The Piano (ch 4)

[Wowbagger]

Just settling down to watch the Channel 4 series, episode 1.

I take issue with one of the presenter's opening statements "Lang land is widely acclaimed as the world's top pianist of modern times..." or words to that effect.

He's OK, but I rate quite a few above him. Interesting that not long ago there was a master class broadcast in which Lang Lang was Daniel Barenboim's pupil...

[T42]

Thought you meant that bloody miserable Jane Campion film. Glad it ain't so.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I haven’t seen it yet but found this fascinating:

https://soundtouch.ambertrust.org/services/instrumental-and-vocal-tuition/stories/lucys-story/

That link followed a post about Lucy:

https://twitter.com/Channel4/status/1625902770648924160?s=20

I do wish the clip wasn’t interrupted with Lang Lang’s comments though.

[Wowbagger]

Absolutely blown away.

14-year-old girl with all kinds of massive problems from birth, including total blindness, just played a Chopin piece with great passion and delicate artistry. I've never seen anything quite like that.

Edit: the judges used the same words: "Just blew us away."

[Legs]

A bit late to the party in this, Jo and I began watching last night.  Fascinating.

[Wowbagger]

Absolutely blown away.

14-year-old girl with all kinds of massive problems from birth, including total blindness, just played a Chopin piece with great passion and delicate artistry. I've never seen anything quite like that.

Edit: the judges used the same words: "Just blew us away."

I'm watching the final. Lucy played Debussy's first arabesque, a piece on the Associated Board list of piece at approximately Grade 7, I think. The audience was utterly spellbound.

[fimm]

Absolutely blown away.

14-year-old girl with all kinds of massive problems from birth, including total blindness, just played a Chopin piece with great passion and delicate artistry. I've never seen anything quite like that.

Edit: the judges used the same words: "Just blew us away."

I'm watching the final. Lucy played Debussy's first arabesque, a piece on the Associated Board list of piece at approximately Grade 7, I think. The audience was utterly spellbound.

What did you make of her performance, Wowbagger? She's obviously remarkable, but if you closed your eyes and didn't know who was playing, how would you react?
I have not watched the series, but I did happen to see the clip of Lucy in the final on YouTube, and would be interested in hearing someone else's thoughts.

[Wowbagger]

I've been playing that piece for ages and I don't think I've ever played it as well as she did. I think I may have detected one slip. I've never played it that fast either, although I think it tends to be played faster than I do by good pianists.

I think there's a video somewhere of Yuja Wang playing it as an 8 year old or something.

Here: she's 9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuDuIenxY1I&ab_channel=Peter2.0

To me, that's just too fast.