By BRITTANY SCHLOSBERG
Contributing Writer
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 25, 2011
Twenty-four year old pianist Yuja Wang stunned and amazed a nearly full house at Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. Performing in the Massry Center for the Arts, the Chinese-born pianist played a number of pieces on the D’Arcy-Brady stage, including works by Scriabin, Prokofiev and Liszt. Wang’s latest performance prior to this recital had been at Jesse H. Jones Hall for Performing Arts in Houston, Texas on October 12. Wang has been rated as a “distinctive artist with a comprehensive technique” by the New York Times, and has performed with prestigious names around the world such as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, the New World Symphony Orchestra, and the Filarmonica della Scalla. Not only does this make this artist distinctive, but world renowned.
Wang entered the hall to thunderous applause, not surprising considering her immense talent. As soon as she sat and collected her thoughts (the music had been memorized), she took instant control over the piano. Wang’s fingers moved with ease over the keys. Her movement was effortless, as if she were playing on air. Not only was her technique amazing as she played through the list of Scriabin pieces, but the amount of contrast she exhibited was exhilarating. At one moment, she played a quiet, dainty and graceful phrase, fingers playfully tapping the keys. The next moment, she would play a furious and passionate section, with movement and grandiosity that showed spectacular versatility and accuracy. Wang ended her show of Scriabin with a curtain call, and moved on to the Prokofiev Sonata No. 6 in A Major, a piece that was more dissonant in nature than the Scriabin. Dissonance did not matter, however. Just as with Scriabin, the Prokofiev had led the audience on a captivating journey that seemed to burst from Wang’s fingers. Wang’s movement visually portrayed the music, and as she led the audience on to the journey’s resolution, they waited for the concluding chord, and from this, Wang received a mid-show standing ovation.
From there, Wang played Franz Liszt’s only completed sonata for the piano, Sonata in B Minor. The amount of versatility shown in this piece surpassed the previous two composers at her recital. Her technique was incomparable to the previous two. Her fingers yet again picked up speed and her command of the piano increased tenfold for the following 35 minutes. The piece picked up from a Lento assai, a slow, lyrical section to a faster, more passionate, Allegro energico, to a bold Grandioso, with Wang’s movement and style corresponding to the music strum beneath her fingers. From there, was a Recitativo, a section that perfectly complemented and tamed the previous Grandioso. The piece picked up in energy once more and receded, like a wave in the water. Wang’s playing in each of the eight sections of the Liszt was distinctive in style and musicality, exhibiting the proper emotions and movement, dynamics, and technique. When Wang concluded, it was once again to a standing ovation. The audience was treated to a double-encore that featured Prokofiev and Schubert.
Yuja Wang’s performance was beyond any level of classical piano seen on stage. As a student of The College of Saint Rose, it was a pleasure to have this opportunity to hear Ms. Wang’s recital. Wang’s next performance will be on Oct. 29 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at Mount Royal University.
for two-hundred years, the modern pianoforte has been waiting for someone. ms wang is that someone.
I also attended the concert and was wowed! I must admit that Brittany certainly captures the evening and the immense talent of Yuja Wang in the creative words of this incredibly well-written article.