Composer: Sergey Prokofiev, Sergey Rachmaninov
Performer: Yuja Wang
Orchestra: Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalogue: 4791304
Release: 2014
Size: 1.26 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30
01. 1. Allegro ma non tanto
02. 2. Intermezzo (Adagio)
03. 3. Finale (Alla breve)
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16
04. 1. Andantino
05. 2. Scherzo (Vivace)
06. 3. Intermezzo (Allegro moderato)
07. 4. Finale (Allegro tempestoso)
Twenty-four year old Chinese pianist Yuja Wang is widely recognized for playing that combines the spontaneity and fearless imagination of youth with the discipline and precision of a mature artist. Regularly lauded for her controlled, prodigious technique, Yuja’s command of the piano has been described as “astounding” and “superhuman,” and she has been praised for her authority over the most complex technical demands of the repertoire, the depth of her musical insight, as well as her fresh interpretations and graceful, charismatic stage presence. Following her San Francisco recital debut The San Francisco Chronicle wrote “The arrival of Chinese-born pianist Yuja Wang on the musical scene is an exhilarating and unnerving development. To listen to her in action is to re-examine whatever assumptions you may have had about how well the piano can actually be played,” and The Washington Post called Yuja’s Kennedy Center recital debut “jaw-dropping.”
Deutsche Grammophon’s dramatic pairing of Sergey Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor with Sergey Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor makes this CD a brilliant showcase for pianist Yuja Wang and maestro Gustavo Dudamel, two of the biggest sensations on the label. Wang previously released Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and the Piano Concerto No. 2 with Claudio Abbado conducting the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble that seemed nearly ideal for accompanying her delicate and often intimate style of playing. However, the usually robust sound of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela is reined in somewhat on this recording of the Third, if not to be more subdued for Wang’s playing, then perhaps to control the effect of Rachmaninov’s thick orchestral writing. For whatever reason, Wang’s playing is clear and generally well-balanced in the audio mix, though there is some artificial boosting of the volume. In terms of clarity and orchestral density, the Prokofiev Second is a different matter entirely, for the solo part is always audible, and the accompaniment is, for the most part, quite transparent. Wang is shown to better advantage here, and Dudamel has more options to work with, so this exciting performance really deserves top billing, despite the overwhelming popularity of the Rachmaninov work.