I had hoped to go to the discussion at the ROM lead by Peter Oundjian, but I had to be elsewhere on a Sunday afternoon (sigh). I heard that it went well, but attendees were disappointed that he didn't perform. (This is the first argument for Lang Lang maybe being a little bit on his high horse - hopefully I'm just reading the signs wrong.)
The concerts with the TSO also conflicted with other commitments that I had (super sigh), but luckily I was free for his solo concert this past friday night.
First, a little bit about the venue. I haven't been inside the Roy Thomson Hall in awhile and forgotten how beautiful is was. When getting the tickets I was concerned about sitting in the last row of the main floor, but no reason to - the hall isn't that deep. The acoustics in the last couple rows are compromised due to the mezzanine overhang, but it's not terrible. During the intermission I went to the balcony, and it's quite high, but I have no idea how the acoustics are up there.
Back to the concert. Lang Lang definitely has a flair when he's playing. I'm not the biggest fan of pianists who "conduct" with their free hand, but I can't really criticize how other musicians feel the music.
I was hesitant to attend the concert in the first place because the programme didn't draw me in, but obviously went anyway.
Programme
Franz Schubert - Piano Sonata No. 20 in A, D.959
Allegro
Andantino
Scherzo: Allegro vivace
Rondo: Allegretto
Intermission
Bela Bartok - Piano Sonata BB88, Sz. 80
Allegro moderato
Sostenuto e pesante
Allegro molto
Claude Debussy - Selections from Preludes: Book 2, Book 1
Book 2:
Bruyeres
Feux d'artifice
La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune
Book 1:
Les collines d'Anacapri
La fille aux cheveux de lin
La cathedrale engloutie
Minstrels
Frederic Chopin - Polonaise Op. 53 in A-flat Major, "Heroic"
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Schubert does nothing for me and Bartok is just noise. Interestingly syncopated noise but still noise.
Then it got better. Debussy Preludes. Swoon. I'm interested to know why in the programme, the selection was listed in a certain way - the three he chose to play from Book 2 and then the four from Book 1 - when he didn't play them in that order at all. I still melt when I hear La fille aux cheveux de lin and got a little tickled hearing his interpretation for Bruyeres. I just made me miss playing. Sure my interpretation wasn't quite as stellar, but there were moments. It's interesting that not only do I love Impressionist artwork, but music as well.
He ended the programme with a Chopin Polonaise. The classic Op. 51 in A-flat Major. Nice. It was like he was a little kid playing a fun little game on the keyboard. Sigh - way too easy. That left hand repeated motive (c'mon pianists, you know the one) is death and he did it effortlessly. Sigh.
So it was a good performance. He's good. Very very good.
Got a couple standing ovations (minimal after the Schubert, most after the Bartok, and resounding at the end). I know he's deserving of them, but I feel like standing ovations are getting to be the norm these days, or just a ploy to get the performer to play an encore. Which leads me to prima donna (oh wait, primo uomo?!?) moment number two. It took him 4 or 5 curtain calls to finally play something more. Jeez. Anyway, I guess it was worth it to stay. More Chopin (love love love). An Etude. It was the Op.10 No.3. Swoon.
More standing ovation and curtain calls to follow, those seated on stage started leaving every time he retreated and then he'd pop back out again. Wondering if he expected more applause or not? I personally would have liked another encore (who wouldn't), but I definitely wasn't expecting one after how long it took for the audience to get the first one out of him.
But it was a lovely evening of music...especially the latter part.
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