Yuja Wang's Prokofieff PC's at Verbier

[Rach3]

Yuja Wang plays Prokofieff PC’s 5,3 with Noseda, Verbier Festival Orchestra, and the Orchestra plays the composer’s “Love for Three Oranges “ Symphonic Suite,Op.33b ( my first hearing of the Suite ) :

https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/giana ... ja-wang-1/

One of the pleasures of watching this Festival is the excellence of this Orchestra , which I believe used to be, maybe still is, called the “ Verbier Festival Youth Orchestra.” All the Prokofieff works here make great demands , virtuoso performances by these youngsters.

The 4th and final movs. of the PC# 5 are special , remind me in places of his “Romeo and Juliet” ballet score.# 5 a hugely demanding work for the pianist, Wang’s conception not as dark or menacing as some, but Wang ’s “ lighter” touch very effective, to my ear. Wang here will not displace anyone’s prior fav Prok 3, but hers certainly worth hearing. Encore was the last mov. of the 7th Piano Sonata.

[Belle]

Yuja Wang plays Prokofieff PC’s 5,3 with Noseda, Verbier Festival Orchestra, and the Orchestra plays the composer’s “Love for Three Oranges “ Symphonic Suite,Op.33b ( my first hearing of the Suite ) :

https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/giana ... ja-wang-1/

One of the pleasures of watching this Festival is the excellence of this Orchestra , which I believe used to be, maybe still is, called the “ Verbier Festival Youth Orchestra.” All the Prokofieff works here make great demands , virtuoso performances by these youngsters.

The 4th and final movs. of the PC# 5 are special , remind me in places of his “Romeo and Juliet” ballet score.# 5 a hugely demanding work for the pianist, Wang’s conception not as dark or menacing as some, but Wang ’s “ lighter” touch very effective, to my ear. Wang here will not displace anyone’s prior fav Prok 3, but hers certainly worth hearing. Encore was the last mov. of the 7th Piano Sonata.

You're obviously enjoying your MediciTV subscription as much as I. Thanks for the heads up on each program; I chase them up after you've posted the links.

I must say Wang doesn't do it for me; her technique is astonishing but I'm always left wanting more.

[Rach3]

You're obviously enjoying your MediciTV subscription as much as I. Thanks for the heads up on each program; I chase them up after you've posted the links.
I must say Wang doesn't do it for me; her technique is astonishing but I'm always left wanting more.

I'm too cheap to subscribe , just take advantage of Medici's generous free offerings.The free access is usually only 30-60 days, thus the frequency of my Medici posts , before they expire, hope I'm not posting annoyingly often. I share your observations about Wang's playing, at least to date, but was attracted by the Prokofieff 5th PC, an unduly neglected work IMHO.It's a credit to her she added it to her repertoire as 5th hardly easy to learn or play, and hardly a crowd pleaser like the Prok 3 or many of the other concerti she usually presents. Hopefully , she'll use more often her star-power to present other deserving ,neglected works. Speaking of being " cheap " , I happen to be enjoying this evening a Lindeman's Bin 50 2017 "smooth " Shiraz , on sale for US $ 6 / 750 ml at my booze shop. Not Penfolds Grange , but... Hope your Winter has not been harsh ; here in Iowa is 31C.( 88F.) today ( Sun.Aug.5) at 6 pm, with a high humidity " heat index" of 36C. (97F.), but nothing compared to the heat and fire tragedies ongoing today in California and Portugal,Greece recently.

[Belle]

No; you don't post too much. Point taken about Wang presenting more neglected works. Her technique just astounds me. I mean, seriously, what's that about? And her repertoire is staggering. I just prefer Trifonov, though the damp hair in his face, the buckets of sweat showering the keys and the Wes Craven grimaces make watching increasingly unpalatable. He needs a "PR person".

I have subscribed to MediciTV as I don't have access to great concert venues as you do there in the US of A! Sydney Opera House; meh!! Standard fare, over and over and over. They've had a Bruckner fetish in recent years and that's the equivalent of industrial pesticide for me. Sorry, but there it is. I'm of the Brahms school when it comes to Bruckner!!

Those sound like Australian wines you're drinking there; and cheap, too. Hope they are OK, if not "Grange". Terrifying images of heat and fires raging in Europe and, of course, recently in California. It's cold here (I love it) but we are in a desperate drought in 99% of the state; worst since 1965 (and I remember that well). A famous Australian poet once defined Australia:

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me!

The stark white ring-barked forests,
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon,
Green tangle of the brushes
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops,
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When, sick at heart, around us
We see the cattle die
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the rainbow gold,
For flood and fire and famine
She pays us back threefold.
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze ...

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand
though Earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

[Rach3]

... He needs a "PR person".... I'm of the Brahms school when it comes to Bruckner!! ...Those sound like Australian wines you're drinking there...

Agreed about Trifonov, Brahms and Aussie wines. I rely on Medici TV ,others, as am a long way from any major concert venues, not to mention ticket prices , transportation to get there, parking, meals ,etc.

Australia is on my bucket list. Must see Coober Pedy and Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier Reef and Perth ; the Opera House can wait. Significant pianist connections too, of course, Grainger, Ignazy Freidman, Kapell, Geoffrey Tozer, Piers Lane.

[Belle]

Sorry, I exaggerated about Bruckner; his symphonies are what I was referring to, but the rest of his sacred music I really like.

You seem to know some Australian pianists and, of course, Donald speaks about Bruce Hungerford (and his tragic early death). Roger Woodward did some pioneering research on Chopin and recorded many of his works; also Charles Mackerras is another famous Australian musician. There are many but, of course, they must leave our country if they want international exposure. The standard today is so frighteningly high right across the board I really don't know how anybody in a music school can contemplate the future without pain and anxiety.

I've returned to Swafford's "Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph" after laying it aside for research and other political-economic-cultural reading. It's a wonderful book but there are scant musical examples to be found, compared to Solomon et al. Actually, it's 'can't put me down' reading once you get into it and I've recommended it to people in our music group.

There's a decent queue forming for my reading list and my physician and friend has recommended "The Gulag Archipelago", which he's reading in Polish!! (English is his second language.) I'm getting him interested in more serious music too!!

Also, I watched Sir (Honorary title) Andras Schiff conducting a masterclass at Juilliard from last year and recently at Verbier with a handful of pianists. One poor fellow from Juilliard played "The Italian Concerto" so badly that Schiff went stiff with displeasure. I felt embarrassed for the poor fellow who was obviously quite overcome with nerves. MediciTV was recording it for the world!!

What do you think of Schiff? I'll reserve my opinion on the masterclasses until after you've answered the question. Anyone else, please feel free to enter the discussion.

[Rach3]

What do you think of Schiff?

I consider him one of the great pianists.His Verbier masterclass with the young pianist trying to play a Bach Partita is illustrative. Some find his Bach or Scarlatti too Romantic,but he's fine with me.His lectures on the Beethoven piano sonatas I believe are still available at The Guardian's site." Think before you play " , as he tells the youngster.

https://www.medici.tv/en/masterclasses/ ... ss-schiff/

[Rach3]

His lectures on the Beethoven piano sonatas I believe are still available at The Guardian's site.

Sorry, Schiff's Beethoven lecture series is here :

https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/podcasts/an ... e-recitals

[jserraglio]

I'm too cheap to subscribe , just take advantage of Medici's generous free offerings.The free access is usually only 30-60 days, thus the frequency of my Medici posts , before they expire,

Amazon Prime subscribers get a ton of medici.tv concerts (incl. Verbier's) free with the sub and they haven't gone away after more than a year. I still can watch Wang's and Trifonov's last Verbier performances.

[maestrob]

Actually, I admire Schiff very much. My only disappointment with him is his Scarlatti, which I find too dry and without the sparkling humor that makes that composer so special. Of course every great musician has his/her limits: even James Levine once admitted in an interview that he felt no sympathy for Janacek's operas, which I love.

Today, the audio stream from medici.tv worked well. I'll listen to the whole thing tomorrow, but what I heard sounded fine. Prokofiev V works fine for Wang, but I've heard her in III w/Abbado on DVD and she was OK but not great, even with Abbado's preparation.

[Rach3]

Some find his Bach or Scarlatti too Romantic,but he's fine with me.

My cd of Schiff playing Scarlatti:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FccWYCkUPoE&t=57s

[Belle]

His lectures on the Beethoven piano sonatas I believe are still available at The Guardian's site.

Sorry, Schiff's Beethoven lecture series is here :

https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/podcasts/an ... e-recitals

Thanks; I have heard these. I have seen him in recital at least 3 times, the most recent was 2011 in the Wiener Konzerthaus where he played more than 4 encores. People were leaving after each one!!

[Belle]

I'm too cheap to subscribe , just take advantage of Medici's generous free offerings.The free access is usually only 30-60 days, thus the frequency of my Medici posts , before they expire,

Amazon Prime subscribers get a ton of medici.tv concerts (incl. Verbier's) free with the sub and they haven't gone away after more than a year. I still can watch Wang's and Trifonov's last Verbier performances.

I got my one-year subscription to Medici at half price; the 'special price' was only available for 48 hours and I'm glad I did. It was $132 Australian dollars (which included $3 American Express commission). A bargain, but my subscriptions are mounting by the month and some will have to be 'rationalized'!!

[Belle]

Actually, I admire Schiff very much. My only disappointment with him is his Scarlatti, which I find too dry and without the sparkling humor that makes that composer so special. Of course every great musician has his/her limits: even James Levine once admitted in an interview that he felt no sympathy for Janacek's operas, which I love.

Today, the audio stream from medici.tv worked well. I'll listen to the whole thing tomorrow, but what I heard sounded fine. Prokofiev V works fine for Wang, but I've heard her in III w/Abbado on DVD and she was OK but not great, even with Abbado's preparation.

Those Scarlatti sonatas are magnificent but a trap for some pianists. I remember Horowitz and his romantic sound world for a couple of them and I felt this didn't work. I like them to sparkle, as you do. My recording by Scott Ross on harpsichord sounds the right note, as it were.

[Rach3]

Those Scarlatti sonatas are magnificent but a trap for some pianists.

Indeed.
Young Pogorelich's recordings get good reviews, usually; I've only heard on YT.
I certainly respect harpsichordists, enjoy Poulenc's concerto ( de Falla write one ? ), but Schiff says Bach preferred the clavichord for Bach's Partitas , and on balance I'm probably in Beecham's camp.

[maestrob]

Actually, I admire Schiff very much. My only disappointment with him is his Scarlatti, which I find too dry and without the sparkling humor that makes that composer so special. Of course every great musician has his/her limits: even James Levine once admitted in an interview that he felt no sympathy for Janacek's operas, which I love.

Today, the audio stream from medici.tv worked well. I'll listen to the whole thing tomorrow, but what I heard sounded fine. Prokofiev V works fine for Wang, but I've heard her in III w/Abbado on DVD and she was OK but not great, even with Abbado's preparation.

Those Scarlatti sonatas are magnificent but a trap for some pianists. I remember Horowitz and his romantic sound world for a couple of them and I felt this didn't work. I like them to sparkle, as you do. My recording by Scott Ross on harpsichord sounds the right note, as it were.

Would love you to hear Maria Tipo in Scarlatti: her superb EMI disc is still available here.

[Rach3]

Would love you to hear Maria Tipo in Scarlatti: her superb EMI disc is still available here.

I don't have her Scarlatti, but can certainly recommend her EMI cd's of Bach Partitas and Clementi Piano Sonatas.

[Belle]

Actually, I admire Schiff very much. My only disappointment with him is his Scarlatti, which I find too dry and without the sparkling humor that makes that composer so special. Of course every great musician has his/her limits: even James Levine once admitted in an interview that he felt no sympathy for Janacek's operas, which I love.

Today, the audio stream from medici.tv worked well. I'll listen to the whole thing tomorrow, but what I heard sounded fine. Prokofiev V works fine for Wang, but I've heard her in III w/Abbado on DVD and she was OK but not great, even with Abbado's preparation.

Those Scarlatti sonatas are magnificent but a trap for some pianists. I remember Horowitz and his romantic sound world for a couple of them and I felt this didn't work. I like them to sparkle, as you do. My recording by Scott Ross on harpsichord sounds the right note, as it were.

Would love you to hear Maria Tipo in Scarlatti: her superb EMI disc is still available here.

They live!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ66dtpTVbE

I also have the Alexis Weissenberg Scarlatti Sonatas which somebody here recommended.

[maestrob]

Would love you to hear Maria Tipo in Scarlatti: her superb EMI disc is still available here.

I don't have her Scarlatti, but can certainly recommend her EMI cd's of Bach Partitas and Clementi Piano Sonatas.

Yes, I agree. The only recording by her that I don't like is her 2-disc set of Chopin's Nocturnes, which don't hold together for me.