Lang Lang At The Royal Albert Hall (2014)

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Lang Lang At The Royal Albert Hall (2014)

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In November 2013 Lang Lang returned to London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall for two recitals that sold out within 48 hours of tickets being released. This 120 minute film captures the complete recital and offers an opportunity to re-live an unforgettable concert experience. He finished a celebrated two-part program consisting of Mozart and Chopin with no less than eight encores, breaking Evgeny Kissin's record of encores at the RAH. The three early Mozart Piano Sonatas have been part of Lang Lang's latest recital which he presented live in more than 200 concerts worldwide - the recordings that were captured at his RAH concert are also part of the new Mozart album.

Besides the Mozart Sonatas, Chopin's Four Ballads were part of the regular program.

The encores included Mozart’s popular Rondo Alla Turca and a breathtaking performance of Scriabin's Etude in D-sharp minor.

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Frédéric Chopin, Manuel Ponce, Ernesto Lecuona, …
Performer: Lang Lang

Reviews: The Mozart Sonatas 4 & 5 have an exquisite feather weight touch combined with a vivid imagination, whereas the Sonata #8 in A minor K310 is a bit heavy and sounds like early Beethoven. Its the Four Chopin Ballades that are truly stunning.Ive been listening to these works for over 50 years and never have I heard more feeling, poetry, subtle nuances and countless expressive insights combined with a jaw dropping technique that is always at the service of the composer.

The recital is divided into two parts: The first half consists of 3 Mozart Sonatas No.5 (G major K283), No.4 (E flat major K282), and No.8 (A minor K310) with the second half being devoted to Chopin's Four Ballades.

The Mozart sometimes comes across like the work of a mid Romantic composer, with a huge range of expression, from thundering grandeur to softly sighing pianissimo. The requisite light touch is always present when called for, but Lang Lang showed himself as quite willing to indulge in rubato and free dynamic interpretation.A few of the more aggressive sforzando accents may be a bit overdone, but the wit and often simple elegance which color his playing show just what a delight Mozart can be.

The bravura passages in the Mozart Sonatas showed exhilarating flair and brilliance while the melodic lines of the andantes and adagios were graceful yet firmly profiled, with secondary voices allotted their due place.Above all, there was a measured yet flexible approach to tempo that gave individual ideas space to breathe, and placed them within their wider contexts with seemingly effortless deliberation.

The 4 Chopin Ballades showed an almost pathological avoidance of any kind of exhibitionism in regards to Lang Langs transcendental virtuosity during the lyrical sections, but when technique is called for he plays the most difficult passages with an ease that borders on the supernatural. The combination of vision, poetry and power in this music is tremendous, and I have never heard them played better.The Ballade No.1 (not to be confused with his performance at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, shown on Youtube, where there is excessive use of the sustaining pedal during the opening)has the most amazing abundance of expressive insights ranging from Pianissimo to Piannississimo during the first few pages, making the glorious central sections thunder and sweep sound even more breathtaking. As for Ballades 2, 3 & 4 these are the greatest renditions I've ever heard.

There are 8 encores: 1) Dance of the Seaweed by Wu Zuqiang & Du Mingxin; 2) Chopin Waltz in D flat (minute waltz) which Lang Lang plays as fast as Rachmaninoff and with just as many subtle nuances; 3) Chopin Nocturne in E flat major opus 55 No. 2; 4) Lecuona's y la negra bailaba; 5) Mozart's Rondo alla Turk; where Lang Lang emphasizes Mozart's wit and humour and has the audience laughing quite a bit 6) Ponce Intermezzo No. 1 in E minor an exquisite work sounding like early Rachmaninoff; 7) Schumann Davidsbundlertanze opus 6 no. 14; 8) Scriabin Etude in D# minor opus 8 no. 12 (this final encore of Scriabin's Etude in D# minor is absolutely electrifying and in my opinion has never been played better)

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Lang Lang At The Royal Albert Hall (2014)

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