Aside rom the exagerate gestures, i dont like a lots of lang lang’s interpretation but he has a perfect technique and a great understanding of each pieces. Saying he isn’t a real musician is really disrespectful.
@@DankChallenger you should have a bit of more respect you know? Not any of us are even remotely close to his level of playing, and if he does it differently with his sense of humour, then you should respect that too
Since when are entertainers considered inferior to musicians.? Entertainer means you wowed (entertained) the listener and suggests all rounded approach.
I've been fortunate to see both Kissin (April, 2022) and Lang Lang (Sept, 2023) here in Vancouver, BC. I had always felt that Kissin is an incredibly pure musician, and Lang Lang a bit more of a showman. But after seeing them both, I can say that IMHO they are BOTH remarkable. To be fair to Lang Lang, try closing your eyes, and just listen. Much of his reputation for being "an entertainer" is likely based on his mannerisms and facial expressions as he plays. We were sitting off at an angle behind him during his incredible performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations, where we could not see his face at all. It was a truly stunning performance, with no visuals to detract from the music. After that experience, I have a newfound (and profound) respect for Lang Lang's musicianship, and can't imagine anyone dismissing him as anything less than one of the finest pianists in the world. I'm also a big fan of Trifonov and Lisiecki (whom I've seen live FIVE times)! It's wonderful that there is so much fantastic classical music to experience!
I’ve listened to them both as well, Lang lang is no comparison to Kissin. I’d say it’s nothing about his gestures or facial expressions, it’s the music and sometimes scabrous techniques that turn ppl off.
Yeah, I agree. Even if sometimes just don’t like Lang Langs play, you are right. It’s sth people repeat after others. Heifetz didn’t have entertainment skills enough, lang lang has too much… and these people sit and judge at home being frustrated after their career ended playing in bars or being critic (analyser instead player)
@@williamtaittinger4529 No need for such hate mate. Worth to note Lang Lang is like a rockstar to the Chinese audience. Obviously his performance here was towards a more general audience. He played differently towards the classical music community and laymen. Huge lookdown upon Lang Lang if one thinks he's just an entertainer. Lang is such an amazing pianist, one of the best of our times.
where is the "hate" my man? such a strong word for nothing. who do you think I "hate"? the CLOWN? Dont hate him, just find him funny. I have no hate my heart, mate, maybe youre just projecting.@@lifewalker808
@@lifewalker808 If you listen to the performance I think the poster is saying Kissin is the entertainer and Lang Lang the musician. Kissin's performance is spectacular with no subtlety. Lang lang's is more thoughtful with a wider tonal and dynamic range on top of similarly amazing technique as kissin's.
lang lang shows like he's having so much fun. you can't dismiss his technical proficiency and you can't fault him for sharing the joy with the audience.
Lots of people don't understand that music is art and it is an expression of the soul. The greatest of all time, Beethoven himself said " to play a wrong note is okay. To play without fire is unforgivable" I forgot the exact word. By fire he meant bravado/soul/excitement
@@CaptainPuputhere’s a difference when said passion is genuine. Lang-Lang is incredibly fake and cringey with his over-the-top gestures. And frankly, his performance lacks integrity and musicianship, things he sacrifices to look cool for the audience. At this point, you are no longer serving the composer, instrument, or music - you are serving yourself. And that is the greatest crime a musician can commit
@@ZaddyGohanI'm pretty sure you don't know him, you didn't talk to him, you've never saw him in a private concert for you. Tf do you know about his passion? Lmao, not all musicians and persons are like you, sir. If u want a robot to play your piano it's ok, but no need to be mean to Lang Lang, cause we all appreciate his work.
@@ZaddyGohan have you ever performed music on stage?... I'll tell you what he was thinking..." uh huh... hit that note... let's get some intensity going...oh yeah... caught that note perfect... slow it down slow it down... bring it back... OK... let's jamn out the end...YEEEEESSSS GOT IT"... but maybe I'm just not psychic enough...🤷♂️
LL spent most of his childhood and teenage years giving "correct" interpretations at competitions and recitals. Dude is just chilling at this point lmao
It takes incredible discipline to perform this so well and pass it off as "easy and fun" .... which is just as musical as profundity and emotional sensitivity. Liszt is so VAST in his expression. There's plenty of room for trite to glorious rapture to profound awe.
Both are very unique pianists with great technique and sound. Will be extremely boring if all pianist in the world plays any masterpiece with the same dynamics, ligatures, pedal color, or intensity. You can't compare Barenboim, Argerich, Rubinstein, Richter, Arrau, Czifra, Tsujii, Lang, or Kissin. All of them are amazing pianists, and you only have to enjoy them.
@@isaacgonzalez9354 I would also addd Murray Paraih, Van Cliburn and Valentima Lisitsa. I agree that Lang Lang is too showy for me; however, when he is serious as in his performance of Chopin's first piano concerto, he surprised me.
🎹 I was on the site when Langlang played this piece of music and I can tell that Langlang was misunderstood by so many people in this scenario, including the uploader calling him as a so-called entertainer. 😅 Actually, this was purely an extra piece of music requested by all audiences in the concert hall after Langlang had finished all his scheduled pieces. As most of the audiences were so much indulged in Langlang’s play, they all requested Langlang to stay and play one more piece, therefore Langlang stayed and fulfilled the audiences, and as this is a play which was not previously planned, as such he did not have to be playing in that much of an official way therefore he played it with more joy and playfulness to make all audiences happy and relaxed as an extra piece. This is why you can see he was so relaxed and sometimes looked unofficial when playing it. However before this piece his facial expressions/gestures/body movements were quite different as those being played were the officially scheduled pieces and Langlang played quite “officially”. Therefore, calling Langlang as an entertainer without really knowing the true story is so disrespectful and sort of disgusting. And even Langlang was playing this with joy and ease, his talent and superb control of techniques has made it so so enjoyable to listen to. Both he and Kissin are true great musicians, and you can not be that biased.
Liszt was an utter master, just like Bach and the rest. It's not his fault if pianists often play his works without respect for the composer, but rather only for their egos. Every piece is a glorious work of genius, and if there happens to be virtuosic elements, even those are all perfect and astonishingly musical. There isn't a single note he ever wrote just for the sake of "showing off." This is what shallow Liszt critics don't realize. All great masters who wrote for the piano have written virtuosic passages, but all perfectly part of the whole. Even in his most "flashy" pieces such as Don Juan. Thank you for appreciating his gift to the world.
@@Theantmang I get the point being made, but I think it’s unfair to say Lang Lang is any less an incredible musician than Kissin. Disliking the showmanship of him is understandable, but it doesn’t change how awesome his technique and interpretations are
I think both “musician” and “entertainer” are titles to be proud of, not to mention they’re far from being mutually exclusive. Both people in this video played beautifully and are astonishing artists!
So true. Literally music is music and you can’t compare it will so called “showmanship”. Expressing your true self through playing an instrument (performing) is a form of respect towards music.
@@julianparge I find it funny that you say “it wasn’t written to be performed like that”, because that’s not always the case with classical music. Liszt was the pop star of his time. He was to the 1800s what the Beatles were to the 1900s. He was infamous for the facial expressions and “unnecessary” movements he made while performing. There was even an instance where he performed the first movement of moonlight sonata where he added trills and arpeggios of his own to “wow” the audience, and although it’s debatable wether or not that’s a good thing, he has apologized for that. More importantly, though, it highlights his personality as a virtuoso and as a performer. La Campanella, like many of his other fancy compositions, was written with this exact goal in mind; to “wow” the audience. It’s said that Liszt’s virtuosity made the audience cheer and clap mid-performance. Obviously I don’t have to add that it’s not necessarily always good to perform this way, but in this piece, as well as many others by Liszt I actually appreciate the expressiveness that Lang Lang brings while performing because it truly allows a “glimpse into the past” if that makes sense.
@@julianparge Complaining about showiness in La Campanella is hilarious. My dude, the piece is designed to be showy. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about.
@@julianparge What you said about closing your eyes and listening is the most important thing! The whole aspect of stage appearance and stage presence etc certainly add to the overall final product - and if looks meant nothing to them then they wouldn't wear tuxedos instead of casual clothes (surely nobody thinks that better clothes inherently make for better music) - but music is ultimately about what you HEAR. So just close your eyes and let your ears be the judge! 👍 I want to add to what you say about there being 2 different types of musicians. There are multiple "2 different types of musicians" 😉 Not just purists/traditional vs modern, but also those who play exactly as the composer wrote the dynamics and those who make their own interpretations, also those who play the exact same thing each time and those who are spontaneous and go with the flow. All of these "this or that" dichotomies overlap of course, so I'm just agreeing with you that there are different perspectives and approaches that musicians take when learning and performing a piece. As long as no two musicians sound exactly like each other, then that is the important thing!
I saw Lang Lang play a Beethoven piano concerto with the Seattle symphony. He walked on stage, played the piece like any other concert pianist, bowed and that was about it. No excessive flashiness, stage smoke, or even an encore. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting after seeing his popular online videos.
I saw what was likely that Seatle performance and it was a like watching someone phonetically sound out a language for which they were unfamiliar. A trainwreck.
Why the disdain for encores? Kissin always plays them. It’s actually an old tradition of Russian musicians to be generous with encores, a sign of respect towards listeners.
Lang Lang said this piece animated in a Tom&Jerry episode was the reason he became a pianist. Playing in London and playing in China is different, especially for him. He has every right to make the art of piano a little more fun in his home country. If he succeeds in his task, thousands of gifted young chinese musicians can be introduced to the world of music.
Music is an art...There is no right or wrong how an art is expressed...Many great musicians artists were considered eccentric, critised and despised but years later were hailed as great achievers. Why? because our minds has come to pass all those traditional limitations and boundaries...
I think this piece was written to show the dexterity of the pianist, and that's what both of the did. Liszt did it himself, nothing bad of that, in my opinion
well i mean thats what an ‘etude’ is; it both improves the player’s ability and is also like a sort of ‘bragging rights’ sorts thing like how playing insanely high on a trumpet is
Two excellent performances of this genious piece of music. One shouldn't judge.. one should enjoy. Most people cannot fathom the dedication that goes into performing sonething like this
Well said! Negative comments about something prepared to this level shows a combination of ignorance, lack of respect, unpleasantness and a fondness for spreading negativity. I was at the Kissin performance. This was just one of about 8 encores after a phenomenal performance of some substantial pieces. A real shame that not all of the recital was filmed. It was really one of those legendary performances that go down in history. Biggest proms audience ever too (they removed the stage and placed the piano in the middle of the hall with the audience surrounding it).
People give Lang Lang too hard of a time. Lang Lang is obviously an extremely talented pianist technically and gives very unique interpretations that may resonate differently with different people. Lang Lang knows the “rules,” he just chooses not to conform to the general norms and chooses to do what’s right for him. I think we need more pianists like Lang Lang that connect to the audience.
Sometimes LL has no soul and just cheap tricks. It's like watching a cheap melodrama that clearly manipulates your emotions in an obvious way. That might connect to the lowest common denominator but the connection isn't deep
@@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 its the opposite way most of the time, only that the cheap tricks for others are following (dumb) conventional standards.
I don't understand those who comment negatively on lang, I didn't know him before now, but his technique is impeccable, he's extra talented (I'm a musician)... once said that, how one interprets is his own business. Does he exaggerate in gestures, is he in excess? honestly: he can do it. If I had his talent I would do the same, art is freedom , what the heck
As much as I don't like Lang Lang, his interpretation was (for the most part) actually valid. I think the difference is that Lang Lang sold himself as an entertainer on the media, showing up in talkshows etc. and of course, for most people, you need showmanship to please an audience (which doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve his fame in any way). This could be already seen as the audience of Kissin was more traditional, listening, then clapping; while Lang Lang's audience had no problem clapping during the piece, interacting with him.
This is a notable difference, I think many are missing. They probably don't get the same audience, which already reinforces the differenciation between "classic" musicians and "modern/entertaining" musicians.
Chinese audiences don't suffer from the applause taboo. You can't put that on the performer. Pavarotti in his memoir mentions being taken aback on his first visit to China, when he encountered applause in an aria every time he hit a top C, so eventually he got used to it.
Clapping in between is like in a jazz concert, or in the time when this music was written and probably the public "lived" closer to this musical expression.
@@JustAnthon Agree. LL plays according to his audience group. This one was one of his commercial performances at a local theatre, with mixed crowd, he certainly is entertaining the audience, than to keep with precision.
Both extraordinary. I didn’t realise at first that the intention was to deride LL as the entertainer, which in the case of Liszt performance is surely a key aspect of the composer’s intention.
If it's not the primary intention of any composer, then what is the point? What is music if it's not entertainment? Boring, heartless technical exercise. Which is actually what Kissing turns it into.
@@phillewis3108 Hmm. I'm not with you there. There are many reasons to write and play music other than to entertain. I myself play mostly because inhabiting the music from the inside allows me to grasp and express and re-organise all sorts of thoughts and feelings and come away from the piano feeling reintegrated. It's a rich hobby even without ever performing. All my favourite moments of creating music are deeply private ones which are more likely ruined by having to care about its effect on someone else. But Liszt's music was certainly pointed in that direction, very much with an eye to how impressive it would look performed. Nonetheless I find Kissin's traversal of it deeply absorbing, wearing his technique lightly to serve very musical phrasing. It's different to LL but I'd equally defend LL for different reasons.
I'm a pianist and i can hardly believe how many people still dare to criticize such an outstanding artist like Lang Lang! He's not an entertainer! He is just an extremely fine artist, whose technique and sensitiveness allow him to do everything he wants at the piano! Just accept it !
there is always space for childish (and serious) polemics. Kissin is in another dimension. He is at the very top on the same level as the greatest masters that ever lived. Lang Lang's fingers are fast but musically I prefer Kissin's version.
An applause in the middle of this piece was exactly what Liszt looking for, something that was totally lost during the twentieth century, and what Lang achieved here.
Mentre il pianista suona non si applaude!. Da fastidio, il pezzo deve essere ascoltato tutto senza rumori ne tanto meno urla. Si interrompe il pezzo ed è irrispettoso per chi suona e per chi ascolta. Si applaude alla fine!.
@@vincenzopandolfi7684 It's like lectures: some lecturers do not mind being interrupted; many others do. As long as they do not stumble, is that SO important? You're free to enjoy recordings - not Glenn Gould's, so full of humming... - if privacy and meditative listening is what you care about (and you won't get those sneezes with studio recordings).
@@FleuveAlphee è una regola, quando si suona non si fa rumore , lo dico da pianista!. e ho spiegato anche il perchè nel commento precedente. Per cui il tuo commento è anche fuori luogo.
Even if both performances are gorgeous, this is the huge difference between them, it's so true. When you hear Kissin playing you feel the music with him, when you hear Lang Lang you are amazed by his skills, by him, because your attention is focused on him; hearing Kissin the music comes in first place, hearing Lang Lang skills and entrateiment are in first place. Thank you for sharing!
Hi! I don't agree with you, even without seeing them, listening only to the music, I still prefer Lang. I think it's a question of style, obviously they are both amazing. I would like playing like each one of them, but if I had to choose I prefer Lang. It's only a matter of taste I think...In addition I would like to say that the video tittle is disrespectful, it sound like Lang=clown. I didn't like it, I think they would be fair and recognize Lang as the great pianists he is.
@@phillewis3108 same, Lang Lang bring his emotion and fuse his spirit into the music, from audience's perspective we can see him enjoying the piece. Kissin he just sit still and feels like an audio recorder just replaying an audio
While attending Barenboim's masterclass, Lang Lang was quite humble and respectful to the piece, whereas other pianists boasted their ego, in order to impress the master. Lang Lang is better than we commonly suppose
True mastery gives you that kind of flexibility that only comes across with dutiful respect of the craft. He is just finding the next step in connecting with people who are not studied in this art.
One of my teachers in music school said “Say what you want about Lang Lang, but he could sure play me under the table any day of the week.” So if nothing else, he’s an excellent pianist.
I agree with the observation about Lang Lang in the Barenboim masterclass. I recall that he had the music on the stand and referred to it quite a lot whilst listening to and respecting Barenboim's wisdom.
When people applauded Liszt, they were applauding for his geniusness in creativity and musicality. When the Chinese audience clapped in the middle of the performance, they were laughing at the entertainment provided by LL as a clown, and not a musician. Use your brain, if you have one.
Say what you want about Lang Lang, you can't deny he is a wonderful musician. In fact, he is so gifted that he can give a piece any interpretation he likes. On top of that, you can find several recordings of him playing by the book without exuberance.
That's not true. If anyone could play "any interpretation", there wouldn't be a difference between them. Lang Lang has mediocre interpretations imo, often focusing too much on emotional bombasity and flair. He's not on par with Zimmerman, Pollini, or Argerich for interpretations, but rather Lisitsa and Wang for skill and flair. I'm a composer, and i've had my pieces played by both types of performers. The Lang Lang types butcher the piece whereas the composer types do stuff that makes me think it may be a better interpretation than I myself would have originally thought of. Mrchanistic vs Expressive musicians is the distinction I typically draw, and ot comes from one's ability to listen actively to the original works, and freely convey ones inner self free from ego intervention. Given how asian and eastern-european parents typically treat their children, its no wonder they lack in the latter.
@@Xemptuous I guess your comparison with Yuja Wang is only racist... An Asian pianist... so what?? Doesn't she deserve to be listened to carefully before being judged only on her appearance? Yuja Wang's concert outfits and style may seem quite fanciful, but she is very rigorous with regard to the text, and her playing is in fact full of richness (not only technical, but of a musical order, in phrasing, mastery of sound, etc.) I invite you to carefully listen to her again before passing her off as a vulgar conjurer : close your eyes and open your ears, I'm pretty sure you'll change your mind :) But I agree with you on the rest !
@@Xemptuous If you say that the "Lang Lang types" butcher all the pieces they play just because they play their own interpretations and have some fun and if you can only see two types of players, the "Mrchanistics" as you like to call it and the expressive players, you really have a poor understanding of what a musician and the art of music is. And I'm also very confused by your "ego intervention" argument, have you ever heard of Paganini? "Ego" and flair is probably what allowed Paganini to write his most famous works, the charismatic "ego" and flair that is so commonly found on the pieces of Paganini is what inspired so many other composers and musicians down the line not only in interpretations but in musical pieces themselves.
@@idonkat6097 It was not “ego” but rather Paganini’s incredible skill at the violin that propelled his fame. This extreme skill is what pushed Franz Liszt to practice 10 to 12 hours a day.
lang lang appears like an entertainer, however, as a professional pianist myself I can vouch for the fact that the feeling of pouring your heart and soul into a piece such as this is nigh on euphoric, and even the most stern of individuals can't help but let out a smile. In my opinion, I think that it is both impressive and beautiful to see the amount of passion that lang lang has for the piano.
Two massive talents playing one of the most difficult piano pieces, with different interpretation. Nothing wrong with that. If you want a piece to be played in exact same intepretation, a machine can do that. Easily.
It's more of a party trick than really difficult, usually played as an encore. Lots of pianists play it very well. Slow music is often much trickier to play.
@@pvandck True, like Chopin once said (if I remember it well); technique is something everyone can achieve by practicing but then comes a part, the emotional side of the music, which can't be learned or faked; you need to feel it.
Liszt himself was known to rock his head back and forth and moving so drastically while playing that his sweat dripped on the audience…so if anything LangLang is doing the perfect interpretation of Liszt’s music and doing Liszt (master entertainer /rockstar) justice
Compared to liszt Lang Lang would be subdued and nonchalant. So really what it comes down to how good the persons technique if they have bad technique and over exaggerated their movements then they deserve to be ridiculed but it's like criticizing someone's performance at sex when you yourself have a tiny 3" dick where Lang Langs would be 12" and liszts would be 14" so yeah if you see going to criticize Lang Lang then you can upload your recordings of the chopin etudes race 3 etc first otherwise stfu
Well all musicians perform to entertain their audience. Lang Lang has obviously mastered the piece he could afford to be more expressive and interactive, which is great to anyone who goes to his concerts. Both technically impeccable just different interpretations
Both brilliant interpretations interpretations. When Kissin plays, it's exciting as it seems difficult and he is concentrating hard and seems on the edge. When Lang Lang plays it seems so ridiculously effortless that you just marvel at the ease with which he plays it and, for me, I enjoy his playfulness and the fun he has with it.
@@alex1stamford779 But everybody cares about what some "Alex Stamford" thinks or not right? Because an average idiot like "Alex Stamford" is so interesting right?
Lang Lang is one of the world's great pianists, period. He absolutely has a fluid style and I get that it might not be to everyone's taste, but it is clear he has complete control over what he is doing and makes choices. As for how he looks on stage - if you don't like it, close your eyes. Interesting, last night I watched a video of Seymour Bernstein discussing Glenn Gould with similar criticism, he didn't like the choices Gould made, and even considered them a travesty, but ultimately his criticism of Gould seems to be that he thinks Gould was condescending and snide in his approach. Lang Lang clearly adores his audience.
For me, I felt like LL broke the music piece down to a million pieces and reassembled it again to become solely his. Hence, the effortlessness. Kissin is too clinical for me. Its more than just mastery of the keyboard. More importantly, sublime mastery of the music itself. But both are great pianist. We can only dream of playing even 1% like either of them 😂
It's strange that for me it's exactly the contrary. Lang lang is the surgeon( I can abstract from his showmanship), and Kissin is the one who feels the music the most.
I agree and I actually think the poster meant the opposite of what most people are expecting: Lang lang is the musician and Kissin the entertainer. I think they posted it deliberately without pointing out who's who to have fun watching people make comments based on their pre-judgement 😂
And back in the day Liszt was considered an entertainer… usually by the ones who couldn’t play .. and those who hate lang lang would give years of their lives to be able to play like him…
I would, as far as I can tell considering the time that has passed, also consider liszt to be an entertainer. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T MAKE (GREAT) MUSIC, It's just a different way of doing it, and it can go terribly wrong if you are OVERdoing it.
@@tarokan_nor how can you be that narrow minded about the definition of musician? One can produce music but isn’t considered as a musician? Not every musician is a PERFORMER or even a great one! And music is subjected to TASTE! You may dislike Liszt or Lang Lang’s expression and the way they express music, but to call them “non musicians” is just utterly nonsense and click-baited.
I think He was more Like a merchant(I dont mean He is Bad at the Piano and Just clickbait or Something), He went excactly with the trend (in His time, music was very literary) and I read that He was good at selling His music and doing ad. I dont wanna say that He Just fooled us, Dude is pieces are extremly difficult and I Like is Style its very refined passages and makes Up a very good Show. But He has the blood of a merchant.
@@hieu1807 Well U can be both, Like I kinda wanna be both entertaining music is Just some music To Hear and enjoy But music music is Something To Express Feelings, the current reaction To the composers Situation, the thoughts, the Style, Idol and maybe worries or excitements or also To Tell Stories that can be very abstract. I try To do that with my compositions.
The title is misleading. First of all this piece is a show piece being played at encore. It is ok to show off and have fun. Second, we should focus on the music itself and not let the pianist's gestures and facial expression distracts you from appreciating the music. Lang Lang's version of this piece is actually good. I listened to both Kissin and Lang Lang quite a bit. I attended their concerts and have more than 20 CDs from both pianists. In 1997, Kissin was at the height of his career. I went to his concert in 1997 and that was the best concert I have ever attended in my life. Unfortunately his career regressed after that. All the recordings he made after 1997 are not as good as the ones he made before 1997. Lang Lang is the other way around. He grew up and matured in recent years. So you are comparing Kissin at the height of his career and his career is a disappointment after that, with Lang Lang who is still young in 2012, and since then has grown up and matured. This is what I noticed - When I listen to Lang Lang, I usually don't like it in the first listening. In subsequent listening of the same piece, I get used to the parts that initially annoyed me and start to pick up things that I like, and eventually accept and appreciate his interpretation. I'd suggest listeners to give Lang Lang another try. Don't just turn off after the first try. Keep listening for 3-4 times and it may change your opinion on Lang Lang completely. And turn off the video and focus on the music helps
I believe I am right in saying that the post was meant to interpret Kissin as the musician and Lang Lang is the entertainer in respect to the title. That said, I do see how it could be seen either way. Both men are exceptionally great in the world of music but definitely have a difference in their performance. Kissin being much more intense and powerful with Lang Lang much more at ease and jovial.
I can't agree more with you. I disliked Lang Lang when I first listened to his play, but the more I listen to him the more I realize who am I here to judge how one of the greatest pianists in the world should interpret the music
@argi0774, It absolutely adds to the performance. If you don't care about the visuals, why not just listen to a recording of the performance? I, for one, go to live performances to SEE the artist perform. Lang Lang's performance increases the overall experience for me.
@@argi0774 Concerts goers who paid thousands of dollars for a front row ticket disagree with you. You couldn't know anyway because you wash toilets at McDonald's, you can't afford concert ticket.
2:30 Love how the left hand plays slowly and calm while the right hand is playing 100mph & yet together they sound elegant & in harmony. It’s like slow & fast at the same time.
Nah, Lang Lang has some of the best interpretations for some pieces, check out his Romance for Liszt, his Ave Maria (even though I prefer Lisitsa), the Etude Op 10 No 3 (the long vid where he performs on stage and it starts off with lots of clapping for the encore). These are a few that stood out to me that I remember now, but they really are some ones I just love and listen to often, (except the Ave Maria actually, but from what I remember it’s great too). Oh, just remembered, the Reverie in the blue room or something like that, small venue. These are all amazing! Trifonov my fave hands down, but (ofc) there are still soo many pianists that bring great interpretations, their own style, etc. Lang Lang is def one of them. He’s not afraid to play the way he feels, and according to his own style which is true to him. Title just harms the man. Come on, let’s support our musicians.
Lang lang’s reminiscences de don giovanni in carnegie hall was also a legendary performance. That (live) recording proved to me that he knows his worth as a musician.
@@scio_me_nesciree You cannot really just set these rules you know.. In this video both Kissin and Lang lang are performing the music in their own way. Unless the composer of the music verifies the proper character and intention of the music, you can’t say what is allowed or not when performing; I consider that limitting artistic expression and freedom.
@@scio_me_nesciree A particularly popular classical music channel performs their concerts wherein they mix comedy with classical music and lets their audience clap as they play :) it's not always that you should be proper and respectful when there are people who want to present classical music differently.
THANK YOU!!! nicely said. The Kissin is extraordinary, compared to other recordings before. The Lang Lang (recorded years later) is extraordinarily well played, to entertain broad audience, which is a cool thing to do.
@jeyneo.8924 Lang Lang obviously has the technical skill to play as smoothly as Kissin, but thats not the point. This piece (as well as Liszt pieces is general) is about showmanship, and I think Lang Lang captured that style perfectly
@@nickm.4274 I don't think so at all. And it also doesn't matter how Liszt meant it to be. Composers often don't know what they have just done, what masterpieces they created. Not seldom they defy their own work (see Bruckner or Kafka)
If I close my eyes I really enjoy LLs playing. I don’t always agree with his choices but he displays a great deal of originality in his interpretations. When he first came onto the scene I couldn’t appreciate this-I couldn’t get passed all the faces and body movements, but now that he’s chilled a bit with the theatrics I’ve grown to really appreciate him. Definitely a great musician and entertainer. Respect.
As a pianist who has been playing for over 12 years, he is a true inspiration and has moved and motivated me musically and personally. I continue to play to this day as a piano major and I may not be fully classically trained yet, but I’m getting there. And someday, I’ll be able to play these difficult pieces. I will keep practicing every day so I don’t lose my touch as everyone learning or playing piano should.
@@jgwmain I agree. Lang Lang is an inspiration for young pianists for several reasons: - Exceptional talent: Lang Lang is widely regarded as one of the most talented pianists of his generation. His technical skill and musicality have earned him numerous awards and accolades. - Passionate performer: Lang Lang is known for his passionate and expressive performances. He puts his heart and soul into every piece he plays, which makes his performances truly captivating. - Positive attitude: Lang Lang is also admired for his positive attitude and his ability to inspire others. He encourages young musicians to pursue their dreams and believes in the power of music to bring people together. - Role model: Lang Lang has also become a role model for young musicians, especially in his home country of China. He has broken down barriers and helped to bring classical music to a wider audience, inspiring a new generation of pianists to follow in his footsteps. Overall, Lang Lang's exceptional talent, passionate performances, positive attitude, and role model status have made him a true inspiration for young pianists around the world.
Quels que soient les points de vue ces 2 pianistes sont exceptionnels de virtuosité et de sensibilité ! Franz Liszt est l’un des musiciens les plus difficiles à jouer au monde … donc admiration pour ces 2 interprètes 👍👍👍
“One of the great challenges in this world is knowing enough about a subject to think you're right, but not enough about the subject to know you're wrong.” - Neil de Grasse Tyson
@@Mooseman327 you’re a fool. Maybe you should purchase some of his literature, or read his actually papers then tell me that isn’t one of leaders in our world of astrophysics and cosmology. Please just stop.
Both incredibly impressive. I enjoyed both. Love the virtuosity of Kissin and also the entertainment and playfulness of Lang Lang. How can we not appreciate both equally.
I don't know... LangLang will always be my favorite for Liszt interpretations, but Kissin's Campanella was superb. The audience is the key factor in a recital, otherwise just stay at home and play for yourself. The title infers that the entertaining one isn't a musician.
As someone plays piano for decades, one would love the hailstorm type of audience applause, which would made your figures and everyone's souls dancing together as a true entertainer.
omg evgeny playing this sounds really dreamy, but well i might say ... what's different between being musicians and musical entertainers is just choices. one chooses to bring out the legacy of the piece, such as the will of the composer, the meaning of the piece, while trying to completely or partially erase their individual existence, to be one with the intentions of the piece, while the other choose to entertain the audience by playing the piece in a certain way to attract and make the performance a long lasting memories to the audience. both of them must have a very high skill in their music studies and their mental fortitude. just different purpose. and saying a person can't be both is also untrue.
They are all heroes who use their lives to pass on notes and history, unlike the musicians and entertainers you say. Grades and titles are just decorations.
I do understand the idea behind this comparison, but the example was probably not chosen wisely, as many others have already pointed out. I, however, wanna expand the discussion: I play the violin and for us, there is a rather similar discussion with David Garrett, except for it seeming much more easy at first: He doesn't perform much classical but indeed goes for full crossover / pop concert tours with explosives, pyros, e-guitars, microphones, etc - the full package of a modern concert. However, he also is a classically trained musician, being a Julliard Graduate who once was regarded as one of the biggest violin prodigies during the early 2000s. There is an interesting recording of him performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto which was good - not excellent, but good. not comparable to the all time greats, but he was just 15-18 years old, so what can we expect from him at that point, right? Nowadays, as mentioned, he does quite some pop and rock stuff, but every now and then he still has classical concerts and I really like his Brahms and Bruch Concerto Recordings. The best of him from a classical perspective, in my eyes however, is the solo stuff from Paganini or Bach - his playing style is very unique and he has a different tone, but that makes his play just much sweeter and fuller. He needed to develop his own tone to distinguish himself from others and he succeeded in doing so, in part by adapting to a modern and prototypical romantic playstyle (not in the sense of the romantic period, but in terms of romantic ideals of the modern pop culture) Now! Is he an entertainer? For sure, yeah! Is he a Musician? Also yes. But is he a classical musician? Arguably, but also arguably not. He is not only a classical, but also a crossover-modern pop-rock musician - depending on what he plays. And the same is with Lang Lang in my eyes. I can understand why one tries to make this distinction between David Garrett or Hillary Hahn, or Lang Lang and Kissin for that matter; but why is it even important? That is my question at the core of the comment. Why is it important to point it out? For "snobby high-society Gate-keeping and Elite-ism"? Yes, this was very provocative and I also consider myself somewhat of a "purist" when it comes to classical music: Please leave the Classical Music out of the pop music if there is no musical understanding behind it. Please don't come to a classical concert in punk outfits or a trainer short. Please respect the musician(s) on stage by not clapping during a serious passage. But I have to say, that there are some good modern remixes of classical music, that I have absolutely nothing against punk outfits and that I do wear trainers all the time, myself. Also, I think it is acceptable or at least debatable to clap in between movements or after a very virtuosic passage in a show-off piece. There is always a time for something and a time not suitable for the same thing: similarly to our discussion now. What does Lang Lang do during a classical concert? At most, he is doing more gestures and facial expressions which some people say is not the right time for that, because it is not a pop concert... but then! Have those people seen Gustavo Dudamel conducting? or Janine Jansen playing the violin? arguably even wilder gestures and facials than Lang Lang - and there is no criticism at all but pure love for how they feel the music. Why not with Lang Lang? To conclude my super long comment - by the way a big thank you for you three people out there having read that all - I wanna say, that Lang Lang is not a full-time classical musician. There are times where he is not - moments, where he absolutely, 100% is something diametrically different from a classical musician. But in the same way that he is not a classical musician when playing non-classical things in non-classical concerts, he is a full-fletched classical musician when playing classical pieces in classical concerts. And that all was under the presumption of you meaning "Classical Musician"; because I really do think that both classical and modern musicians are - at the very very very least by name - musicians. AND YET, after all that: Thank you for putting that video out! 100 Percent seriously! It's great to see that, because it gives all of us a chance to think about that topic; to discuss it with other people and to hear their opinions and arguments. I for one can totally understand your point of view that music is foremost played for one self and only then for others. I love playing it for myself because it feels nice... but then, why would all classical musicians perform on the worlds biggest stages in front of thousands of people and share their music and artistic craft on social media etc nowadays? Is it just for the money or is there at least a small part in them, where they just want to show their musicality to the world? I have heard a quote from a video on a completely different topic (Minecraft), but I think it is super fitting in this context: "Your build is only then truly completed once you have shown it to at least one other person."
The title should be : The difference between a musician and an entertainer who's also a musician. But what is a musician ? And what is an entertainer? Can't a musician be an entertainer?Can't an entertainer be a musician? Can't one be both? If one claims Lang Lang is not a musician ( which he is ), then one can claim that Kissin's performance was not entertaining (although it was). I think Lang Lang style is very suitable for flashy, difficult pieces that require showmanship and technique, and his performance of La Campanella is the closest to Liszt's probably, considering that Liszt was known for his "Theatricality". I think Kissin suits Chopin more while Lang Lang suits Liszt more.
It's such an incredible showpiece. How can anyone be criticized for showmanship, nuance, beautiful phrasing, emotion and flawless technique? LL clearly enjoys and expresses the music while he plays. Audience engagement and moving people is what performing is all about.
@@ЛентяйЁпта i’d like to argue otherwise. listening to it live, it is much more obvious than in recordings, he is expressional. he is control and composure, and just as exceptional as any. yes, he likes to have fun, but when it comes to his musicality, dishonest is not what comes to mind.
@@ЛентяйЁпта expressivity is a point to form opinions, but not critique on. i prefer zimmerman’s interpretation of chopin’s ballades, while others prefer rubenstein. it is just preference, not a point to discredit expressivity.
@@Grupsy He refers to being dishonest to the original interpretation liszt/paganini meant for this piece. Kissin is much closer to the original intentions of the composers. Not disowning Lang Lang, but lets face it, Evgeny does an impecable performance.
calling anyone who can play Liszt an “entertainer” is actually hysterical to me someone like Lang-Lang that has quite literally devoted his entire life to his craft and has awards beyond numerical expression is on his own echelon
Looks like I finally found Ling Ling's brother. Amazing job by both of these pianists. They both deserve a lifetime achievement award for playing this so amazingly well.
Uhh. I was so caught up in both performances I failed to notice the differences. The second guy looked like he was having fun whereas the first guy was expecting to be smacked by his teacher for messing up. Both dudes were amazing. Beyond comprehension how someone can be so good at something.
It might be a showpiece but you don't really think about it when you hear Kissin play it. His performance has so much musicality and you can hear that it's a well thought-out interpretation. He manages to put so much drama into this piece of music, there's tension, variety, it just pulls you in. Lang Lang is of course a brilliant pianist with an astounding technique but for him it's clearly just a showpiece, everything just flows along nicely and brilliantly. His performance isn't bad at all, in fact it's really fun to listen to and to watch but his interpretation lacks the depth and the drama of Kissin's performance.
@@hansmahr8627 maybe because they interpret it differently, and also they have different audiences. Notice how Lang's audience clapped *during* the performance. Both performances, and approches have merit. Let's enjoy both for what they are, and the piece for what it is; a musically great showpiece.
@@hansmahr8627 It's his interpretation and you should respect it. If you don't like him, it's fine. Just don't listen to him. You think that Lang Lang lacks depth and drama? Ok, who cares?
Ok so whoever is able to play lizt is a legend. Anyone could interpret it in thousands of ways. Each pianist has his own playing. Also lang lang is amazing just for being able to play that so good. I have never heard anything like kissings playing! Like that person is superhuman!
Lang Lang’s mind body connection is so good he’s on another level where he has space to flow with embellishment when his heart sees fit. Lots of other pianists have to work so hard to play and LL makes it look easy. It says nothing of being an entertainer and says everything about his ability to enter a flow state. He is the Bruce Lee of the Piano.
I love both interpretations but I veer towards EV’s because of the tone variety and richness and clarity. I found it moving. Lang Lang’s interpretation is a joy to watch and listen to. But both performances stir the soul!!!
They are both awesome. They do have different way how to delivery their expression of emotion toward playing the piece. It's matter of interpretation of by the Spectators or Audience.
Personally Lang Lang actually is also using his musical prerogative here to play passages differently to achieve his musical goal so although he definitely entertained, he was more than musical.
I am an 80 year old lady and Starting piano classes, With all due respect for the opinions of the music expert people here. When I listen to both pieces there is a great difference and I prefer the first interpretation. Greetings.
The problem is the title has nothing to do with the original intent of the composer because we don’t know unless the composer specifies this. You are comparing two musicians whose sole job is to interpret the piece. They are both musicians and entertainers at the same time. To say that one is specifically interpreting the piece as a musician and not an entertainer is false as again you have no idea what the original intent of the composer was. You simply have your idea or a pop cultures idea of how a piece of music should be played. It’s a more mature view to express which interpretation you like rather than stating the musician is only playing the piece for entertainment purposes or specifically for musicianship.
In many ways I agree with what you are saying, but in my opinion it makes a difference wether you are playing a piece with the intention of achieving a good performance or pleasing an audience. Technically it is impossible to play a piece without interpreting it. But when langlang is performing just about anything, I simply get the impression that he doesn't even care about the music he's playing. That might not be true; it bothers me anyway.
@@tarokan_nor I agree. And it's for that reason that no matter how prodigious the talent of Lang lang, I can't stand watching him. To think that one of his teachers was the highly respected pianist and pedagogue Gary Graffman.
With all due respect, even if Kissin had met Lang Lang, he wouldn't have said such a thing. Both of them were invited to the Verbier Festival in Switzerland at the same time, and they just have different styles of staging and understanding of music, and Lang Lang is even better in terms of technique.
Now, I will say that personally I don't like a lot of Lang Lang performances, I just don't feel like they speak to me, as a musician myself. I find a lot of his interpretations very surface-level and lacking any sort of subtlety (a good example being Chopin's Ballade 4 or Heroic Polonaise, where I feel he completely butchers the piece beyond belief). However, I also feel it's clear that Lang Lang is trying to attract a different sort of audience- a more casual, less involved audience who isn't so well-versed in classical music. Like it or not, people who seriously invest time into studying or playing classical music are a minority in the world, and Lang Lang is far more popular and financially sound than the majority of serious musicians today because he caters to a wider demographic. There are more times than I can count where I stumble upon an amazing recording and interpretation of a piece, look up the pianist, and discover that he/she has barely any recognition beyond perhaps a few devoted fans. A good example of this is by far my favorite recording of the Chopin Etudes, made by Frederic Chiu. While the recording itself is fairly popular (although it still pales in view/listen count compared to many Lang Lang recordings) and most people who have heard of it have regarded it as one of the best full recordings of the etudes to date, Chiu himself seems to get little mention or recognition for it and if you ask someone on the street if they've heard of Chiu, you'd get puzzled looks. This is the same for Igor Levit (an outstanding Hammerklavier), Paul Lewis (my favorite Wanderer Fantasy), Grosvenor (an absolutely breathtaking Reminiscences de Norma), Fialkowska, etc.,. All of these pianists are on a completely different level when it comes to interpretation and musicality compared to Lang Lang, and yet they get fairly little recognition outside of very tight-knit classical music communities. Even more popular pianists like Marc-Andre Hamelin, Yundi Li, Zimerman, Argerich, Yuja Wang, Trifonov (all of whom I also view in a much higher regard than Lang Lang) don't have the recognition and likely the wealth and financial stability that Lang Lang has. I think when Lang Lang does get serious, he is capable of serious musicality and art. His Reminiscences de Don Juan is a testament to that. I've watched his masterclasses and he gives extremely good advice and funnily enough suggests a lot of things that he himself doesn't do in his more outlandish performances (like emphasizing steady rhythm). It's clear that he purposefully does what he does because it lets him put food on the table and be financially successful in a world that is simply not kind to more serious musicians and artists.
Definitely butchers a lot of pieces. His Liszt Hungarian rhapsody no 2 is awful as is the end of this Marc Andre hamelin Norma is fantastic as is any by Marc really. Volodos hough sokolov Richter etc
@@sat1241 Since Issac Newton so to speak, the Western psyche has been splintered into a million pieces. But music is at its best when it's both perceived by the listener and rendered by the artist whole and without reservation. We cannot demand that the artist separate his personna and spirit from the pathos of the musical composition, any more than the artist should deny his or her idiosyncrasies in vain pursuit of the Platonic perfection. That said, any analysis of Kissin would be redundant or superfluous, like missing the wood for the trees. In my judgment, therefore, the problem is more fundamental than most critics would recognize or like to admit: namely it's the mindset of Western criticism, racked between a fragmented consciousness and an insatiable need for Platonic unity and certainty.
@@sat1241 Don't look for perfection or respectability intellectual or social. Look for life joy happiness and personal integrity in the artistic expressions of an artist. That had to be visual, ironically. That perhaps explains the importance of life performances. But I dare say today audio - videos recordings trump them all.
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Id love to be able to “entertain”like him!! I am a concert pianist and know how hard it is to enjoy music and play the piano as only he does!!
I think the problem with a lot of classical music is that it was never recorded, therefore, we have only interpretations. Just because you like Evgeny's interpretation doesn't mean Lang Lang's interpretation is wrong or bad or worse or better. For me I like both of them. It would be interesting to know what Franz Liszt of La Campanella sounded like in order to make a just comparison. Heck, maybe we would like Lang Lang's better or Evgeny's. But we'll never know.
Lang Lang is fantastic. Music is notes, intentions, emotions, feelings and i have the feeling that Lang Lang "lives" the piece, not just executes the music. Wonderful
We probably forget that Liszt himself was one of the biggest entertainer of his own epoch!
Of course he was! Including his compositions!
And maybe the main business of the video is to make this thing "forget".
Liszt was both
@@MrLewis-lk8us - The point here is just that you can't be this and that at the same time. So the problem is a bit sensitive...
Liszt was everything but not an entertainer. He was a philosopher not a clown. you have so desperately low IQ.
@@liavasoni2153 another idiot, who doesn't know anything about Liszt and his compositions. STFup
Aside rom the exagerate gestures, i dont like a lots of lang lang’s interpretation but he has a perfect technique and a great understanding of each pieces. Saying he isn’t a real musician is really disrespectful.
Totally agree!
No its true, Bang Bang is no musician
@@DankChallenger you should have a bit of more respect you know? Not any of us are even remotely close to his level of playing, and if he does it differently with his sense of humour, then you should respect that too
Since when are entertainers considered inferior to musicians.?
Entertainer means you wowed (entertained) the listener and suggests all rounded approach.
He doesn't though! Lang Lang makes lots of mistakes!
I've been fortunate to see both Kissin (April, 2022) and Lang Lang (Sept, 2023) here in Vancouver, BC. I had always felt that Kissin is an incredibly pure musician, and Lang Lang a bit more of a showman. But after seeing them both, I can say that IMHO they are BOTH remarkable. To be fair to Lang Lang, try closing your eyes, and just listen. Much of his reputation for being "an entertainer" is likely based on his mannerisms and facial expressions as he plays. We were sitting off at an angle behind him during his incredible performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations, where we could not see his face at all. It was a truly stunning performance, with no visuals to detract from the music. After that experience, I have a newfound (and profound) respect for Lang Lang's musicianship, and can't imagine anyone dismissing him as anything less than one of the finest pianists in the world. I'm also a big fan of Trifonov and Lisiecki (whom I've seen live FIVE times)! It's wonderful that there is so much fantastic classical music to experience!
Thank you for sharing your experiences and your insight. 🙏👍
I’ve listened to them both as well, Lang lang is no comparison to Kissin. I’d say it’s nothing about his gestures or facial expressions, it’s the music and sometimes scabrous techniques that turn ppl off.
Yeah, I agree. Even if sometimes just don’t like Lang Langs play, you are right. It’s sth people repeat after others. Heifetz didn’t have entertainment skills enough, lang lang has too much… and these people sit and judge at home being frustrated after their career ended playing in bars or being critic (analyser instead player)
closed my eyes and still sounds like trash
I can’t agree with you more, they both are great musicians.
You sir, are the entertainer and those two are the musicians
you misspelled CLOWN. Huge respect to Lang and Kissin, tho.
@@williamtaittinger4529 No need for such hate mate. Worth to note Lang Lang is like a rockstar to the Chinese audience. Obviously his performance here was towards a more general audience. He played differently towards the classical music community and laymen. Huge lookdown upon Lang Lang if one thinks he's just an entertainer. Lang is such an amazing pianist, one of the best of our times.
where is the "hate" my man? such a strong word for nothing. who do you think I "hate"? the CLOWN? Dont hate him, just find him funny. I have no hate my heart, mate, maybe youre just projecting.@@lifewalker808
@@lifewalker808 If you listen to the performance I think the poster is saying Kissin is the entertainer and Lang Lang the musician. Kissin's performance is spectacular with no subtlety. Lang lang's is more thoughtful with a wider tonal and dynamic range on top of similarly amazing technique as kissin's.
best reply dude
lang lang shows like he's having so much fun. you can't dismiss his technical proficiency and you can't fault him for sharing the joy with the audience.
Lots of people don't understand that music is art and it is an expression of the soul.
The greatest of all time, Beethoven himself said " to play a wrong note is okay. To play without fire is unforgivable"
I forgot the exact word. By fire he meant bravado/soul/excitement
@@CaptainPuputhere’s a difference when said passion is genuine. Lang-Lang is incredibly fake and cringey with his over-the-top gestures. And frankly, his performance lacks integrity and musicianship, things he sacrifices to look cool for the audience. At this point, you are no longer serving the composer, instrument, or music - you are serving yourself. And that is the greatest crime a musician can commit
@@ZaddyGohan what did you expect he's Chinese. They don't have a soul. Just social credit.
@@ZaddyGohanI'm pretty sure you don't know him, you didn't talk to him, you've never saw him in a private concert for you. Tf do you know about his passion? Lmao, not all musicians and persons are like you, sir. If u want a robot to play your piano it's ok, but no need to be mean to Lang Lang, cause we all appreciate his work.
@@ZaddyGohan have you ever performed music on stage?... I'll tell you what he was thinking..." uh huh... hit that note... let's get some intensity going...oh yeah... caught that note perfect... slow it down slow it down... bring it back... OK... let's jamn out the end...YEEEEESSSS GOT IT"... but maybe I'm just not psychic enough...🤷♂️
LL spent most of his childhood and teenage years giving "correct" interpretations at competitions and recitals. Dude is just chilling at this point lmao
hey i remember u from ucsd piano club :D
I don’t but this comment is sure darn funni
this is legitimate
It takes incredible discipline to perform this so well and pass it off as "easy and fun" .... which is just as musical as profundity and emotional sensitivity. Liszt is so VAST in his expression. There's plenty of room for trite to glorious rapture to profound awe.
Competition in music is stupid. Music is built on comparisons , so to weed out a "best" is to start ruining the richness that music has to offer.
Both are very unique pianists with great technique and sound. Will be extremely boring if all pianist in the world plays any masterpiece with the same dynamics, ligatures, pedal color, or intensity. You can't compare Barenboim, Argerich, Rubinstein, Richter, Arrau, Czifra, Tsujii, Lang, or Kissin. All of them are amazing pianists, and you only have to enjoy them.
One of them seems to be an entertainer.
You forgot Tatum, Horowitz, Ashkenazy and Rachmaninoff.
I don’t think Lang Lang belongs on a list with Richter, Cziffra or Argerich tbh.
@@peace-now I would just add another one to the list: Gilels
@@isaacgonzalez9354 I would also addd Murray Paraih, Van Cliburn and Valentima Lisitsa. I agree that Lang Lang is too showy for me; however, when he is serious as in his performance of Chopin's first piano concerto, he surprised me.
🎹 I was on the site when Langlang played this piece of music and I can tell that Langlang was misunderstood by so many people in this scenario, including the uploader calling him as a so-called entertainer.
😅 Actually, this was purely an extra piece of music requested by all audiences in the concert hall after Langlang had finished all his scheduled pieces. As most of the audiences were so much indulged in Langlang’s play, they all requested Langlang to stay and play one more piece, therefore Langlang stayed and fulfilled the audiences, and as this is a play which was not previously planned, as such he did not have to be playing in that much of an official way therefore he played it with more joy and playfulness to make all audiences happy and relaxed as an extra piece. This is why you can see he was so relaxed and sometimes looked unofficial when playing it. However before this piece his facial expressions/gestures/body movements were quite different as those being played were the officially scheduled pieces and Langlang played quite “officially”.
Therefore, calling Langlang as an entertainer without really knowing the true story is so disrespectful and sort of disgusting. And even Langlang was playing this with joy and ease, his talent and superb control of techniques has made it so so enjoyable to listen to. Both he and Kissin are true great musicians, and you can not be that biased.
He's a gent like that! Never vain but a true artist. I believe your story.
@@e.l.2734 Thank you E.L 🤝
Nicely said!
That's just called an encore mate
You just described an entertainer
For LISZT to compose such a breath taking piece based on Paganini's theme is really extraordinary. Composers such as Liszt are gifts to mankind.
Watch Interstella 5555 from Daft Punk. It will all make sense 😉
I would have loved to hear Liszt himself play this.
Liszt...a gift to mankind. I like that. I like that alot.
Winner of Sir Knight of Obvious Beyond Obvious Award.
Liszt was an utter master, just like Bach and the rest. It's not his fault if pianists often play his works without respect for the composer, but rather only for their egos. Every piece is a glorious work of genius, and if there happens to be virtuosic elements, even those are all perfect and astonishingly musical. There isn't a single note he ever wrote just for the sake of "showing off." This is what shallow Liszt critics don't realize. All great masters who wrote for the piano have written virtuosic passages, but all perfectly part of the whole. Even in his most "flashy" pieces such as Don Juan. Thank you for appreciating his gift to the world.
You forget that Liszt was a master entertainer. They are playing a Liszt showpiece, aren’t they?
ikr
Lang Lang plays other composers that way as well
What you said.
literally title just says difference in ENTERTAINER AND Musician .. nothing bad about either.
@@Theantmang I get the point being made, but I think it’s unfair to say Lang Lang is any less an incredible musician than Kissin. Disliking the showmanship of him is understandable, but it doesn’t change how awesome his technique and interpretations are
I think both “musician” and “entertainer” are titles to be proud of, not to mention they’re far from being mutually exclusive. Both people in this video played beautifully and are astonishing artists!
OMG!! Doesn't that performance deserve a standing ovation? I stood to clap watching at home...
Liszt was a entertainer and a showman in every way when he concertized. I don't know why audiences would not want to be entertained.
So true. Literally music is music and you can’t compare it will so called “showmanship”. Expressing your true self through playing an instrument (performing) is a form of respect towards music.
True
Rap music: Puts on a show, has fun, gets the audience involved. Classical: Ignores the audience, audience can't react to the music, is very pompous.
@@birddoesnottalk1032 ...so you say Lang Lang is a rapper? Man hasn't dropped any fire yet...
@@Kaizeron he doesnt even come close to rappers in terms of entertainment lol
Two great interpretations, Kissin the purest, the classicist, the benchmark. Unkind to dismiss Lang Lang as solely an entertainer, he's way too good.
@@julianparge I find it funny that you say “it wasn’t written to be performed
like that”, because that’s not always the case with classical music.
Liszt was the pop star of his time. He was to the 1800s what the Beatles were to the 1900s. He was infamous for the facial expressions and “unnecessary” movements he made while performing.
There was even an instance where he performed the first movement of moonlight sonata where he added trills and arpeggios of his own to “wow” the audience, and although it’s debatable wether or not that’s a good thing, he has apologized for that.
More importantly, though, it highlights his personality as a virtuoso and as a performer. La Campanella, like many of his other fancy compositions, was written with this exact goal in mind; to “wow” the audience. It’s said that Liszt’s virtuosity made the audience cheer and clap mid-performance.
Obviously I don’t have to add that it’s not necessarily always good to perform this way, but in this piece, as well as many others by Liszt I actually appreciate the expressiveness that Lang Lang brings while performing because it truly allows a “glimpse into the past” if that makes sense.
@@julianparge Complaining about showiness in La Campanella is hilarious. My dude, the piece is designed to be showy. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about.
@@julianparge hmm.. you don't think pagani or the self claimed paganini of the piano liszt wouldn't have played his piece bit non purist 😂
@@itooflemmaYour triple negatives are confusing.It seems like you are stating that Liszt would have played in a purist way.
@@julianparge What you said about closing your eyes and listening is the most important thing! The whole aspect of stage appearance and stage presence etc certainly add to the overall final product - and if looks meant nothing to them then they wouldn't wear tuxedos instead of casual clothes (surely nobody thinks that better clothes inherently make for better music) - but music is ultimately about what you HEAR. So just close your eyes and let your ears be the judge! 👍
I want to add to what you say about there being 2 different types of musicians. There are multiple "2 different types of musicians" 😉 Not just purists/traditional vs modern, but also those who play exactly as the composer wrote the dynamics and those who make their own interpretations, also those who play the exact same thing each time and those who are spontaneous and go with the flow. All of these "this or that" dichotomies overlap of course, so I'm just agreeing with you that there are different perspectives and approaches that musicians take when learning and performing a piece. As long as no two musicians sound exactly like each other, then that is the important thing!
I saw Lang Lang play a Beethoven piano concerto with the Seattle symphony. He walked on stage, played the piece like any other concert pianist, bowed and that was about it. No excessive flashiness, stage smoke, or even an encore. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting after seeing his popular online videos.
I saw what was likely that Seatle performance and it was a like watching someone phonetically sound out a language for which they were unfamiliar. A trainwreck.
Why the disdain for encores? Kissin always plays them. It’s actually an old tradition of Russian musicians to be generous with encores, a sign of respect towards listeners.
m.th-cam.com/video/IS30yphoy50/w-d-xo.html#dialog
I saw Lang Lang at Tomorrowland. He was great
BLA BLA BLA AND BLA ....
Lang Lang said this piece animated in a Tom&Jerry episode was the reason he became a pianist. Playing in London and playing in China is different, especially for him. He has every right to make the art of piano a little more fun in his home country. If he succeeds in his task, thousands of gifted young chinese musicians can be introduced to the world of music.
You an attract people to music by being a true Start in the sky and not being a clown.
Music is an art...There is no right or wrong how an art is expressed...Many great musicians artists were considered eccentric, critised and despised but years later were hailed as great achievers. Why? because our minds has come to pass all those traditional limitations and boundaries...
It was Hungarian Rhapsody no.2 that was animated in Tom&Jerry though.
@@maximecloutier1223 You are correct, though I can understand someone how someone gets them mixed up, since they've got kinda the same vibe.
I think thousands of more young Chinese prodigies are more than we can bare, thank you 😅
Two pianists with different personality. What a big pleasure to enjoy both .
can’t agree more👍
It's impossible to enjoy lang lang I'm sorry.
@@vincent-ataramaniko why can't you? And why sorry?
@@matthiasbasler8634He means he didn’t like how langlang plays. I didn’t like langlangs performance in this video too. It’s just a little bit strange.
@@magictime7482 ok. So we can watch something else while listening😅 When I close my eyes, Gould is ok for me too😁
I think this piece was written to show the dexterity of the pianist, and that's what both of the did. Liszt did it himself, nothing bad of that, in my opinion
well i mean thats what an ‘etude’ is; it both improves the player’s ability and is also like a sort of ‘bragging rights’ sorts thing like how playing insanely high on a trumpet is
Two excellent performances of this genious piece of music. One shouldn't judge.. one should enjoy. Most people cannot fathom the dedication that goes into performing sonething like this
Oh, I know how difficult it is. That's why I said earlier that I don't criticize someone who can do something I can't.
Ben detto!!!
Well said! Negative comments about something prepared to this level shows a combination of ignorance, lack of respect, unpleasantness and a fondness for spreading negativity.
I was at the Kissin performance. This was just one of about 8 encores after a phenomenal performance of some substantial pieces. A real shame that not all of the recital was filmed. It was really one of those legendary performances that go down in history. Biggest proms audience ever too (they removed the stage and placed the piano in the middle of the hall with the audience surrounding it).
Kissing's performance is the first time I've heard the "bells" in this piece. Amazing deicate touch.
kissin*
you should hear chopin's 4 impromptus by him and then you will know that he's the best :)
kissin. not kissing
probably autocorrect@@카카보23
I've heard only Piano.
Exactly
People give Lang Lang too hard of a time. Lang Lang is obviously an extremely talented pianist technically and gives very unique interpretations that may resonate differently with different people. Lang Lang knows the “rules,” he just chooses not to conform to the general norms and chooses to do what’s right for him. I think we need more pianists like Lang Lang that connect to the audience.
Sometimes LL has no soul and just cheap tricks. It's like watching a cheap melodrama that clearly manipulates your emotions in an obvious way. That might connect to the lowest common denominator but the connection isn't deep
like picasso
@@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 its the opposite way most of the time, only that the cheap tricks for others are following (dumb) conventional standards.
I feel like that’s kinda racist tho lmao if your calling lang lang dumb and saying he has cheap tricks
@@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 .
I don't understand those who comment negatively on lang, I didn't know him before now, but his technique is impeccable, he's extra talented (I'm a musician)... once said that, how one interprets is his own business. Does he exaggerate in gestures, is he in excess? honestly: he can do it. If I had his talent I would do the same, art is freedom , what the heck
If I don't like LL style,is not a negative comment,is just My opinion,
@@bellezaytalento9673 The video title as much as states the Lang Lang is not a musician.
As much as I don't like Lang Lang, his interpretation was (for the most part) actually valid. I think the difference is that Lang Lang sold himself as an entertainer on the media, showing up in talkshows etc. and of course, for most people, you need showmanship to please an audience (which doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve his fame in any way). This could be already seen as the audience of Kissin was more traditional, listening, then clapping; while Lang Lang's audience had no problem clapping during the piece, interacting with him.
This is a notable difference, I think many are missing. They probably don't get the same audience, which already reinforces the differenciation between "classic" musicians and "modern/entertaining" musicians.
Chinese audiences don't suffer from the applause taboo. You can't put that on the performer.
Pavarotti in his memoir mentions being taken aback on his first visit to China, when he encountered applause in an aria every time he hit a top C, so eventually he got used to it.
Clapping in between is like in a jazz concert, or in the time when this music was written and probably the public "lived" closer to this musical expression.
@@JustAnthon
Agree.
LL plays according to his audience group.
This one was one of his commercial performances at a local theatre, with mixed crowd, he certainly is entertaining the audience, than to keep with precision.
Who cares lang lang is better
Both extraordinary. I didn’t realise at first that the intention was to deride LL as the entertainer, which in the case of Liszt performance is surely a key aspect of the composer’s intention.
If it's not the primary intention of any composer, then what is the point?
What is music if it's not entertainment?
Boring, heartless technical exercise. Which is actually what Kissing turns it into.
@@phillewis3108 Hmm. I'm not with you there. There are many reasons to write and play music other than to entertain. I myself play mostly because inhabiting the music from the inside allows me to grasp and express and re-organise all sorts of thoughts and feelings and come away from the piano feeling reintegrated. It's a rich hobby even without ever performing. All my favourite moments of creating music are deeply private ones which are more likely ruined by having to care about its effect on someone else.
But Liszt's music was certainly pointed in that direction, very much with an eye to how impressive it would look performed. Nonetheless I find Kissin's traversal of it deeply absorbing, wearing his technique lightly to serve very musical phrasing. It's different to LL but I'd equally defend LL for different reasons.
I'm a pianist and i can hardly believe how many people still dare to criticize such an outstanding artist like Lang Lang! He's not an entertainer! He is just an extremely fine artist, whose technique and sensitiveness allow him to do everything he wants at the piano! Just accept it !
agreed! some people just cant stand to see something "different" and rush in to put down whatever that is not normal
YES finally!
aRtIsT
Smaken är som baken delad med skiten emellan
Très bonne analyse...Je suis entièrement d'accord avec vous..Bonjour de " la France "...
Two extraordinary artists! No space for childish polemics!
there is always space for childish (and serious) polemics. Kissin is in another dimension. He is at the very top on the same level as the greatest masters that ever lived. Lang Lang's fingers are fast but musically I prefer Kissin's version.
An applause in the middle of this piece was exactly what Liszt looking for, something that was totally lost during the twentieth century, and what Lang achieved here.
agreed, lisztomania was where its at!
Mentre il pianista suona non si applaude!. Da fastidio, il pezzo deve essere ascoltato tutto senza rumori ne tanto meno urla. Si interrompe il pezzo ed è irrispettoso per chi suona e per chi ascolta. Si applaude alla fine!.
@@vincenzopandolfi7684 It's like lectures: some lecturers do not mind being interrupted; many others do. As long as they do not stumble, is that SO important? You're free to enjoy recordings - not Glenn Gould's, so full of humming... - if privacy and meditative listening is what you care about (and you won't get those sneezes with studio recordings).
@@FleuveAlphee è una regola, quando si suona non si fa rumore , lo dico da pianista!. e ho spiegato anche il perchè nel commento precedente. Per cui il tuo commento è anche fuori luogo.
@@vincenzopandolfi7684 As a pianist I absolutely don't care if there is applause in the middle, the "rule" is nonsensical and irrelevant
Even if both performances are gorgeous, this is the huge difference between them, it's so true. When you hear Kissin playing you feel the music with him, when you hear Lang Lang you are amazed by his skills, by him, because your attention is focused on him; hearing Kissin the music comes in first place, hearing Lang Lang skills and entrateiment are in first place. Thank you for sharing!
Lang Lang is all about himself but kissin makes you feel the 🎵 music
Hi! I don't agree with you, even without seeing them, listening only to the music, I still prefer Lang. I think it's a question of style, obviously they are both amazing. I would like playing like each one of them, but if I had to choose I prefer Lang. It's only a matter of taste I think...In addition I would like to say that the video tittle is disrespectful, it sound like Lang=clown. I didn't like it, I think they would be fair and recognize Lang as the great pianists he is.
Absolutely the opposite for me. Kissing is boring. All I can hear is the written score, not music.
@@phillewis3108 same, Lang Lang bring his emotion and fuse his spirit into the music, from audience's perspective we can see him enjoying the piece. Kissin he just sit still and feels like an audio recorder just replaying an audio
While attending Barenboim's masterclass, Lang Lang was quite humble and respectful to the piece, whereas other pianists boasted their ego, in order to impress the master. Lang Lang is better than we commonly suppose
True mastery gives you that kind of flexibility that only comes across with dutiful respect of the craft. He is just finding the next step in connecting with people who are not studied in this art.
@@christopherpi2010 This is one of the best comment I've ever read. Thank you
One of my teachers in music school said “Say what you want about Lang Lang, but he could sure play me under the table any day of the week.” So if nothing else, he’s an excellent pianist.
I agree with the observation about Lang Lang in the Barenboim masterclass. I recall that he had the music on the stand and referred to it quite a lot whilst listening to and respecting Barenboim's wisdom.
@@samdajellybeenie14 pretty sure kissin could too... this doesn't add to the discussion
Always loved how EK manages to produce such a heavy sound but being crystal clear and retaining dynamic range, truly gifted pianist
Those 20k concert pianos surely helps
@@TheSubzeto nearer 200k
When people applauded Liszt, they were applauding for his geniusness in creativity and musicality. When the Chinese audience clapped in the middle of the performance, they were laughing at the entertainment provided by LL as a clown, and not a musician. Use your brain, if you have one.
@@PP-wp2bx salty
me too
Say what you want about Lang Lang, you can't deny he is a wonderful musician. In fact, he is so gifted that he can give a piece any interpretation he likes. On top of that, you can find several recordings of him playing by the book without exuberance.
That's not true. If anyone could play "any interpretation", there wouldn't be a difference between them. Lang Lang has mediocre interpretations imo, often focusing too much on emotional bombasity and flair. He's not on par with Zimmerman, Pollini, or Argerich for interpretations, but rather Lisitsa and Wang for skill and flair. I'm a composer, and i've had my pieces played by both types of performers. The Lang Lang types butcher the piece whereas the composer types do stuff that makes me think it may be a better interpretation than I myself would have originally thought of. Mrchanistic vs Expressive musicians is the distinction I typically draw, and ot comes from one's ability to listen actively to the original works, and freely convey ones inner self free from ego intervention. Given how asian and eastern-european parents typically treat their children, its no wonder they lack in the latter.
@@Xemptuous I guess your comparison with Yuja Wang is only racist... An Asian pianist... so what?? Doesn't she deserve to be listened to carefully before being judged only on her appearance? Yuja Wang's concert outfits and style may seem quite fanciful, but she is very rigorous with regard to the text, and her playing is in fact full of richness (not only technical, but of a musical order, in phrasing, mastery of sound, etc.) I invite you to carefully listen to her again before passing her off as a vulgar conjurer : close your eyes and open your ears, I'm pretty sure you'll change your mind :)
But I agree with you on the rest !
@@Xemptuous If you say that the "Lang Lang types" butcher all the pieces they play just because they play their own interpretations and have some fun and if you can only see two types of players, the "Mrchanistics" as you like to call it and the expressive players, you really have a poor understanding of what a musician and the art of music is. And I'm also very confused by your "ego intervention" argument, have you ever heard of Paganini? "Ego" and flair is probably what allowed Paganini to write his most famous works, the charismatic "ego" and flair that is so commonly found on the pieces of Paganini is what inspired so many other composers and musicians down the line not only in interpretations but in musical pieces themselves.
I can and do deny it. He is trash. I don’t care what he’s capable of. His performances that he makes a living selling are trash.
@@idonkat6097 It was not “ego” but rather Paganini’s incredible skill at the violin that propelled his fame. This extreme skill is what pushed Franz Liszt to practice 10 to 12 hours a day.
lang lang appears like an entertainer, however, as a professional pianist myself I can vouch for the fact that the feeling of pouring your heart and soul into a piece such as this is nigh on euphoric, and even the most stern of individuals can't help but let out a smile. In my opinion, I think that it is both impressive and beautiful to see the amount of passion that lang lang has for the piano.
Two spirits who come from different cultural backgrounds, different approaches, both very talented.
The first has a real connection to the music. the second has more of a connection to his ego.
Two massive talents playing one of the most difficult piano pieces, with different interpretation. Nothing wrong with that. If you want a piece to be played in exact same intepretation, a machine can do that. Easily.
It's more of a party trick than really difficult, usually played as an encore. Lots of pianists play it very well. Slow music is often much trickier to play.
Totally agree.
@@pvandck True, like Chopin once said (if I remember it well); technique is something everyone can achieve by practicing but then comes a part, the emotional side of the music, which can't be learned or faked; you need to feel it.
No comparison... LL soulless. EK is a billion times more finesse.
@@MrICR5 bruh…
Liszt himself was known to rock his head back and forth and moving so drastically while playing that his sweat dripped on the audience…so if anything LangLang is doing the perfect interpretation of Liszt’s music and doing Liszt (master entertainer /rockstar) justice
I have to disagree. In my opinion, Cziffra does a better job at emulating Liszt’s personality and gestures
This is the FIRST TIME I ever heard about Liszt sweating and rocking back and forth. 🤔🤔🤔 WHERE did you get this trivia?
People forget how many of this Conposers were actually pretty Bohemian to the point of being actually rockstars. Sex, Drugs and Orchestal Music.
Compared to liszt Lang Lang would be subdued and nonchalant. So really what it comes down to how good the persons technique if they have bad technique and over exaggerated their movements then they deserve to be ridiculed but it's like criticizing someone's performance at sex when you yourself have a tiny 3" dick where Lang Langs would be 12" and liszts would be 14" so yeah if you see going to criticize Lang Lang then you can upload your recordings of the chopin etudes race 3 etc first otherwise stfu
@@classicalmusic432hz8 🤣
Well all musicians perform to entertain their audience. Lang Lang has obviously mastered the piece he could afford to be more expressive and interactive, which is great to anyone who goes to his concerts. Both technically impeccable just different interpretations
Both brilliant interpretations interpretations. When Kissin plays, it's exciting as it seems difficult and he is concentrating hard and seems on the edge. When Lang Lang plays it seems so ridiculously effortless that you just marvel at the ease with which he plays it and, for me, I enjoy his playfulness and the fun he has with it.
Honestly, I don't care at all if he has "fun and playfulness" or not
@@argi0774 Okay? And? Nobody is talking about what argi0774 cares about.
@@alex1stamford779 But everybody cares about what some "Alex Stamford" thinks or not right? Because an average idiot like "Alex Stamford" is so interesting right?
Come on LL's performance Is brilliant
@@medardoarce9361 His clownlike acting not so much
Both are awesome. I was distracted by LL's physical performance in the past but now I ignore that and appreciate how great his playing is
Lang Lang is one of the world's great pianists, period. He absolutely has a fluid style and I get that it might not be to everyone's taste, but it is clear he has complete control over what he is doing and makes choices. As for how he looks on stage - if you don't like it, close your eyes. Interesting, last night I watched a video of Seymour Bernstein discussing Glenn Gould with similar criticism, he didn't like the choices Gould made, and even considered them a travesty, but ultimately his criticism of Gould seems to be that he thinks Gould was condescending and snide in his approach. Lang Lang clearly adores his audience.
Seymour Bernstein either doesnt understand the genius of Gould, or he is eaten up with jealousy
@@gordonstevens6050I like Gould, he doesn’t. We like music. Just a matter of different taste, isn’t it?
you have no idea what you're talking about do you?
i prefer yuja wang
For me, I felt like LL broke the music piece down to a million pieces and reassembled it again to become solely his. Hence, the effortlessness. Kissin is too clinical for me. Its more than just mastery of the keyboard. More importantly, sublime mastery of the music itself. But both are great pianist. We can only dream of playing even 1% like either of them 😂
It's strange that for me it's exactly the contrary. Lang lang is the surgeon( I can abstract from his showmanship), and Kissin is the one who feels the music the most.
@@pankakesnotstellarDito. I find much more intensity in Kissin's performance, too.
Lang Lang's performance of this piece, although technically perfect, is exaggerated and comical, which may not have been Liszt's original intention.
Both felt really effortless and easy to me.
I agree and I actually think the poster meant the opposite of what most people are expecting: Lang lang is the musician and Kissin the entertainer. I think they posted it deliberately without pointing out who's who to have fun watching people make comments based on their pre-judgement 😂
And back in the day Liszt was considered an entertainer… usually by the ones who couldn’t play .. and those who hate lang lang would give years of their lives to be able to play like him…
I would, as far as I can tell considering the time that has passed, also consider liszt to be an entertainer. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T MAKE (GREAT) MUSIC, It's just a different way of doing it, and it can go terribly wrong if you are OVERdoing it.
@@tarokan_nor how can you be that narrow minded about the definition of musician? One can produce music but isn’t considered as a musician? Not every musician is a PERFORMER or even a great one! And music is subjected to TASTE! You may dislike Liszt or Lang Lang’s expression and the way they express music, but to call them “non musicians” is just utterly nonsense and click-baited.
@@tarokan_nor and what’s the problem with one can’t be an entertainer and musician at the SAME time? Why do they have to be mutually exclusive?
I think He was more Like a merchant(I dont mean He is Bad at the Piano and Just clickbait or Something), He went excactly with the trend (in His time, music was very literary) and I read that He was good at selling His music and doing ad. I dont wanna say that He Just fooled us, Dude is pieces are extremly difficult and I Like is Style its very refined passages and makes Up a very good Show. But He has the blood of a merchant.
@@hieu1807 Well U can be both, Like I kinda wanna be both entertaining music is Just some music To Hear and enjoy But music music is Something To Express Feelings, the current reaction To the composers Situation, the thoughts, the Style, Idol and maybe worries or excitements or also To Tell Stories that can be very abstract. I try To do that with my compositions.
The title is misleading. First of all this piece is a show piece being played at encore. It is ok to show off and have fun. Second, we should focus on the music itself and not let the pianist's gestures and facial expression distracts you from appreciating the music. Lang Lang's version of this piece is actually good. I listened to both Kissin and Lang Lang quite a bit. I attended their concerts and have more than 20 CDs from both pianists. In 1997, Kissin was at the height of his career. I went to his concert in 1997 and that was the best concert I have ever attended in my life. Unfortunately his career regressed after that. All the recordings he made after 1997 are not as good as the ones he made before 1997. Lang Lang is the other way around. He grew up and matured in recent years. So you are comparing Kissin at the height of his career and his career is a disappointment after that, with Lang Lang who is still young in 2012, and since then has grown up and matured. This is what I noticed - When I listen to Lang Lang, I usually don't like it in the first listening. In subsequent listening of the same piece, I get used to the parts that initially annoyed me and start to pick up things that I like, and eventually accept and appreciate his interpretation. I'd suggest listeners to give Lang Lang another try. Don't just turn off after the first try. Keep listening for 3-4 times and it may change your opinion on Lang Lang completely. And turn off the video and focus on the music helps
ikr music is meant to be HEARD, i dont understand why so many people get tunnel vision on the "SEE" part
I believe I am right in saying that the post was meant to interpret Kissin as the musician and Lang Lang is the entertainer in respect to the title. That said, I do see how it could be seen either way. Both men are exceptionally great in the world of music but definitely have a difference in their performance. Kissin being much more intense and powerful with Lang Lang much more at ease and jovial.
I can't agree more with you. I disliked Lang Lang when I first listened to his play, but the more I listen to him the more I realize who am I here to judge how one of the greatest pianists in the world should interpret the music
First time around listening to Lang Lang is enough for me, he is just exceptional.
why would anyone even argue about two such incredible interpretations?
One of them is just there to impress, while the other is pure music
@@rusticagenerica Which one? Kissin?
@@rusticagenericaWho is there to impress??? Kissin who played it so fast with so many mistakes, prioritizing speed above musicality? Yeah, youre right
@@useryandiwknfksd kissin is more like a speedy robot
Lets take a minute to appreciate the great sounding piano Evgeny is playing!
My God, I even forgot to breathe! What a divine sound.
Evgeny absolutely astonishing, his soul is playing with him.
He just churned out the music. Yes, there's musicality in there, but he is like seriously doing his homework.
Lang Lang always looks like he is enjoying himself. His fingers dance in this piece and that increases his connection to his listeners.
Not, that doesn't increase anything
@argi0774, It absolutely adds to the performance. If you don't care about the visuals, why not just listen to a recording of the performance? I, for one, go to live performances to SEE the artist perform. Lang Lang's performance increases the overall experience for me.
@@RationalSaneThinker It doesn't "add" anything to the performance. It ruins it. I don't want to see funny clowns while listening to classical music
@@argi0774
Concerts goers who paid thousands of dollars for a front row ticket disagree with you. You couldn't know anyway because you wash toilets at McDonald's, you can't afford concert ticket.
@@Anonymous------ That's ok. Then they like to spend a lot of money for watching a clown. Nothing wrong with that
2:30 Love how the left hand plays slowly and calm while the right hand is playing 100mph & yet together they sound elegant & in harmony. It’s like slow & fast at the same time.
I listened to both audio only and found I enjoyed Lang Lang's performance more. It was more fluid and dynamic, while the first one was more mechanical
Well said.
Two incredible performances with two different, yet in my eyes equally entertaining, styles of playing :)
Nah, Lang Lang has some of the best interpretations for some pieces, check out his Romance for Liszt, his Ave Maria (even though I prefer Lisitsa), the Etude Op 10 No 3 (the long vid where he performs on stage and it starts off with lots of clapping for the encore). These are a few that stood out to me that I remember now, but they really are some ones I just love and listen to often, (except the Ave Maria actually, but from what I remember it’s great too). Oh, just remembered, the Reverie in the blue room or something like that, small venue. These are all amazing!
Trifonov my fave hands down, but (ofc) there are still soo many pianists that bring great interpretations, their own style, etc.
Lang Lang is def one of them. He’s not afraid to play the way he feels, and according to his own style which is true to him.
Title just harms the man. Come on, let’s support our musicians.
Classical music is not a show.
There are not allowed pose/stupid body movements and pseudodramatism
Lang lang’s reminiscences de don giovanni in carnegie hall was also a legendary performance. That (live) recording proved to me that he knows his worth as a musician.
@@scio_me_nesciree You cannot really just set these rules you know.. In this video both Kissin and Lang lang are performing the music in their own way. Unless the composer of the music verifies the proper character and intention of the music, you can’t say what is allowed or not when performing; I consider that limitting artistic expression and freedom.
@@scio_me_nesciree wait til you hear the stories about liszt
@@scio_me_nesciree A particularly popular classical music channel performs their concerts wherein they mix comedy with classical music and lets their audience clap as they play :) it's not always that you should be proper and respectful when there are people who want to present classical music differently.
Kissin plays perfectly for serious classical music lovers, and Lang Lang brings classical music to general public.
The way that Liberace brought classical music to the general public. (minus the sequins and bejeweled fingers).
@ProgressivelyMe you also forgot that waking up to all your delusions will fix all of it. Cya
This is the stupidest comment I have ever heard
POCHEMY ?
THANK YOU!!! nicely said. The Kissin is extraordinary, compared to other recordings before. The Lang Lang (recorded years later) is extraordinarily well played, to entertain broad audience, which is a cool thing to do.
The first performance is great. The second performance got me goosebumps - beyond great!
It was supposed to be the other way around. Both are magnificent of course.
Why?
@@arcanios806 well the technique is way better in the first one.
@jeyneo.8924 Lang Lang obviously has the technical skill to play as smoothly as Kissin, but thats not the point. This piece (as well as Liszt pieces is general) is about showmanship, and I think Lang Lang captured that style perfectly
@@nickm.4274 I don't think so at all. And it also doesn't matter how Liszt meant it to be. Composers often don't know what they have just done, what masterpieces they created. Not seldom they defy their own work (see Bruckner or Kafka)
If I close my eyes I really enjoy LLs playing. I don’t always agree with his choices but he displays a great deal of originality in his interpretations. When he first came onto the scene I couldn’t appreciate this-I couldn’t get passed all the faces and body movements, but now that he’s chilled a bit with the theatrics I’ve grown to really appreciate him. Definitely a great musician and entertainer. Respect.
Lang Lang’s complete control of the piano is actually extremely impressive. A true master
As a pianist who has been playing for over 12 years, he is a true inspiration and has moved and motivated me musically and personally. I continue to play to this day as a piano major and I may not be fully classically trained yet, but I’m getting there. And someday, I’ll be able to play these difficult pieces. I will keep practicing every day so I don’t lose my touch as everyone learning or playing piano should.
@@jgwmain I agree. Lang Lang is an inspiration for young pianists for several reasons:
- Exceptional talent: Lang Lang is widely regarded as one of the most talented pianists of his generation. His technical skill and musicality have earned him numerous awards and accolades.
- Passionate performer: Lang Lang is known for his passionate and expressive performances. He puts his heart and soul into every piece he plays, which makes his performances truly captivating.
- Positive attitude: Lang Lang is also admired for his positive attitude and his ability to inspire others. He encourages young musicians to pursue their dreams and believes in the power of music to bring people together.
- Role model: Lang Lang has also become a role model for young musicians, especially in his home country of China. He has broken down barriers and helped to bring classical music to a wider audience, inspiring a new generation of pianists to follow in his footsteps.
Overall, Lang Lang's exceptional talent, passionate performances, positive attitude, and role model status have made him a true inspiration for young pianists around the world.
@@topkho No offense, but you sound a little bit like chatgpt there😄
@@rickywang7791 lol haha
@@rickywang7791 this is defintely ChatGPT, the list and the "Overall," is too noticeable.
Dang that’s amazing! The speed and accuracy is all on point! Awesome to see this level of dedication!
Quels que soient les points de vue ces 2 pianistes sont exceptionnels de virtuosité et de sensibilité ! Franz Liszt est l’un des musiciens les plus difficiles à jouer au monde … donc admiration pour ces 2 interprètes 👍👍👍
“One of the great challenges in this world is knowing enough about a subject to think you're right, but not enough about the subject to know you're wrong.” - Neil de Grasse Tyson
This sounds like an indictment of Tyson's entire career. He doesn't know enough about anything to realize that he's wrong about many, many things.
@@Mooseman327 you’re a fool. Maybe you should purchase some of his literature, or read his actually papers then tell me that isn’t one of leaders in our world of astrophysics and cosmology. Please just stop.
Both incredibly impressive. I enjoyed both. Love the virtuosity of Kissin and also the entertainment and playfulness of Lang Lang. How can we not appreciate both equally.
I don't know... LangLang will always be my favorite for Liszt interpretations, but Kissin's Campanella was superb. The audience is the key factor in a recital, otherwise just stay at home and play for yourself. The title infers that the entertaining one isn't a musician.
Implies.
The person speaking implies.
The person listening infers.
Only liszt I like from Lang Lang was his Don Quixote the rest I don't like
@@renzo6490 thanks! :)
@@renzo6490 ah, a new word i just learned. Cool.
@@mahyargharehdaghi9383 Native speakers of English often get these two words confused.
.
As someone plays piano for decades, one would love the hailstorm type of audience applause, which would made your figures and everyone's souls dancing together as a true entertainer.
La Campanella's build up intensity is special, and listening to countless interpretations has me blown away every single time I hear Kissin's.
Both of them show their musical design and beautiful interpretations to the piece. They are both wonderful
Both absolute piano maestros.. both pieces exceptional..
These two are equally accomplished and outstanding in their own ways. They are both artists and entertainers.
Both are incredible
EK's performance of this piece is totally immortal, not a fair comparison to use la campanella - this piece is his playground. Completely inhuman.
I agree. Completely inuman. Robotic, soulless, boring, empty and pointless.
omg evgeny playing this sounds really dreamy, but well i might say ...
what's different between being musicians and musical entertainers is just choices.
one chooses to bring out the legacy of the piece, such as the will of the composer, the meaning of the piece, while trying to completely or partially erase their individual existence, to be one with the intentions of the piece,
while the other choose to entertain the audience by playing the piece in a certain way to attract and make the performance a long lasting memories to the audience.
both of them must have a very high skill in their music studies and their mental fortitude. just different purpose. and saying a person can't be both is also untrue.
They are all heroes who use their lives to pass on notes and history, unlike the musicians and entertainers you say. Grades and titles are just decorations.
I do understand the idea behind this comparison, but the example was probably not chosen wisely, as many others have already pointed out.
I, however, wanna expand the discussion: I play the violin and for us, there is a rather similar discussion with David Garrett, except for it seeming much more easy at first: He doesn't perform much classical but indeed goes for full crossover / pop concert tours with explosives, pyros, e-guitars, microphones, etc - the full package of a modern concert. However, he also is a classically trained musician, being a Julliard Graduate who once was regarded as one of the biggest violin prodigies during the early 2000s. There is an interesting recording of him performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto which was good - not excellent, but good. not comparable to the all time greats, but he was just 15-18 years old, so what can we expect from him at that point, right?
Nowadays, as mentioned, he does quite some pop and rock stuff, but every now and then he still has classical concerts and I really like his Brahms and Bruch Concerto Recordings. The best of him from a classical perspective, in my eyes however, is the solo stuff from Paganini or Bach - his playing style is very unique and he has a different tone, but that makes his play just much sweeter and fuller. He needed to develop his own tone to distinguish himself from others and he succeeded in doing so, in part by adapting to a modern and prototypical romantic playstyle (not in the sense of the romantic period, but in terms of romantic ideals of the modern pop culture)
Now! Is he an entertainer? For sure, yeah! Is he a Musician? Also yes. But is he a classical musician? Arguably, but also arguably not. He is not only a classical, but also a crossover-modern pop-rock musician - depending on what he plays. And the same is with Lang Lang in my eyes. I can understand why one tries to make this distinction between David Garrett or Hillary Hahn, or Lang Lang and Kissin for that matter; but why is it even important?
That is my question at the core of the comment. Why is it important to point it out? For "snobby high-society Gate-keeping and Elite-ism"?
Yes, this was very provocative and I also consider myself somewhat of a "purist" when it comes to classical music: Please leave the Classical Music out of the pop music if there is no musical understanding behind it. Please don't come to a classical concert in punk outfits or a trainer short. Please respect the musician(s) on stage by not clapping during a serious passage. But I have to say, that there are some good modern remixes of classical music, that I have absolutely nothing against punk outfits and that I do wear trainers all the time, myself. Also, I think it is acceptable or at least debatable to clap in between movements or after a very virtuosic passage in a show-off piece. There is always a time for something and a time not suitable for the same thing: similarly to our discussion now. What does Lang Lang do during a classical concert? At most, he is doing more gestures and facial expressions which some people say is not the right time for that, because it is not a pop concert... but then! Have those people seen Gustavo Dudamel conducting? or Janine Jansen playing the violin? arguably even wilder gestures and facials than Lang Lang - and there is no criticism at all but pure love for how they feel the music. Why not with Lang Lang?
To conclude my super long comment - by the way a big thank you for you three people out there having read that all - I wanna say, that Lang Lang is not a full-time classical musician. There are times where he is not - moments, where he absolutely, 100% is something diametrically different from a classical musician. But in the same way that he is not a classical musician when playing non-classical things in non-classical concerts, he is a full-fletched classical musician when playing classical pieces in classical concerts. And that all was under the presumption of you meaning "Classical Musician"; because I really do think that both classical and modern musicians are - at the very very very least by name - musicians.
AND YET, after all that: Thank you for putting that video out! 100 Percent seriously! It's great to see that, because it gives all of us a chance to think about that topic; to discuss it with other people and to hear their opinions and arguments. I for one can totally understand your point of view that music is foremost played for one self and only then for others. I love playing it for myself because it feels nice... but then, why would all classical musicians perform on the worlds biggest stages in front of thousands of people and share their music and artistic craft on social media etc nowadays? Is it just for the money or is there at least a small part in them, where they just want to show their musicality to the world? I have heard a quote from a video on a completely different topic (Minecraft), but I think it is super fitting in this context: "Your build is only then truly completed once you have shown it to at least one other person."
You have understood the video and put more work into it than I did.
@@tarokan_nor thank you! Great to hear that hehe😌
I totally agree. I think it's fitting to at least reply to your thoughtful comment instead of just liking it!
Well said! A thoughtful comment!
thank you for your comment which gives us the possibility to think more about this interesting comparison.
Wow! I am absolutely floored by Evgeny’s performance, sheer perfection! Every note was carefully considered, that ovation was well deserved!
The title should be :
The difference between a musician and an entertainer who's also a musician.
But what is a musician ? And what is an entertainer? Can't a musician be an entertainer?Can't an entertainer be a musician? Can't one be both?
If one claims Lang Lang is not a musician ( which he is ), then one can claim that Kissin's performance was not entertaining (although it was).
I think Lang Lang style is very suitable for flashy, difficult pieces that require showmanship and technique, and his performance of La Campanella is the closest to Liszt's probably, considering that Liszt was known for his "Theatricality".
I think Kissin suits Chopin more while Lang Lang suits Liszt more.
It's such an incredible showpiece. How can anyone be criticized for showmanship, nuance, beautiful phrasing, emotion and flawless technique? LL clearly enjoys and expresses the music while he plays. Audience engagement and moving people is what performing is all about.
The first huy seems serious in his intense interpretation. The second guy plays as he was in a club showing off at their bar piano.
Lang Lang's expressivity... So elegant, so delicate, that's understanding a piece at another level
not really, it's fake and dishonest
@@ЛентяйЁпта i’d like to argue otherwise. listening to it live, it is much more obvious than in recordings, he is expressional. he is control and composure, and just as exceptional as any. yes, he likes to have fun, but when it comes to his musicality, dishonest is not what comes to mind.
@@ЛентяйЁпта expressivity is a point to form opinions, but not critique on. i prefer zimmerman’s interpretation of chopin’s ballades, while others prefer rubenstein. it is just preference, not a point to discredit expressivity.
No it's not. Not at all.
@@Grupsy He refers to being dishonest to the original interpretation liszt/paganini meant for this piece. Kissin is much closer to the original intentions of the composers. Not disowning Lang Lang, but lets face it, Evgeny does an impecable performance.
Loved them both. Two brilliant interpretations of a very difficult to play piece of music
calling anyone who can play Liszt an “entertainer” is actually hysterical to me
someone like Lang-Lang that has quite literally devoted his entire life to his craft and has awards beyond numerical expression is on his own echelon
Both show the control over this piece that's needed to make the choice they do. The mastery over the instrument and the music is astonishing.
Both extraordinarily fine performances. These two belong to a different species. It is difficult to comprehend the mastery this requires.
two different artists showing their own way of playing none of them are wrong. respect
Im confused. They were both amazing musically and equally entertaining. Am i missing something
You are not missing anything. This video has a stupid pretenciuos title. And of course they are both amasing.
They're equally much musician. Just very different interpretations.
It’s call click bait.
First made mistakes
Looks like I finally found Ling Ling's brother. Amazing job by both of these pianists. They both deserve a lifetime achievement award for playing this so amazingly well.
🤯Only one letter difference in the name, might be the OG
Uhh. I was so caught up in both performances I failed to notice the differences. The second guy looked like he was having fun whereas the first guy was expecting to be smacked by his teacher for messing up. Both dudes were amazing. Beyond comprehension how someone can be so good at something.
The first guy was concentrating and deeply involved in the music. The second guy was being a showman with unnecessary gestures, banging away.
@@jadeothen6057Like how Liszt would've played? You think this piece is something super profound? It's literally a showpiece.
It might be a showpiece but you don't really think about it when you hear Kissin play it. His performance has so much musicality and you can hear that it's a well thought-out interpretation. He manages to put so much drama into this piece of music, there's tension, variety, it just pulls you in.
Lang Lang is of course a brilliant pianist with an astounding technique but for him it's clearly just a showpiece, everything just flows along nicely and brilliantly. His performance isn't bad at all, in fact it's really fun to listen to and to watch but his interpretation lacks the depth and the drama of Kissin's performance.
@@hansmahr8627 maybe because they interpret it differently, and also they have different audiences. Notice how Lang's audience clapped *during* the performance. Both performances, and approches have merit. Let's enjoy both for what they are, and the piece for what it is; a musically great showpiece.
@@hansmahr8627 It's his interpretation and you should respect it. If you don't like him, it's fine. Just don't listen to him. You think that Lang Lang lacks depth and drama? Ok, who cares?
No comparaison, 2 different styles and 2 wonderful musicien
Ok so whoever is able to play lizt is a legend. Anyone could interpret it in thousands of ways. Each pianist has his own playing. Also lang lang is amazing just for being able to play that so good.
I have never heard anything like kissings playing! Like that person is superhuman!
Both has different touch, Lang Lang has more relaxed touch vs Kissing -technical , you can hear Lang lang's touch has reached its maturity.
Lang Lang’s mind body connection is so good he’s on another level where he has space to flow with embellishment when his heart sees fit. Lots of other pianists have to work so hard to play and LL makes it look easy. It says nothing of being an entertainer and says everything about his ability to enter a flow state. He is the Bruce Lee of the Piano.
Yea yea, but he played it simplified...
lol
Two différent interprétations of this master piece. Both of them so talented. What a performance!
That Kissin performance was so fantastic.
I love both interpretations but I veer towards EV’s because of the tone variety and richness and clarity. I found it moving.
Lang Lang’s interpretation is a joy to watch and listen to. But both performances stir the soul!!!
Not a fan of Lang Lang but credit where credit is due. He plays this beautifully.
Quite a lot better than Kissin for what it's worth
They are both awesome. They do have different way how to delivery their expression of emotion toward playing the piece. It's matter of interpretation of by the Spectators or Audience.
I'd love to have it explained to me - - where in hell is the "emotion" in this showpiece?
Personally Lang Lang actually is also using his musical prerogative here to play passages differently to achieve his musical goal so although he definitely entertained, he was more than musical.
I am an 80 year old lady and Starting piano classes,
With all due respect for the opinions of the music expert people here.
When I listen to both pieces there is a great difference and I prefer the first interpretation.
Greetings.
The problem is the title has nothing to do with the original intent of the composer because we don’t know unless the composer specifies this. You are comparing two musicians whose sole job is to interpret the piece. They are both musicians and entertainers at the same time. To say that one is specifically interpreting the piece as a musician and not an entertainer is false as again you have no idea what the original intent of the composer was. You simply have your idea or a pop cultures idea of how a piece of music should be played. It’s a more mature view to express which interpretation you like rather than stating the musician is only playing the piece for entertainment purposes or specifically for musicianship.
In many ways I agree with what you are saying, but in my opinion it makes a difference wether you are playing a piece with the intention of achieving a good performance or pleasing an audience. Technically it is impossible to play a piece without interpreting it. But when langlang is performing just about anything, I simply get the impression that he doesn't even care about the music he's playing. That might not be true; it bothers me anyway.
@@tarokan_nor I agree. And it's for that reason that no matter how prodigious the talent of Lang lang, I can't stand watching him.
To think that one of his teachers was the highly respected pianist and pedagogue Gary Graffman.
@@tarokan_nor That is a lot of work to put in to not care about the music.
@@tarokan_nor 😬
With all due respect, even if Kissin had met Lang Lang, he wouldn't have said such a thing. Both of them were invited to the Verbier Festival in Switzerland at the same time, and they just have different styles of staging and understanding of music, and Lang Lang is even better in terms of technique.
Now, I will say that personally I don't like a lot of Lang Lang performances, I just don't feel like they speak to me, as a musician myself. I find a lot of his interpretations very surface-level and lacking any sort of subtlety (a good example being Chopin's Ballade 4 or Heroic Polonaise, where I feel he completely butchers the piece beyond belief). However, I also feel it's clear that Lang Lang is trying to attract a different sort of audience- a more casual, less involved audience who isn't so well-versed in classical music. Like it or not, people who seriously invest time into studying or playing classical music are a minority in the world, and Lang Lang is far more popular and financially sound than the majority of serious musicians today because he caters to a wider demographic.
There are more times than I can count where I stumble upon an amazing recording and interpretation of a piece, look up the pianist, and discover that he/she has barely any recognition beyond perhaps a few devoted fans. A good example of this is by far my favorite recording of the Chopin Etudes, made by Frederic Chiu. While the recording itself is fairly popular (although it still pales in view/listen count compared to many Lang Lang recordings) and most people who have heard of it have regarded it as one of the best full recordings of the etudes to date, Chiu himself seems to get little mention or recognition for it and if you ask someone on the street if they've heard of Chiu, you'd get puzzled looks. This is the same for Igor Levit (an outstanding Hammerklavier), Paul Lewis (my favorite Wanderer Fantasy), Grosvenor (an absolutely breathtaking Reminiscences de Norma), Fialkowska, etc.,. All of these pianists are on a completely different level when it comes to interpretation and musicality compared to Lang Lang, and yet they get fairly little recognition outside of very tight-knit classical music communities. Even more popular pianists like Marc-Andre Hamelin, Yundi Li, Zimerman, Argerich, Yuja Wang, Trifonov (all of whom I also view in a much higher regard than Lang Lang) don't have the recognition and likely the wealth and financial stability that Lang Lang has.
I think when Lang Lang does get serious, he is capable of serious musicality and art. His Reminiscences de Don Juan is a testament to that. I've watched his masterclasses and he gives extremely good advice and funnily enough suggests a lot of things that he himself doesn't do in his more outlandish performances (like emphasizing steady rhythm). It's clear that he purposefully does what he does because it lets him put food on the table and be financially successful in a world that is simply not kind to more serious musicians and artists.
OMG!
Definitely butchers a lot of pieces. His Liszt Hungarian rhapsody no 2 is awful as is the end of this
Marc Andre hamelin Norma is fantastic as is any by Marc really.
Volodos hough sokolov Richter etc
yes but what did you think of Kissin's performance here?
@@sat1241 Since Issac Newton so to speak, the Western psyche has been splintered into a million pieces.
But music is at its best when it's
both perceived by the listener and rendered by the artist whole and without reservation. We cannot demand that the artist separate his personna and spirit from the pathos of the musical composition, any more than the artist should deny his or her idiosyncrasies in vain pursuit of the Platonic perfection.
That said, any analysis of Kissin would be redundant or superfluous, like missing the wood for the trees. In my judgment, therefore, the problem is more fundamental than most critics would recognize or like to admit: namely it's the mindset of Western criticism, racked between a fragmented consciousness and an insatiable need for Platonic unity and certainty.
@@sat1241 Don't look for perfection or respectability intellectual or social. Look for life joy happiness and personal integrity in the artistic expressions of an artist. That had to be visual, ironically. That perhaps explains the importance of life performances. But I dare say today audio - videos recordings trump them all.
Id love to be able to “entertain”like him!! I am a concert pianist and know how hard it is to enjoy music and play the piano as only he does!!
I think the problem with a lot of classical music is that it was never recorded, therefore, we have only interpretations. Just because you like Evgeny's interpretation doesn't mean Lang Lang's interpretation is wrong or bad or worse or better. For me I like both of them. It would be interesting to know what Franz Liszt of La Campanella sounded like in order to make a just comparison. Heck, maybe we would like Lang Lang's better or Evgeny's. But we'll never know.
We tend to rave on about the talents expression and interpretation from the great pianists, sometimes ignoring the true miracle; the composer.
Lang Lang is fantastic. Music is notes, intentions, emotions, feelings and i have the feeling that Lang Lang "lives" the piece, not just executes the music. Wonderful