Friday, February 17, 2017

Debussy's Les collines d'Anacapri: 2 Performances + 1 Master Class

I'm not sure I agree with Lang Lang's interpretation of Debussy's Les collines d'Anacapri, nor do I agree with his extensive use of hand signals gestures:



Much more enjoyable is Krystian Zimmerman's recording:



Richard Goode working with Sung-Soo Cho at Carnegie's Workshop and Master Class Series:





3 comments:

  1. Regarding Lang Lang's gestures: who really cares? I don't understand why people make fun of how other people look. Isn't it about the music? Performers have all sorts of traits that aren't necessarily the same as the next guy.

    As far as his interpretation: what is it specifically that you don't care for?

    I actually enjoy Zimmerman's much more than Lang Lang's. But you can't see Zimmerman, so I can't make fun of any of his mannerisms, haha!

    Also, Zimmerman's is a professional audio studio recording, where Lang Lang's is from a live concert. So obviously the sound quality is much better in Zimmerman's.

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    1. Piano Sensei, thanks for the comments. I was just expressing some concern that Lang Lang might have gone over a line between the relationship of performer to the music. Regarding his interpretation, some of Lang Lang's reading of the dynamics, especially on the final page, was a little angular for my taste.

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  2. Thanks for the reply. I don't really like Lang Lang's interpretation as much as Zimmerman's, but I can't pinpoint why. That's why I was asking what specifically. Anything else besides angular dynamics at the end?

    To me, it seems soft of too "romantic" and less straight-forward, not allowing the notes speak for themselves, but I'm not sure if that's the best way to explain it.

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