Pianist Eric Lu live

[Rach3]

2018 Leeds Competition winner Eric Lu live recently :

Brahms
Intermezzi voor piano (3), op.117 - nr.1

Schumann
Thema met variaties, 1854, "Geistervariationen"

Chopin, Frédéric
Preludes , op.28 - compleet

Schubert, Franz
Impromptu's voor piano (4) D.899, op.90 - nr.3

29 december 2019

Koninklijk Concertgebouw

https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/9394 ... s-preludes

Per Wiki about the Schumann work : “This was Schumann's last work before he was admitted to the mental hospital in Bonn-Endenich. Wolf-Dieter Seiffert wrote in the preface to Thema mit Variationen (Geistervariation) that at this time of his life, Schumann believed that he was surrounded by spirits who played him music, both "wonderful" and "hideous". They offered him "most magnificent revelations", but also threatened to send him to Hell. Seiffert goes on to write that on 17 or 18 February 1854, Schumann wrote down a theme he said was dictated to him by voices like those of angels. He did not recognize that it was actually a theme which he had composed previously.Several days later, he wrote a set of variations on this theme. While he was still working on the composition, on 27 February he suddenly threw himself half clothed into the freezing Rhine river, from which he was rescued and returned home. After surviving the suicide attempt, he continued to work on it. The next day, he completed the work and sent the manuscript to his wife, Clara, who had left him the night before, on the advice of a doctor.”

Lu played the Brahms and Schumann without a break between.

[Rach3]

Despite not great sound, coughing, and applause after 2nd mov., a very nice 2018 live LvB Op.109 by Lu, especially final mov.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ST7GxL2lKU

A wonderful Prokofieff 7th Sonata by Lu in 2017 :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VjeY2gshzk

[Rach3]

The 2018 Leeds International Piano Competition Final Round, in which one of the concertos Lu played was the Beethoven 4th. Eric Lu won the 1st Prize and Terence Judd–Hallé Orchestra Prize.The Hallé, Edward Gardner, conductor, Leeds Town Hall .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8WC4g23nuo

There are also YT’s of him playing Rach 3, Mozart 491, Chopin E minor, but I thought this would be a better “ test” so the one I heard. Yes !

( Not to mention what a virtuoso Beethoven was, and the slow mov. extraordinary among all PC’s period. )

[Rach3]

Although his Rach 3 certainly not chopped liver, here live video from a 2017 in Germany ( on a Bechstein, but YT sound ) , especially fine slow mov. ( becoming more the highlight of this Concerto for me ) :

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

Encore, Chopin’s “Raindrop” Prelude.

[Rach3]

His cd recording of the Chopin Preludes now here for free listening:

https://www.nporadio4.nl/cds/eric-lu-ch ... s-schumann
Worth hearing, IMHO.

[Rach3]

Now almost 23 -years old , Eric Lu, 2018 Leeds winner, live at Wigmore Hall,London,2019.I heard all, all worth hearing , but I went back to re-hear his really exceptional Brahms Op.118. At 23 ?! Op.118 starts at about 16:25. The Schumann,Chopin,Brahms encore are on his debut cd ( I dont have).

Enregistré le 09/12/2019 au Wigmore Hall à Londres

Robert Schumann : Geistervariationen, WoO. 24

Johannes Brahms : Six Piano Pieces, op. 118

Frédéric Chopin : 24 Preludes, op. 28

Franz Schubert : Impromptu in G flat, op. 90/3 (bis)
Johannes Brahms : Intermezzo in E flat, op. 117/1 (bis)


https://www.rtbf.be/auvio/detail_concert?id=2681024

[Rach3]

A live performance earlier today with Lu, posted as the Mozart is one of my fav PC's period, and I dont believe I'd heard the cadenzas he played , which unfortunately were not identified, the performance otherwise quite fine and very mature.I heard only the Mozart.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000nmvt

Errollyn Wallen: Photography
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No 21 in C K467
Johannes Brahms: Variations on a theme of Haydn

Eric Lu (piano) Ulster Orchestra conducted by Andrew Gourlay

Mendelssohn: Symphony No 3 in A "Scottish" Ulster Orchestra conducted by Alpesh Chauhan

[maestrob]

Finally had a chance to hear Eric Lu's 2019 Wigmore Hall recital this morning. I have to say that his Brahms was truly impressive: very intimate and sensitive without being maudlin to any degree. The Schumann was gently played, while his Chopin Preludes were, although quite beautiful, lacking in momentum here and there, thus, on the whole, less effective.

His 2017 Prokofiev VII had every note in place, but it lacked the depth of Giltburg or the sheer dramatic electricity of Sokolov.

All-in-all, Lu is an excellent artist with room to grow. Thanks for posting all these links! I look forward to hearing his CD on amazon: