Eye of the Hurricane
I went home and slept 13 hours last night. The competition has been so exhilarating that I’ve only been sleeping three to five hours per night. Now, with some day-after rejuvenation and coherence, let me add a few more comments on the finalists.
Roberto Plano, in my view, is the clear gold medalist. I’ve already raved about his semifinal recital and need say no more here. I would add only that he has a real chance to make a long-lived, world-class career as a pianist.
Alexander Kobrin is another favorite, though more controversial. I find his playing the chilliest and most calculated of anyone in the competition. I was so repelled by his Rachmaninoff Etudes-tableaux that I nearly had to leave the concert hall. Afterwards, I was almost physically ill and could hardly speak. This has happened to me only once before, after being forced to listen to a half-hour medley of Broadway show tunes. I hope that Kobrin’s playing grows on me in the finals.
Davide Cabassi was a real surprise. He was one of my personal top six, but I thought his playing would be too polarizing to make the finals. I’m happy to be wrong on this one.
To understand the selection of Sa Chen and Chu-Fang Huang, this excerpt from the Voting Procedures (printed in the competition program on page 42) may be helpful:
“The votes throughout the entire competition are not cumulative, and there is no weighting of any phase. The jury must take into consideration ALL THE PERFORMANCES [emphasis added] given by the competitor being scored up to the time a ballot is cast.”
In other words, points are not cumulative, but a judge’s vote must reflect the totality of a pianist’s performances up to that point. Everyone was stunned by Sa Chen’s “Gaspard de la Nuit” in the preliminaries, and this was apparently enough to compensate for some overly careful playing in her Chopin B minor Sonata. (Or maybe the jury actually liked that sluggish finale; who knows?)
Chu-Fang Huang’s preliminary round recital was also warmly received. Given the bookend of her sparkling Schumann Quintet, her middle-of-the-road semifinal recital did not keep her out of the finals.
Nonetheless, I would definitely have preferred Feng and Martinez over Sa Chen and Huang. The elimination of Martinez is an even bigger surprise than the inclusion of Cabassi. Her playing had such straightforward appeal that I thought she would have no trouble making the finals. I want to hear her again, and expect I will — though unfortunately not in this competition.
Feng is an even bigger disappointment since I found her playing more interesting than anyone else’s except Roberto Plano’s. Feng is perhaps the most psychologically complex of all the performers, playing extroverted works with virtuosity but unexpected introspection, and unashamedly exploring all the dark, neurotic corners of Brahms’s music. I was looking forward to her Beethoven Fourth Concerto in the finals, and hope I’ll have a chance to hear it someday.
Finally, there’s Joyce Yang. Her Prokofiev Second Concerto should be a treat, but beyond that … well, we’ll see. I’m afraid there’s going to be another split gold medal between Plano and Yang, which would be unfortunate — though better than Yang winning a solo gold, or sharing it with Kobrin.
- Carl Tait
5:54 PM, 30 May 2005
May 30th, 2005 at 6:15 pm
Carl,
I agree with you about Plano, as a true gold medal material.
This competition will disclose itself whether it is one of ‘local’ ones with peculiar accent, or one with dignity. The whole world would view the result as a comedy or drama.
Some said US needs more audience which is very true. However choosing the hype would be just cruel to the young musician who needs to learn more. We have to ask Government, or President Bush in Texas right there, to fund more for arts and education, rather than promoting sports and athletes.
Soviet Union used to generate numerous starts under its policy to promote music, art, and ballet. There are so many children growing up without knowing anything about classical music, without any exposure to the beauty of good music.
May 31st, 2005 at 7:52 am
I happen to agree (although I did not read the article) about Plano being unmusical in the Dvorak. I found Joyce Yang riveting. I also found that she and the Quartet clicked beautifully–a sign of a great musician. I believed at the end of the Yang performance that if the Takacz would have to play with someone as youthful, as musical and as inspirational as this young lady, they would not retire. The Dvorak put Joyce Yang ahead of Plano. Also her choice of repertoire. I will take a great Haydn over a lonnnnnnng Schubert any day!
May 31st, 2005 at 7:54 am
Correction to the above. I meant those two Scarlatti gems and the Liszt. I know audience pleasers but what the heck, folks. We need to enjoy life more.
May 31st, 2005 at 8:04 am
I would like to voice my compliments to the members of the Quartet. What a phenomenal group. In a way, just getting to play with them in the semifinals is a prize in itself: a musical one.
May 31st, 2005 at 8:08 am
Rosie,
Of all the people writing in this blog, you seem to be the most off- the-mark in your musicianship. If you’re so interested in crowd pleasing events and that is all you care for, don’t bother going to concerts. Try a musical, or a movie. Do try to have a broader perspective.
May 31st, 2005 at 8:12 am
Plano is leaps and bounds above Joyce Yang. and so are the rest of the finalists.
Don’t degrade the likes of Plano and Kobrin by comparing them to a non imaginative player like Yang.
May 31st, 2005 at 8:16 am
Bravo, Matt! you said what I exactly feel.
May 31st, 2005 at 8:31 am
I am sorry if some of you are tied up to the past. I happen to love Argerich (she will never grow old), Kissin, Li Yundi, Lang Lang in many concerts, all different and all special. For me there is not ONE WAY to play anything. I happen to go to concerts and let the performer take me on their journey. I leave at home my concept of the piece. I must say, dear people, that I probably enjoy concerts more than you do. And then there is a Radu Lupu who makes me think, and a Mendelssohn from Perrahia that can be charming and divine. See? I love life, I love music. And, I am sorry to insult YOUR preconceived ideas. I loved Yang in her youthful playing, Martinez in her Latin exhuberance, and yes, Plano made me think, but his Dvorak did not move me. And we go on. However I am not trying to insult any of you and/or your ideas. I just share my own. To judge my comments as off the mark in musicianship tells me that perhaps YOU ARE OFF on soul, perspective, and just LOVE, my child!
May 31st, 2005 at 8:54 am
Just to add a little more, I happen to agree with Carl on his visceral reaction to the Kobrin’s Rach Etudes. Anyone who has listened to Rachmaninoff himself or owns A Window in Time CD and happens to agree with me that Sergey Rachmaninoff was the ultimate pianist in charm, beauty, and message, would feel that Kobrin let his Russian colleague down. It was a heavy, deliberate reading. I did leave the broadcast too. So if I would have been in Fort Worth, I would have taken Carl for a coffee break! And because I left the computer, it took Kobrin’s chances out FOR ME! That is all I can share, MY OPINIONS, my views, my perspectives. Since you do not know who I am (some would be surprised) I think it is interesting your appraisal that my musicianship is OFF.
May 31st, 2005 at 9:42 am
Rosie, it makes sense you left the broadcast (and did not hear the rest of it), as your comments in all that I’ve read seem focused on pushing only one person in the competition. I think this does a disservice to your favorite as it just looks like more PR, because its focus is only one, sincere as you might be. I love reading the commentary here, as long as it looks really interested in the entire competition and all the pianists who have worked for 4+ years for this event. It’s an exemplary group of extraordinary Musicians.
May 31st, 2005 at 9:57 am
Rosie —
I won’t argue with a certain amount of audience-pleasing in classical music. A few days ago I made the crude argument about who buys tickets and supports music, and music history would teach anyone that this has always been a business, even for composers, and many of their works were not intended in “untouchable seriousness” anyway.
Having said that . . . Here’s the problem with the argument about the Schubert that you made in a prior thread and comes back up here and is really a bigger argument about popularizing versus intellectualism (to put it in the fewest words): the audience already told us in their response to Roberto Plano that complex, difficult works expressing the finest emotions and raising the deepest issues are engaging them in the hands of the right performer. The question is not what repertoire should be played or whether “intellectualism” can’t be sustained; it can — it just depends on the abilities of the artist. That is why many of us get excited about Roberto Plano.
The problem with too much emphasis on “audience appeal” is that there is room for the serious musician to teach the audience to want even finer things than perhaps they realize they do, to touch a level of emotion and to open up ideas to the audience that they didn’t realize were there. I have respect for audiences, and I think that is not only possible but is what artists can and should be doing. I think we saw someone doing that during Roberto Plano’s semifinal. Carl is right; that recital was not designed to be an audience pleaser, but what Plano showed is that he is capable of making it an audience pleaser, which is a much more important talent. I will not be in the least offended if the jury awards that in this competition; I think it’s what they should be rewarding.
So to say that audiences can’t take rambling Schubert . . . well, apparently they can. Now, we have yet to see if Joyce Yang can do something equivalent. Perhaps she can. But we now know that Plano can do it, and that’s an incredibly important dimension to his playing which only he has shown; that’s what the argument for Plano is about. Further, though he seems more controversial (Plano would have been as well but for the semi), quite a few people did stay in the hall to listen to Alexander Kobrin, and partly because I think he can perceive the sort of depth we are talking about — the pure musicianship may have been off; I can’t judge that — but he had some hefty things to say about issues that should and do engage people, and some of us heard them, at least. I think he can probably communicate and teach those finer things as well, though demonstrating that has not been his goal up to this point. Of course, he may also be more limited. We’ll see more as these folks play the second half of their music.
I cannot accept, given what happened in the semis, that preferring Joyce Yang to Roberto Plano is about preferring audience appeal to elitism. You yourself may not prefer Plano. That’s OK; there’s more than one view. What those of us who are impressed with Plano see is that his performance gave audiences a better reason to like him and what he does than the reasons that so far Joyce Yang has given, and the audience responded that they like his reason! That really is very impressive. It’s the best of what great musicians can do, it seems to me, and I have great respect and admiration that he both strives for and achieves it.
May 31st, 2005 at 10:02 am
Dear Andrys, I am not pushing anyone. I just have favorites like anyone. There was a young man whom I found fascinating - he played the Dallapicola Paganini Variations. I thought he was a miniaturist with the greatest colors in the business. Disagreed with his repertoire but it was an incredible universe. Moutouzkine had some special moments. And then it was the Elizabeth Roe child. Wonderful playing, profound and beautiful. Unfortunately they are gone. I remember a Grace Fong’s Lilacs so heavenly played. I have had many favorites. Somehow they were taken from me.
May 31st, 2005 at 10:28 am
Dear Jennifer,
There is also the problem with listening to the webcast and I am thrilled that we have this opportunity. I have had computer problems and have missed moments and pieces in just about everyone’s program. So my favorites come from what I heard not the entirety of the performance. I was lucky to hear Yang’s Dvorak and also Plano–same piece-same Quartet-entirely different view. I take the Yang girl. For example there was a magnificent Haydn C Major by Huang but other pieces I did not enjoy at the same level and then the Roe young lady, I loved her. So honestly involved in her playing.
I also noticed the tightness on Kobrin’s face. Has anyone noticed that? It seems to have a reflexion on his playing at times. There I go again, right? Plano had some fabulous playing and unfortunately I missed a lot except the Schubert and the Dvorak. So if I do not put him upthere, blame the computer???
I remember a few years ago reading (I had some in my hands) some of Mahler’s letters. He did not think much of Brahms as a composer. Now, would Andrys think that Mahler was on a campaign. Would Matt think that Mahler was off in musicianship? We are all different. Thank God!
May 31st, 2005 at 10:42 am
Some performers do practice or have been coached choreograph on stage. Kobrin’s teacher Mr. Naumov would not. It is whether teachers or performers view music as a theatre entertainment or pure music. Kobrin is a purist. We should LISTEN to what they express rather than WATCH.
May 31st, 2005 at 11:03 am
Rosie, as far as I can tell. You’re either Veda Kaplinsky or the likes there of, which in my opinion, after seeing the entire competition, is nothing to be proud of.
May 31st, 2005 at 11:09 am
I am really intrigued by Matt. I met Ms Kaplinsky very briefly. Why do you seem to hate this lady? She seemed awfully nice. And, for your information, I have judged with others who have worked with her in other juries. Everyone thinks that she is of the highest moral quality. In fact, I was told yesterday by a dear old friend that she is completely CLEAN and unbiased. So what do you feel that she has done to YOU personally? Why don’t you share that? I am just curious like everyone else?
May 31st, 2005 at 11:12 am
Andrys, I already love you even if we disagree about Kobrin. I have sat through many Concertgebouw concerts in Holland in absolute HEAVENS listening to Mahler. Do you like Medtner too? I heard Kissin a couple of weeks ago dig deep in the depth of darkness. It was something!! And I am a bright person but Mahler touches me in the depth of my soul. So I found a soulmate?
May 31st, 2005 at 11:12 am
And one more thing, Rosie, for someone so outspoken in the last round as you have been, you have not once shared your enthusiasm for Fong, Moutouzkine, and Roe in these blogs whom you state that you also liked. I find that incredibly entertaining.
As other people have also commented, if you have favorites, point them all out. To me, it seems that in the last several days, you’ve somehow managed to neglect everyone else, more deserving of attention. And, it’s interesting also that as disgusted as you are with people hiding under false names, you have done that yourself. Your obvious identity is only harming your reputation.
May 31st, 2005 at 11:17 am
Rosie, everyone reading these blogs are more intrigued by you. And for someone who hints at being a musician, I’m surprised that anyone will tell you that Kaplinsky is CLEAN. I will not talk about this anymore as I know that the truth about Ms.K and her honesty will be known before too long.
May 31st, 2005 at 11:22 am
Matt,
I only discovered this blog a few days ago. Unfortunately you would have been bothered much further by my thoughts if I found it in the previous rounds. But again, I am not asking for you to give us your name, address, and or e-mail, I would like to know why you can hate someone so deeply.
See Matt, I do not have any hates in my life. I find your negativism all consumming. Unfortunately it is going to destroy you. I love people and if there is anything that I could do to change your attitude in life, I would try my best. I do have dislikes and I despise people who try to destroy the life and the reputation of others. I am not harming MY REPUTATION as I am not out to get anyone out there. Never have, never will!
We live in a world where hate has created a lot of despair, agony and pain. Why don’t you look ahead, PRACTICE MORE (?) and find a positive passion in life. BUILD, Matt, DO NOT DESTROY. You will only end up destroying YOURSELF!
May 31st, 2005 at 11:24 am
thank you buddha.
May 31st, 2005 at 11:28 am
I do not understand that word, Matt. Where are you from?
May 31st, 2005 at 11:54 am
I am so amused by you, dear Matt. I would love to just give you hints of who I am. It may make you feel more comfortable. I am a pianist. I come from a Latin American country but have lived away from my country most of my life. So, for your information, I am not the lady you think that I am.
May 31st, 2005 at 12:28 pm
I apologize Matt. I just realized that if you would have capitalized Buddha I would have understood. I put his name IN CAPITAL LETTERS!!! By the way I speak better Spanish and French than I do English. So I apologize to the blog audience.
May 31st, 2005 at 12:39 pm
Rosie,
I think I met you briefly one afternoon in Bruxelles last year.
And for some reason my last post was deleted. I predicted on Sunday Yang and Plano for the split gold. Then, I looked at the programs, and became even more convinced. Roberto Plano, being a friend and all around great guy, is the man. GO PLANO! Congrats to him on such an amazing success so far!
Matt,
Maybe you will have the opportunity to study with Rosie. I wish I did.
May 31st, 2005 at 2:33 pm
Andrys — there is one more person who reacted with revulsion to Kondrin’s Rach Etudes: me. I’m in total agreement with Carl on this one; I was so severely disappointed and put off by the performance I almost didn’t recognize the music. I can’t think of a less emotionally involved performance of that set … but this, in a way, intrigues me. I’m going to listen to the archived performance again to try and understand it. I prize distinctiveness in a pianist, and even when I hate the result I respect the individuality. Nothing repels me more than a pianist who has nothing to say, and I believe Kondrin was saying things. He and I just might not have much to talk about [g].
Plano is the one for me, until I am swayed in another direction. Cabassi was on my short list, and I’m delighted he’s in the finals. I hope he continues his dark-horse success.
Is anyone else bummed at the lack of variety in the concerto phase?
May 31st, 2005 at 2:34 pm
Andrys –
Vis a vis folks who I would have been glad to make the semifinals. Six were on my list, but I didn’t feel super strongly about those who didn’t make it except for Alexei Grynyuk and Stephen Beus, both of which I thought (and still do think, even after hearing semifinal performances) should have gotten into the semis ahead of several who moved on. I also hoped to see a place in the semis for Mariya Kim, who was so different from many of the others.
May 31st, 2005 at 2:36 pm
Did I just write “Kondrin” instead of Kobrin? Yikes. I must have hated those Etudes so much I refuse to even spell the man’s name correctly!
May 31st, 2005 at 6:49 pm
Jesse,
It is possible at Martitas?
May 31st, 2005 at 6:51 pm
Jesse,
By any chance, are you Maria’s student or friend? Just guessing, that is all.
June 1st, 2005 at 6:14 am
Rosie,
I have studied and am a close friend of her student Fabio (if we are talking about the same person). Of course, I am guessing who you are, so… I was in Brussels a number of times last year for study, and one afternoon we met, and I offered to pray about a certain matter, and you wanted to hear me play on a later date. Also, you were getting ready for Italy and Japan at the time. I do hope to see you again. Now, there is a pianist Maria living in Brussels (from Spain) that I know, we were studying in the same program. But your Maria is older, right?
June 1st, 2005 at 7:26 am
Rosie:
I am a little intrigued that you mention your experience in music and judging but you criticize the playing of Schubert. I am a big Schubert fan, and was deeply distressed by that comment. While I am not saying that you must like Schubert, I am sure a learned musician like you can appreciate him and realize that to play him or any of his “long” sonatas well is one of the ultimate challenges for any pianist. In fact, the sonata that Plano played is one of the shorter ones, and also one of the most difficult to play convincingly. I also love audience pleasers, but I think a good program should be well balanced and contain a little bit of everything. And especially in these types of competitions, where we are bombarded with million-note blockbusters and the excitement of fortissimo playing, it is very soothing and rewarding to hear pieces that are more musical and melodic; in fact, I am surprised of the very little Schubert that we have heard this year. Also, if you own Reflections from the Keyboard, by David Dubal, please refer to the interview with Andras Schiff in terms of the importance of programming these types of pieces. If not, I will be glad to post it in another comment.
I think we should all be more open with repertoire, beginning with the judges. I learned that one of them said that he did not enjoy romantic music as much and that there should be more Haydn. Excuse me, but do you think that this person can adequately judge the Cliburn, where a big emphasis is given to the Romantic repertoire?
June 1st, 2005 at 8:49 am
Andrys - My mom n I attended the prelims in the recital hall (love to watch the hands n faces on the big screen!) We’re not experts but here’s a list of those who moved us: akopova (expressive if nervous), fong (serene, versatile w/ a deft touch), beus (a young van cliburn w/ great hands), lee (animated and elegant), zlabys (emotionally powerful), martinez (great fun to watch/hear), moutouzkine (diverse and entertaining program), feng (romantic n fiery), rashkovsky (swoon), jie chen (poised, light touch), and yang (she plays w/ such joy!) We were sorry that an and mazo made the semis at the expense of some of our faves (both were too intense for us), but as I said in another thread, there are no bad choices in the whole bunch! I’d gladly pay to see more than half of the competitors again (cabassi, fong, franceschetti, sa and jie chen, beus, plano, lee, zlabys, martinez, moutouzkine, feng, wang, rashkovskiy, shi, wu, yang and huang) and would buy cds of those and mamriev, grynyuk, koltakov, and kobrin. Perhaps my taste is not very discriminating, but I think the standard of performance is better than ever and am sure those who win medals will represent the cliburn well!
June 1st, 2005 at 9:53 am
peggi, I was able to hear most of those you mentioned and was a bit shocked and puzzled (and displeased) that some didn’t move on. But that is competition life, I guess. Thanks for the descriptions along with the names! I hope fine playing like that isn’t forgotten (level seemed so high this year) and I guess the CDs and/or DVDs selling at the Competition now are or will be available to the general public? Maybe with complimentary copies to critics so they get some exposure for all years of preparation for this event?
June 1st, 2005 at 11:46 am
Peggi –
Agree with you about Alexey Koltakov. Frankly, I think he failed to live up to expectations, and that sealed his fate. He actually played well in the prelims; just not as well as one might have hoped. My first thought when I saw him and the relaxation he appeared to have that “experience counts.” I’m less sure I was right about that now. I think experience hurt him.
The CD of Alexei Grynyuk is excellent (I enjoy the DVD as well, but then I have a soft spot for “good looking young Ukrainians” that others might not share). I’m not sure he offers normal folks (wink!) much more on DVD than on CD, however. The way his fingers move over the keys is beautiful, however, but if that’s what grabs you, you want a DVD of Alexander Kobrin.
My understanding is that CDs and DVDs will be available to the general public and it’s possible to get order forms here that you can send back in later. I’d email the giftshop or the foundation if it’s not obvious from the website now.
June 1st, 2005 at 11:47 am
Oh, and Andrys –
I’m curious about who you thought, after hearing/seeing more, should have gone on to the semis who didn’t.