“There’s nothing Wang can’t do at the piano keyboard, but Liszt’s writing seemed to bring out some of her most astonishing skills. When she tore into the big opening theme that runs through the entire concerto like a fixation, she did it with a blend of power and subtlety that seemed almost paradoxical — how does she make this attack so big-boned and yet so soft-edged, without any hint of …
The Philadelphia Orchestra Opens Carnegie Hall “On paper, the concert with which Carnegie Hall returned to live performances after being closed for 572 days looked simply crowd-pleasing, as befits a fund-raising gala. Nézet-Séguin — leading the Philadelphia Orchestra, which he also directs — included Bernstein’s festive “Candide” overture and Beethoven’s omnipresent Fifth Symphony. Yet the program opened with Valerie Coleman’s “Seven O’Clock Shout,” written during the pandemic as a tribute …
“As a duo, violinist Leonidas Kavakos and pianist Yuja Wang, two formidable virtuosi in their own right, are nothing short of fierce – or, in optional terms less feral: incandescent, mesmerizing, spectacular. Such were the qualities of their recital together the afternoon of Nov. 7 at Orchestra Hall, a program of remarkable intensity and seriousness, but notable as well for its splendor and its sheer power… against Wang’s sparkling counterpoint, …
“Yuja Wang was the soloist, bringing devil-may-care glamour and dexterity to the outer movements and exquisite poise to the central Andante, among the most beautiful things Shostakovich ever wrote.” The Guardian “Rachmaninov’s massive sonorities hold no terrors for her, she’s equally capable of exquisitely nuanced playing, as evidenced by the beautifully weighted chords at the close of the second movement and the delicate filigree of the opening of the third.” Evening Standard “Shostakovich’s Second Piano …
” The new concerto opens by sending Yuja Wang, the soloist here (as at the premiere), into the boxing ring for three rounds against the devil. Fists fly as pianist and orchestra trade blows in a rhythmically pugnacious stand-off, which hardly lets up in energy until near the very end. Wang’s hands flash up and down the keyboard with brilliance. From there the music relaxes somewhat as it sinks into a …