A Sublime Way with a Steinway: Lang Lang Shines in Lyric Recital, At Least (to a Neophyte) When He Really Lets Loose -- Chicago Classical Review

Classical Review

Lang Lang
solo piano recital
Lyric Opera of Chicago
May 9, 2015
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"Tomorrow is a special day," Lang Lang reminded the full house from the stage of the Lyric Opera Saturday night.

"It's Mother's Day."

And the Chinese piano prodigy, now a month from turning 32 and seemingly the world's preeminent concert pianist, beamed when he pointed out that his mother was in the crowd.

I don't know quite how rare a happenstance this is, but shortly after acknowledging her near the end of almost 2 full hours onstage, alone with a Steinway piano, Lang Lang delivered a mirthful take on a piece I recognized.

Or thought I did. 

I initially thought it may be something by Mozart, perhaps the piano melody of his 40th Symphony, but then I assumed it to be Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee."

But the following morning, I'm now again not sure, which clearly illustrates how little I know about classical music. (Note: Thanks to John von Rhein's review in the Chicago Tribune, I now know the piece to have been, "Rondo alla Turca" from Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K.331.)

Without any acuity to assess Lang Lang's technique, tonality, clarity or anything else true aficionados might use to compare one rarefied world-class pianist against another, this review reflects merely my own sense of enjoyment and entertainment, not a technical critique.

And as I've often written, when it comes to types of musical virtuosity for which I have fond but far from thorough appreciation, I am typically most dazzled by sequences performed loud and fast.

Thus, while I certainly enjoyed Lang Lang's playing from the moment he walked onstage, in performing Tchaikovsky's The Seasons--12 short pieces more aptly titled The Months--and even Bach's Italian Concerto BMV 971 in F Major, I didn't sense enough "OMG!" gasp-inducing flourishes for my neophyte mind to be blown.

At least not comparably to my recollection of hearing Evgeny Kissin play with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, or even demonstrably more impressive than top-notch college students or other great but not Lang Lang-level pianists.

Attending the recital with my friend Paolo, who sees many more classical performances than I do, he intimated being able to appreciate emotion and nuance in Lang Lang's playing that he sensed to be superior to other pianists he heard.

I certainly couldn't argue that point, nor assess how well the artist interpreted each piece he played, but at intermission--which followed a couple unlisted works that I certainly couldn't identify--I would have bestowed @@@@ (out of 5), perhaps reflecting a muted level of amazement and relative entertainment value rather than any astute performance critique.

But although Lang Lang's solo recital undoubtedly brought genuine piano aficionados--and even musicians--out in force to the Lyric, perhaps able to better gauge the brilliance in his subtleties, there also were likely a good number of classical music dilettantes like me, looking to be dazzled by perhaps the most famous artist of his ilk.

Thus, I'm pleased to report--at least for other like-minded rubes--that Lang Lang did dazzle the heck out of me after intermission, with Chopin's Four Scherzos as the listed piece, but clearly several others played in addition (if not even in lieu, as the order and timing of listed pieces became a bit confusing).

Other than the one piece I still can't precisely identify, I didn't know what I was hearing, I just liked it (accompanied by two video screens showing close-ups of Lang Lang's hands on the keyboard).

As regular readers of this blog should clearly know, I go to a lot of shows, most typically in a rock 'n roll, musical theater or dramatic realm. But I admire, even relish, virtuosity in virtually any vein, and have made a point of seeing jazz and classical greats like Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Itzhak Perman, Yo-Yo Ma, Pinchas Zuckerman, Yefim Bronfman and Evgeny Kissin, as well as phenomenal tap dancer, Savion Glover.

I had never seen Lang Lang despite numerous appearances in the Chicago area over the years, and am glad a Saturday night recital at the Lyric finally gave me a workable opportunity.

And even if my expectation of being quite acutely and obviously astonished, amazed and enthralled was rather superficial in the sense of artistic exploration, I can't deny being pleased that it was--ultimately--fulfilled.

To end with a bad pun reflective of proper pronunciation, I think it may be a Lang Lang time before I see another pianist quite so remarkable.

Even if it took me until the second half of the performance to realize it. 

1st Live Encounter with Beethoven's 5th (by the CSO) Puts Me on the 9th Cloud -- Chicago Classical Concert Review

Classical Music Review

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
Songs by Schubert and Strauss
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Jaap van Zweden, Conductor
Matthias Goerne, Baritone
February 8, 2015
(Same program on Feb. 5 & 7)
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Here's a piece of highly analytical, incisively astute and undoubtedly rather shocking arts criticism:

In performing perhaps the most famous composition in classical musical history, one of the world's greatest symphony orchestras sounded absolutely phenomenal. 

At least to my untrained ears. 

If you are looking for someone to assess whether on Sunday afternoon the Chicago Symphony Orchestra played Beethoven's 5th Symphony as well as they or some other orchestra did at some other point in time, well, to quote a Bob Dylan song (perhaps only because Ludwig didn't write lyrics as far as I know):

"It ain't me, babe, it ain't me you're looking for, babe."

When it comes to classical music, I'm about as far from an expert as anyone who enjoys and appreciates the art form can get. 

The number of classical pieces for which I could convincingly name the composer upon hearing even the most notable segment would likely be countable on two hands. 

And even though Beethoven's 5th is one of those, thanks to its famed "dun-dun-duh-dunnn" opening, if you played me a random minute of the near 40-minute symphony, chances are good I would draw a blank.

That said, much of it is familiar enough--if only through osmosis--or at least aurally congruent to the initial refrain, that the entire work sounds glorious. 

So even though when it comes to classical music, I simply like what I like, even without knowing what I'm hearing--with full orchestra pieces with sonically-exciting (i.e. loud and fast) sections being the most overtly savory ear candy--the truth is that familiarity certainly breeds delight. 

Hence, even though some may think a major metropolitan orchestra performing Beethoven's 5th Symphony is analogous to a classic movie house showing Casablanca, an opera company staging La Bohème or a purveyor of jazz recordings promoting Kind of Blue, I have no problem embracing artistic creations that are uber-famous.

They usually are for good reason. 

And opportunities--or one's one election--to see or hear them aren't nearly as commonplace as one may think.

But though I had desirably noticed Beethoven's masterpiece on the CSO's schedule months ago, I must plead the 5th and admit that I didn't have a ticket until about 30 minutes before I left for Symphony Center on Sunday. (That convolution of cliché doesn't quite work, but just go with it.)

Matthias Goerne

In checking ticket availability in recent weeks, I found prices--even way up in the gallery--to be $75+, well beyond what I could justify, especially as I was already booked to see a play at Goodman Theatre on Sunday night. 

So as much as I wanted to hear Beethoven's 5th by the CSO, I didn't think I would. 

But sometime after Noon, I got a text from my friend Paolo, who had a pair of tickets for the 3pm performance, one of which became available at the last minute. 

After working out some logistics regarding getting to the play that evening with my mom, I happily was able to accept Paolo's gracious offer and get to the symphony matinee. 

And I'm obviously glad I did.

Rather than Music Director Riccardo Muti, who I still haven't seen conduct the CSO as illness forced him to miss a few performances I attended early in his reign, the scheduled conductor was Jaap van Zweden, a Dutchman who is music director of both the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

Jaap van Zweden. Photo credit: Hans van der Woerd

I am pretty sure I will never really know or ascertain how much a conductor acutely affects during a performance. I once asked a non-CSO orchestra musician I met on a train and he said that while a given conductor can be pivotal in helping performers understand and prepare a piece ahead of time, and all the hand gestures do serve a definite purpose, the direct effect in real-time isn't all that great as the orchestra members generally know their parts and where they fit without seeing the cues.

But whatever Maestro van Zweden was supposed to do, it seems he did it very well. I have no reason to imagine what I heard would have been any better if led by Muti or anyone else.

Although Beethoven's 5th was clearly the main event, and promoted as such, the first half of the program was also rather enjoyable.

With acclaimed German baritone Matthias Goerne on vocals, van Zweden led the CSO through 11 brief songs either by Franz Schubert or Richard Strauss (see image at the top of this piece for the full list).

Other than in opera--and these weren't arias--I had never heard songs with lyrics/vocals in a classical music vein before. But while some pieces were more acutely pleasing than others and I don't think I'd have relished a full program of such songs, Goerne sounded terrific as did the orchestra.

Thus it made for an enjoyable opening half and nice accompaniment to Beethoven.

Still, when a young woman who was sitting next to me didn't return after intermission, I said incredulously to Paolo, "She left after the hors d'oeuvres???"

And what a main course to have missed; I'm delighted to have devoured it.

As I posted post-show on Facebook:

Hearing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play Beethoven's 5th Symphony is about as good as music gets, at least in classical form.

And now, in almost 900 more words, I have pretty much said the same thing. I probably could have just used one:

Bravo!