since the early 90s under Blomstedt. It was a terrific performance, although I thought MTT took a longer than usual ritard at the end (here, the symphony is over now). Nice to hear this piece - Sibelius was a great composer.
I have to say that piano concertos in general are not my cup of tea.....many of them, and the Rach 3rd is one, come across as a piano solo with orchestral accompaniment.....to me, boring compared to an actual symphony. I have come to the point where I actively loathe Tchaikovsky #1.
"I have to say that piano concertos in general are not my cup of tea.....many of them, and the Rach 3rd is one, come across as a piano solo with orchestral accompaniment.....to me, boring compared to an actual symphony. "
Try Brahms's piano concertos. The piano here seems to me to be more integrated into the orchestra parts; more of a dialogue than piano vs. orchestra.
Would you agree Chris from L. ?
I love the Sibelius 3rd. Have yet to hear it live.
Does that make them better? Could be a factor, but for me, it's not a decisive factor. I think the Brahms Second Piano Concerto is among the top five piano concertos ever writen, but the very top for me is still the Rachmaninoff Third.
Also, one other thing to consider: I've never heard the Reger Piano Concerto, but I suspect that, like the Brahms concertos, it also has a more integrated texture than most other concertos do. As I say, textural integration is only one factor among many in the success and appeal of a given concerto - at least, IMHO. ;-)
That's exactly what I said to my wife when that performance ended. Funny!
Re piano concertos, I can understand your reaction to the Tchaikovsky more than I can to the Rachmaninoff. As a piano accompanist, I've played the orchestra part to both concertos on a second piano a number of times, and for me, the Rachmaninoff has a much more interesting orchestra part than the Tchaikovsky does. I don't deny that parts of both concertos are indeed "piano solo with orchestral accompaniment" - that's just the nature of a concerto (unless you want to go back to the Bach Concertos!), although it's true of some more than others. You must really detest the Chopin concertos! ;-)
Yeah, I have never really found much value in the Chopin concertos, although I love his music. I agree that the Rach 3 is ahead of the Tchaikovsky 1 as far as orchestral interest. There are concertos I really like - I am actually a fan of the Grieg and the Liszt 1, believe it or not, and of course Beethoven and Brahms.....and I think there is more orchestral interest in even Mozart...but still, if I want to listen to Beethoven or Brahms piano music I am much more likely to listen to solo piano.
Violin concertos strike me as rising much more naturally from the orchestral fabric. Having said that, the perfect concerto is "Harold in Italy"........
It was cute....and a nice light contrast to the Rach 3....but there is something about watching a pianist do an encore while the rest of the orchestra sits and listens that feels objectionable. At least, to me.
what should they do? leave? The audience certainly asked for the encore
Last night was unfortunately for you and your wife a much much better performance. Yuja made a few tweaks on her interpretation and what can I say...magic happened. Friday night was quite good. Last night was other worldly. I'm still buzzing over it.
And the audience went nuts! Felt like she just won the Stanly Cup.
by the way you can see me in your picture.
just to the right of MTT front row
Sounds like a great show. Yuja is not on the 2012-2013 schedule here in Indy, maybe in 2014. I'm glad your wife "humored" you.
That's just our banter - she puts up with a lot from me! ;-)
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