Alan Sanders – Seen and Heard International
“Yuja Wang penetrated its mysterious world with great sensitivity and the shoals of keyboard sound in the second movement were brilliantly conveyed.
[Yuja Wang] proceeded to present a calling card in the shape of the popular Rachmaninov Prelude in G minor that all music lovers know. Possessing as it did highly-charged, buoyant rhythms, wonderful variations of tone colour, supremely elegant phrasing, easy but breathtaking virtuosity and tremendous flair, this was Yuja Wang telling everybody of her qualities at once in a seemingly deliberate fashion.”
“…delivered with great skill and personality, but in a way that was true to the composer’s vision. Indeed, there were echoes of Rachmaninov’s own style of performance as preserved in his many recordings.
Yuja Wang responded sharply to the passages of steely brilliance in the first movement with a bright, ringing tone quality and gave gentle care to its more reflective sequences. A sensitive rendering of the curiously old-fashioned minuet-like middle movement gave way to the motoric drive of the finale, with its high energy but intriguing diversions into slightly more introspective fare. This was a perfect vehicle for Yuja’s brand of thoughtful virtuosity.
“[The audience] was left with a sense of wonder at the pianistic power, stamina and explosive energy of the slightly built young lady who had just left us.”