“To perform one Rachmaninoff concerto requires the stamina of a linebacker, the dexterity of a surgeon, and the soul of an artist. To play all four—plus that brilliant joyride, the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini—would seem beyond human capacity. But if anybody could pull it off, Yuja Wang, with her impressively efficient technique and unwavering focus, could. And she did. Centered and balanced on the bench, with no wasted …

“Rachmaninov’s second concerto — composed in 1901 after a psychological breakdown and subsequent breakthrough — is as familiar as anything in the canon. Yet this interpretation began unfolding with a delighting freshness. In the first movement I heard witty textures, enlivening dynamic phrasing, a thrilling level of lucidity; in the second, a new emotional clarity and insight… I believe Rachmaninov offers a very beautiful and dignified sonic inquiry of everything …

“It was a momentous occasion as Wang played all five of Rachmaninoff’s works for piano and orchestra at Carnegie Hall for one show only. Yes, Yuja Wang did an encore. After playing, with electric mastery, all four of Rachmaninoff’s dizzyingly difficult piano concertos and his “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini” on Saturday — the kind of feat for which the phrase “once in a lifetime” was invented — she …

Yuja Wang, Daredevil Pianist, Takes on a Musical Everest

2 months ago |
The New York Times Photo by Jingyu Lin for The New York Times Known for dazzling virtuosity, Wang faces a new challenge in a three-and-a-half-hour Rachmaninoff marathon at Carnegie Hall. The star pianist Yuja Wang, fresh out of rehearsal on…