Oh no Lang Lang again

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  • ucanseetheend
    Full Member
    • Dec 2010
    • 298
    #1

    Oh no Lang Lang again

    The Today programme today hyping Lang lang , for the life of me I dont know why,.

    Quote
    "Some of the greatest classical pianists of the last century have all been westerners but a 28-year-old Chinese man could be about to join the ranks of the truly great. The Today programme's John Humphrys went to speak to Lang Lang ahead of his performance at the Albert Hall"

    Truly cringing. I was at the Albert hall some 5 years ago when he made his debut in the arena one bank holiday afternoon as I recall, and the feeling where I was listening and those speaking to on exit was it was extremely underwhelming, The playing was forced,faked emotion and commercial and having this young boy player joining him during the concert for piano duets with hugs all around I could have thrown up. Five years on the odd ocassion hearing LL I have heard or seen nothing to change this view and perhaps the definition of "truly great" with regards to classical pianists in the twenty-first century is somewhat meaningless.
    Last edited by ucanseetheend; 20-03-12, 08:09.
    "Perfection is not attainable,but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence"
    Tags: None
  • Ferretfancy
    Full Member
    • Nov 2010
    • 3487
    #2
    I can't stand Lang ( as he now calls himself) either, but he has achieved huge popularity, particularly in the Far East. I met a Korean family at a Prom a few years back, when he played the Chopin Second, and I tried not to spoil what for them was a special trip, and also their first Prom. They enjoyed him much more than I did,not minding the soulful gazing at the Albert Hall ceiling and erratic tempi, but the point was they stayed for the whole concert and found themselves awe-struck by the Alpine Symphony after the interval.

    The question is, do the Langs of this world lead people on to explore further? Personally, I suspect not, but perhaps it's a point for discussion.

    Comment

    • Nick Armstrong
      Host
      • Nov 2010
      • 26575
      #3
      Originally posted by Ferretfancy View Post
      Lang ( as he now calls himself)
      Are you serious, has he dropped the Lang... er... a Lang?
      "...the isle is full of noises,
      Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
      Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
      Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

      Comment

      • Norfolk Born
        #4
        There, there, never mind, never mind, don't take on, don't take on....
        (By the way, I'm proud to announce to an expectant world that I seem to have correctly identified the 'Corrie killer'. Lady Norfolk has forgiven me )

        Comment

        • Nick Armstrong
          Host
          • Nov 2010
          • 26575
          #5
          Originally posted by Norfolk Born View Post
          There, there, never mind, never mind, don't take on, don't take on....
          (By the way, I'm proud to announce to an expectant world that I seem to have correctly identified the 'Corrie killer'. Lady Norfolk has forgiven me )
          Sapristi, my Lord of Norfolk! Kindly keep thy trap shut about thy findings!!
          "...the isle is full of noises,
          Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
          Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
          Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

          Comment

          • Norfolk Born
            #6
            Rest assured - my lips shall remain sealed until such time as you have seen the relevant episodes.

            Comment

            • amateur51
              #7
              Is Lang Lang the 'Coronation Street' of classical pianisim? Discuss

              Comment

              • Norfolk Born
                #8
                Do not write on both sides of the screen.
                (As for the actual question: I feel we should wait until Lang Lang has equalled Corrie's record of 52 years at the top before commenting. By which time, of course, Corrie will have reached and possibly passed its centenary, thereby necessitating a further lengthy wait until Lang Lang catches up).

                Comment

                • Paul Sherratt
                  #9
                  >>>Is Lang Lang the 'Coronation Street' of classical pianisim?

                  Were his early performances in black and white ?

                  Comment

                  • Bryn
                    Banned
                    • Mar 2007
                    • 24688
                    #10
                    Originally posted by Paul Sherratt View Post
                    >>>Is Lang Lang the 'Coronation Street' of classical pianisim?

                    Were his early performances in black and white ?
                    His early performances, as his current ones, are on black and white. His earliest may have been on whites only.

                    Comment

                    • Pianorak
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 3128
                      #11
                      Originally posted by Ferretfancy View Post
                      . . . The question is, do the Langs of this world lead people on to explore further? Personally, I suspect not, but perhaps it's a point for discussion.
                      I suspect and hope not! Remember David Helfgott who was going to achieve such a miracle. Let's face it Wigmore Hall and Kings Place have limited capacity and it's sometimes difficult enough to get tickets without celebrity-chasing audiences making it even more difficult.
                      My life, each morning when I dress, is four and twenty hours less. (J Richardson)

                      Comment

                      • Norfolk Born
                        #12
                        I think the current Corrie character to whom Lang Lang comes closest is Dev Alahan. They both like to think they're performing some kind of public service, and they both have an exaggerated sense of their respective abilities

                        Comment

                        • Nick Armstrong
                          Host
                          • Nov 2010
                          • 26575
                          #13
                          Originally posted by Norfolk Born View Post
                          I think the current Corrie character to whom Lang Lang comes closest is Dev Alahan. They both like to think they're performing some kind of public service, and they both have an exaggerated sense of their respective abilities
                          Agreed! And both are almost impossible to watch! I always fast forward through any scene either of them is in!

                          (There was a clip on BBC Breakfast yesterday of him playing an early Beethoven Sonata in the Musikverein - Lang, not Dev - and if you shut your eyes and forgot all the pantomime (almost impossible), it was actually pretty good, characterful, faithful stuff...)
                          "...the isle is full of noises,
                          Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
                          Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
                          Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

                          Comment

                          • Norfolk Born
                            #14
                            I'm afraid I was more concerned with Susannah Reid's mispronunciation of 'Musikverein' as 'Musikferien', whereby she changed that venerable institution from a Music Association into 'Music Holidays'.
                            Perhaps Lang Lang will follow in the footsteps of Sir Ian McKellen and Robert Vaughan and 'guest' on Corrie....Ken could engage his services for a charity concert (tickets from Dev's shop - of course) or Nick could hire him for the Bistro.

                            Comment

                            • HighlandDougie
                              Full Member
                              • Nov 2010
                              • 3108
                              #15
                              I'm no great fan - his live Vienna recital sets my teeth on edge with his showboating where the music comes a long way behind his ability to tinkle the ivories faster than anyone else - but anyone who takes the time to learn and then perform Tippett's sublime Piano Concerto can't be all bad

                              Comment

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