Lang Lang is an extraordinary artist, classy and erudite. He has
done much to attract a new generation of young people to classical music. I
have seen him in recital and was delighted by his remarkable facility and
struck by his air of humility.
This is Lang Lang’s first concerto album for the Sony Classics
label. He was invited to Berlin to record these two important 20th century
piano concertos: Prokofiev 3 and Bartók 2. The set includes an
interesting bonus DVD featuring part of a documentary film (
The Highest
Level) a look behind the scenes directed by Christian Berger filmed at
the Lang Lang/Philharmonie recording sessions. There’s also a film of
Lang Lang playing the first movement of Prokofiev’s
Piano Concerto
No. 3.
In the summer of 1921 during his exile from Soviet Russia, Prokofiev was
holidaying on the Brittany coast whilst working on his
Third Piano
Concerto. A brilliant work that boldly makes its presence felt, it is
not too difficult to imagine the score as an expression of the turbulence
occurring back in the composer’s homeland. Immediately this
emotionally charged work explodes into life with Lang Lang’s sparkling
playing with seemingly boundless reserves of energy yet always maintaining
focus of concentration and precision. I was struck by the challenging
changes of tempo and mood in the central theme and variations. Edge of the
seat playing in the thrilling
Finale:
Allegro, ma non troppo
exudes vitality and exhilaration.
It is extremely hard for any new recording to compete with the
stunning 1967 Berlin account that Martha Argerich made with the Berliner
Philharmoniker under Claudio Abbado on Deutsche Grammophon. I have played
this new Sony Classics recording several times and Lang Lang certainly
equals the boldness, power and communicative quality of Argerich’s
account.
Completed in 1931, Bartók’s
Piano Concerto No. 2
is infamous for being one of the most difficult works in the repertoire.
It’s a virile work that comes between the composer’s stage works
Bluebeard’s Castle and
The Miraculous Mandarin. It was
intended as a more accessible work than his earlier uncompromising
Piano Concerto No. 1. Outstanding in the opening is Lang
Lang’s rhythmic potency borders on the demonic. In the central
movement the soloist creates a glorious atmosphere conveying mystery and
introspection over an undercurrent of foreboding. This intense pianist
generates passionate fervour in the
Finale and does so with
exhilaration and spontaneity.
Of the recordings of Bartók’s
Piano Concerto No.
2 I have a great admiration for the 1959 Berlin recording played by
Géza Anda and the Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under Ferenc
Fricsay on Deutsche Grammophon. With thrilling playing Lang Lang may exceed
Anda with regard to vitality and breadth of dynamic but doesn’t quite
display the same level of vibrantly clean articulation.
Under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle the Berliner Philharmoniker is
highly persuasive and sympathetic. Not for the first time the woodwind excel
- marvellous.
Recorded over a number of sessions the engineers have provided
altogether first rate sound to complement stunning performances of real
gravitas.
Michael Cookson
