Tom Service has a musical encounter with the Chinese pianist Lang Lang and finds out about his pianistic heroes including Sergei Rachmaninov, Vladimir Horowitz and Gary Graffman who is also his mentor, friend and neighbour in New York. He also talks about a new musical passion - the piano works of Isaac Albeniz and plays one live in the studio. Tom asks him about his growing involvement in music education through his Piano Academy teaching books and online tools as well as the piano school he's founded in Shenzhen, China.
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I am highly amused that on the Forum, most people think, "Lang who???" -
As much to do with image as his musical ability? The image is someone's responsibility, though possibly not Lang's. A bit like James Rhodes - they do have an appeal for people who are only marginally interested in classical music but might become more so.Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
On which topic: tired and with a headache I fled from my chaotic house (plasterers) this evening to the Greek restaurant round the corner. Two 20-something Greek waitresses, and as I was paying one asked me whether 'I liked the music' (Greek music). I said it probably wasn't what I would play at home - and what music did she like. She said she liked 'classical', at which the other volunteered that 'classical is more relaxing' and she listened to Classic FM late at night to go to sleep to (
). I was once in a local cafe bar where they were playing what we call "pop music" (tbd) and I asked a few people if they would mind if they were playing classical music instead and got positive responses.
I think that 'contemporary popular' (tbd) is simply the default with businesses, and most people take such little notice that they accept it out of inertia rather than preference.
So, well done Lang Lang if he's making classical music seem 'respectable' with a wide range of people.It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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I missed the prog, but am interested to know he's mentored by Gary Graffman whom I'm lucky enough to have heard live (in 1972 - he hasn't played since 1977 following finger injury) - in Rachmaninov Paganini Rhapsody, no less.Comment
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That's my view too.So, well done Lang Lang if he's making classical music seem 'respectable' with a wide range of people.
On the subject of piped music, Mrs A and I returned from a long w/e in France, and to our joy, the culinary delights, in 3 different restaurants, were unaccompanied by piped music of any sort.
Hope the headache's better, ff !Comment
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