Yuja Wang's Rachmaninoff marathon

[Ricordanza]

I will attempt to write about these two concerts, but there is no way I can fully capture in words the experience of attending two of the peak musical events of my many years as a concertgoer.

Let’s start at the beginning. In March of 2022, I received the Philadelphia Orchestra’s brochure for the 2022-2023 season. Some concerts sounded more appealing than others, but there were two I could not miss: Yuja Wang would be performing all five works for piano and orchestra by Sergei Rachmaninoff—the four numbered concertos and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini—in two concerts in late January and early February 2023. The first concert would consist of Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 and the Rhapsody; the program for the second concert would be Concertos Nos. 3 and 4 and, again, the Rhapsody.

This was unprecedented in modern times. In the last several decades, perhaps in the last hundred years, piano soloists would very rarely perform two concertos on the same program. Three was unheard of. And three of the most technically challenging works was almost beyond belief.

Was this going to be a stunt, a feat of endurance? Or would it be a musically memorable experience? I would have to wait 10 months to find out.

Finally, the long-awaited first concert took place on Thursday evening, January 26th. Yuja and the Philadelphians, led by music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, began with the ever-popular No. 2. In the first movement, they let the famous melodies speak for themselves, avoiding excessive sentimentality. The second movement, Adagio Sostenuto, was delivered with perfect rapport between pianist and orchestra. The brilliant third movement was performed with exceptional virtuosity and articulation by Yuja. There were occasional moments when she was just a little out of sync with the orchestra, but I won’t let this quibble detract from an overall outstanding performance.

Rachmaninoff’s First Piano Concerto was completed when he was an 18-year-old student at the Moscow Conservatory. Not satisfied with his youthful effort, he revised the work about 15 years later. While it has not achieved the popularity of the second and third concertos, it is still performed and recorded with some frequency. Throughout the work there are passages that are clearly identifiable as Rachmaninoff’s style. And, in my opinion, the second movement rivals the slow movements of those more famous works for its sensual beauty. Yuja’s performance was a perfect blend of poetry and virtuoso display.

The Rhapsody—a set of variations on Paganini’s 24th Caprice for solo violin (which itself is a set of variations)—is deservedly one of the most popular and frequently performed works for piano and orchestra. When a work is performed so often and is so familiar to the audience, should the soloist and orchestra try to find something new and different in the piece? That’s one approach, but Yuja and Yannick chose instead to play it “straight,” that is, just bringing out the brilliance and excitement of this perfectly conceived work. A good example was the gorgeous 18th variation, where Yuja conveyed just enough feeling but stayed away from going overboard with excess sugar. At the conclusion of this captivating performance, the audience at the sold-out Verizon Hall let out a roar of approval and gave Yuja, Yannick and the Orchestra a sustained standing ovation.

My second concert took place on Sunday afternoon, February 5th. In between, Yuja and the Philadelphians had presented the same double program on Friday, January 27th, and Saturday evening, February 4th. But wait, there’s more! They performed all five works in a single afternoon on January 28th at New York’s Carnegie Hall. After this incredible schedule, would Yuja show signs of exhaustion during this last concert? Not in the slightest. My ears and eyes (from a keyboard-side seat on the orchestra level) told me that Yuja was as fresh and energetic in every piece on this last program as she was in the first concert.

Before the music began, the Orchestra’s CEO and the Board Chairman came out on the stage to announce that Yannick’s contract, which was originally set to expire in 2026, had been extended to 2030. Another cause for applause by the audience and the orchestra’s musicians.

The afternoon began with the rarely performed Concerto No. 4. With all due respect to the composer, there’s a reason why it’s not performed that often, at least with respect to the first and third movements. There are passages of brilliant passagework and of lyrical beauty, but nothing sticks in the memory, at least for this listener. The second movement, however, is a gem. This remarkable piece of music is based on three notes of the descending major scale—but what Rachmaninoff does with those three simple notes is mesmerizing and haunting.

The afternoon proceeded with another brilliant performance of the Rhapsody, and then the final work, the famous (or infamous) “Rach 3,” reportedly one of the most difficult works in the piano concerto literature. It should have been no surprise that Yuja met every challenge of this piece with jaw-dropping accuracy and bravado. Nor should I have been surprised that soloist and orchestra delivered a glowing and heartfelt rendition of this work, a favorite among pianophiles.

As if this display of pianistic athleticism was not enough, Yuja offered a finger-busting encore—one of her trademarks—Vladimir Horowitz’ Carmen Variations. I would have preferred something more sedate, such as one of the more meditative Rachmaninoff Preludes. But after all, after a series of concerts like this, Yuja is entitled to have some fun showing off.

To answer the question I posed at the beginning, was this merely a stunt? I can confidently answer “no.” Attending these concerts was an overwhelming musical experience, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to do so in my lifetime.

[Belle]

Wow, this is absolutely impressive. Thanks for this intelligent and appreciative review, providing us a palpable insight into the events of a memorable two-concert experience. Yuja Wang is a blistering virtuoso and she's obviously much more than a pyro-technician, judging by your comments. I agree with what you've said about all 4 Rachmaninov concertos but disagree about the "Paganini Variations" which are just too cliched for me to take seriously anymore. That First Concerto was my earliest musical 'food' in the 1950s and my mother schooled me early in its many mellifluous passages. I regard it as 'moody' and 'melodramatic', unlike the others. Calculated to appeal to the nascent romantic! (The "Sons and Lovers" of the piano literature.)

You've been to the mountaintop with these concerts. Lucky you!!

[Ricordanza]

Thanks, Belle. I always appreciate feedback.