Yuja Wang: My Favorite pianist... Who's yours?

[FMiguelez]

Wow!!

Do you guys think this woman can play the piano? If you don't know her, do yourself a favor and check her out. Just watch her technique and artistry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0FalIHQOJY

I had never heard such gorgeous pianissimos and amazing dynamic range. In soft passages, her hands seem to float over the keyboard, as if they were made out of butter. But on loud and demanding parts, they seem like iron, and she can also play savagely.
That would make her what, the Iron Butterfly, like Sheldon's heroine?

Also, what a BEAUTIFUL piece of music!!! So modern! It's 2nd part, at 04:30, is quite ethereal (and difficult at the same time), and a lovely contrast to the opening of the piece. Lowell Liebermann rocks! I'll definitely check out more of his music.



Also, listen to the poetic tones she gets out of Scriabin too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weXvYaR_eWM

Oh, and as if it weren't enough, she's quite beautiful too

For me, I think Yuja Wang, Valentina Lisitsa and Martha Argerich are the best women pianists alive (and dead) at so many levels.

Define "the best", please.
Sure. I just did...

What do you guys think?
You want to share some of your favorites' highlights?

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Oscar Peterson. Hands down. Pun intended.

[Frodo]

Only last night did I watch any of her youtube vids. Just last night!! Lo, and behold-- a thread about Yuja Wang today!

I only checked out her Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 and her Tchaikowsky Piano Concerto #1.

She is a brilliant pianist with an ideal technique. Her pianism is second to none. She's not entirely a machine, but perhaps she could benefit from taking more time a lot of times. She often seems to be in a hurry.

Music, no matter the style, is kind of like great sex. It's really important how you get to the finish line. The journey should be as justifiably enjoyable as the destination. I love her destination, but I sometimes find her journey somewhat twitter-like-- too few characters.

I really do love her playing but often wish she'd take more chances and more time with her interpretations. I mean, she's spot-on perfect technically at every turn-- and that's nothing to scoff at. The woman has definitely "got it".

What I love and rarely hear among today's most successful young pianists is what happens BETWEEN the notes. They all seem to be able to play anything and everything. But, the ability to tease and mesmerize the ear, the heart, the mind, and the soul with space and silence and timing is becoming a lost art in itself.

I take great risk at mentioning this except that Yuja herself makes a point of dressing to the hilt. She's very easy on the eyes, and maybe that alone fills in a few mental gaps in which a certain amount of aural seduction could stand to make itself more vividly known. But I spent 3-4 hours last night marveling at her darn-near-perfect pianism and then I closed my eyes.

What I discovered was that the ear wanted more musical seduction. The performance was still rock-solid and world-class. For me, it's the musician of any instrument who knows what to do with the rests and the spaces between the notes.

I feel the same way about Evgeny Kissin's playing. It's absolutely brilliant, almost TRANSCENDENT pianism without exception. Leif Ove Andsnes, Zoltan Koscis, and so many others fall into this same category.

But-- <in the voice of Barry White> -- "Hey baby. Slow down a little. Let me open a bottle of wine for you. Take it easy. Take those high heal shoes off. Tell me about your day. Let me feel your pain. Let me feel your joy. I know the concert was about two hours, but we've got aaaaaalllll night!"

But, I want to FEEL the space and time between the notes. I ache to get lost in those spaces. I want to be transported within that time and those spaces. I want to lose track of time when listening to this stuff. I don't want to just admire a person's technical performance. I want to surrender to the musical seduction, even if that means it's against my own will.

Yuja Wang: Tchaikowsky Piano Concerto #1

Yuja Wang: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2

[FMiguelez]

Oscar Peterson. Hands down. Pun intended.

Hi, Mike.

Ha!
Point well taken
And I agree. Peterson is awesome in his style.

I should've specified classical women pianists, though.

She is a brilliant pianist with an ideal technique. Her pianism is second to none. She's not entirely a machine, but perhaps she could benefit from taking more time a lot of times. She often seems to be in a hurry.

Music, no matter the style, is kind of like great sex. It's really important how you get to the finish line. The journey should be as justifiably enjoyable as the destination. I love her destination, but I sometimes find her journey somewhat twitter-like-- too few characters.

I really do love her playing but often wish she'd take more chances and more time with her interpretations. I mean, she's spot-on perfect technically at every turn-- and that's nothing to scoff at. The woman has definitely "got it".

Hey, Frodo!

You do have a point. She has the chops, that's for sure. But I am sure she will give you that "missing thing" you're talking about as she matures artistically. Give her a few more years.

Perhaps now she's on some kind of "star stage" and it will be over when it's over. THEN, this amazing technique, coupled with attained maturity, will make her even better and enable her to give us a bit more emotion in her performances.

I did love her lyricism and soulful interpretation of the Scriabin, though.


Also, it's funny because, every single word you wrote, I think it applies more to my other favorite, Valentina Lisitsa, rather than Yuja.

She strikes me more like what you said. I think I get more emotion out of Yuja's performances than Valentina's, especially with her Beethoven. I don't like the way Valentina plays Beethoven. She takes it too fast. Almost like an Oscar Beringer etude

I mean, impressive display of flawless technique, cleanness and brilliance, but I don't think she conveys what Beethoven meant. Point in case:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz7usUEPWsc

And this is the same Beethoven sonata (3rd movement at 15:42) by whom I regard one of the best interpreters of Beethoven there was: Wilhelm Kempff.
There is no comparison in the way Kempff plays those dramatic dynamic changes, the way he phrases and brings out the melodies. Perhaps he was not as technically masterful as her, but he was a master, a genius on how to interpret Beethoven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCbLHfYkiwg


HAVING SAID THAT, I think Valentina's forte are basically any of the Russian (and former iron curtain) composers. Her brilliance fits better with them.
But imagine how she will play when she matures more regarding the points you mentioned. Maybe when she turns 50 or 60. That's when it all will surely come together.

Maturity... It will come. I think Martha Argerich is already there, though (after more long decades of being around).

Checking out your links now... Thanks!

[cuttime]

She is rapidly becoming one of mine, and I have always worshipped at the altar of Gould, even with all his eccentricities. The thing that amazes me about her most is how much she appears to be enjoying herself. I have struggled with musical instruments enough to know that none of it is ever effortless, but you can plainly see how much she is amusing herself without any of the sweat and angst generated by many other prodigies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIAk61xEZ80

[FMiguelez]

This is inspiring!

Mexico practically never gives us anything to be proud about. Maybe once every 3 or 4 decades someone comes along that makes a difference, but so far, I can count them with one hand and have a few fingers left.

SHE is one of those rare ones... I think she has what it takes to become the next Martha Argerich or Alicia de la Rocha. She just needs to keep practicing hard with the right teachers.

Daniela Liebman had her debut, not long ago, in Carnegie Hall. Right now she's only 11 and can play like that already.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR7H0uGEpm0
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejmBgNwUUIM

Talented and adorable... If I ever have I daughter, I want her to be exactly like that!

[kgdrum]

Totally different approach and genre but Chucho Valdes is one of my favorite pianists! Some youtube clips show what's he's doing but his cd's like Bele Bele En La Habana,Briyumba Palo Congo,Solo Piano,Border Free and Chuchos Steps are incredible and much better examples of his artistry.
The only 1 I'd not recommend is Live at the Village Vanguard (bad recording).
If you want to check out an awesome Latin Jazz Pianist, Chuchos worth a listen.

[Babz]

Art Tatum, Glenn Gould, etc.

A trick question, really. But, wow, thanks for turning me on to YW! A loaded question, I should say.

And then there are innovators, people who totally change the concept of the instrument, like Monk.

[Gravity Jim]

I dig Oscar Peterson for his massive swing and grounding in the blues, Bill Evans for his Zen, Lyle Mays for his combination of harmonic invention and love of melody (and for incorporating everything from British folk music to American pop into his jazz stew), and Bill Payne for his swampy Southern funk and über loose timing. I only listen to classical music when I'm writing in that vein... So many piano concertos seem to me like fireworks shows, and I don't have any interest in virtuosity for its own sake.

[Shooshie]

"Favorite" is a very subjective thing. I have many favorite pianists. I'd say it's more like I have favorite performances of individual piano works. Of course, Rubinstein always strikes a nerve. There is something sublime about everything he plays, whether or not it's the most technically accurate or perfectly rendered. Martha Argerich is simply amazing, and I find most of her performances to be exactly what my ears want to hear. But that doesn't make her "better" than, say, Van Cliburn or Garrick Ohlsson.

I particularly like Garrick Ohlsson's renderings of Skriabin, but recently Maria Lettberg has put out versions that I like very much, too.

I recently listened to Rachmaninoff's 2nd Concerto with Rubinstein, Cliburn, and Kissin. Also Valentina Lisitsa without orchestra. All I can say is... what a piece! They are all fantastic in some way, though I find Kissin's lacking in the engineering department. I'd like to hear what he actually played without 4 seconds of reverb. I have also heard at least a half-dozen others play it. Of them all, I have to say that Rubinstein still gets me the most. That may be because I grew up listening to him play it. But there's nothing wrong with any of them. They're all great!

I think my favorite Prokofiev #3 is by Marta Argerich. I think she owns that piece. But Van Cliburn also owned it. My god! I've never heard such playing!

Piano is a little like baseball. Nobody goes to baseball games just to watch one player or even one team. (well, maybe one team; a lot of people are supportive of their home teams) I can't call any one pianist my absolute favorite. There are pianists I don't like, but I won't mention names. It's so much more productive to focus on the great ones.

However, I'll mention one favorite pianist who may surprise everyone. The Artist We Know As Frodo is a world-class pianist who can play anything he sets his mind to play. Amazing musician! He should be out there playing with the rest of the stars. It's interesting to note that Valentina Lisitsa was not a piano star until fairly recently, and she got there by posting dozens of works on YouTube. Now, she's out playing with the better orchestras. It can happen!

Shooshie

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I saw Mr. Frodo perform the Grieg cto. (twice) a few years ago and agree. For his encore he improvised (I believe it was improvised) a kind of jazzy/classical piece. Wonderful! He's an amazing musician and hobbit on so many levels, equally at home on the international stages or at The House of Blues.

I agree with Shooshie on "which" is my favorite player. They all bring something different to the table. Who's better at Bach? Landowska or Gould. I love the both for different reasons, and from a performer's perspective 'while performing' there can be only one answer as to who is (or at least aspires to be) "the best" at that moment, IMO.

[Dan Worley]

However, I'll mention one favorite pianist who may surprise everyone. The Artist We Know As Frodo is a world-class pianist who can play anything he sets his mind to play. Amazing musician! He should be out there playing with the rest of the stars.

I did not know that. I thought Frodo was a conductor.

Wearing some tight dresses like Yuja might give him more exposure.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

He's a conductor, arranger, orchestrator, pianist, composer and quite skilled and in demand for all of those skills. Pop, classical, rock, Hobbitonian, film, TV, blues... he covers many basses [sic].

[MIDI Life Crisis]

In "short" a dragon slayer!

[Dan Worley]

He's a conductor, arranger, orchestrator, pianist, composer and quite skilled and in demand for all of those skills. Pop, classical, rock, Hobbitonian, film, TV, blues... he covers many basses [sic].

Thanks. Maybe I've heard his work and didn't know it. Would love to hear some of it.