Nice meet you Hannah! You can do it. I am not good pianist but I can play this piece. I had played at open hall in front of over one hundred persons when I was 52 years old. Even though not prefect but I had tear with joy. This piece make me full heart. Hannah! You can do it. Right now let's practice.
Yuja's technique is obviously great, but what really stands out to me is how smart of a player she is. Her performances are so intuitive and nuanced, they just feel right.
This instrument she is playing, sounds really like a piano should sound. She gets out of it 100 different intensities, her pianissimo is pianissssssimo, her fortissimo is fortissssssssimo. What an amazing performer, what a musician, her sensibility is beyond belief. thanks Yuja for bringing tears to my eyes. Chopin would be so very proud of you. Jose Zamora
I love Yuga Wang. Sometimes I think she is assaulting the piano, other times she is making love to it! How can so much talent fit in such a small person?
This is definition of a true genius. Her own interpretation, does not care about any rules. Music flowing naturally. Chopin would be full of joy himself on such playing!
@@patriciagraham222 Playing the piano is not genius. 'The composer is the God I'm just the interpreter'. Valentina Lisitsa. One of the top five super virtuoso pianists today.
Student recitals at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia are such an amazing thing because a few times a year you get to see young people who are quite clearly going to be superstars. Great things were expected of Yuja Wang from the time she set foot in Philadelphia. You can certainly see from this performance that she was ready for the world stage. But it would have been impossible to predict her level of superstardom. There's a good argument she's the most important pianist in the world under 40 right now.
Ooof this comment did not age well after two years. There's a good argument she's now the most important pianist in the world period, regardless of age :D
@@DrDLL99 Can't argue with that. She is setting new standards. Her virtuosity and stamina (and of course good taste and insight) are allowing her to redefine some of the music she's playing. She will be influential. She plays lightly with incredible clarity. Young people will be trying to emulate her Hammerklavier for years to come.
You couldn't expect because at the time she was dressing properly. If you listen to that extraordinary Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, same age as Wang and same virtuosity, you will hear the difference : incredibly deep understanding and respect of composers ' styles which gives strong emotions to the audience. (And he won the Van Cliburn International Competition in 2009... despite his blindness).
I have never commented before on an online forum but I've been a professional musician for over 30 years and have adjudicated various competitions around the world. One might do things differently, but this is still sensational piano playing. In a difficult "lockdown" situation her Mendelssohn 1st Concerto with Kurt Masur at the Verbier Festival on You Tube is truly joyous music making. A spectacularly gifted musician just having fun! There's a childlike sense of wonder about it all and a playfulness that everyone I've shared it with just loves. Hope you love it too...
What I hate about piano critics is that everyone has a different idea for interpretation of the piece, and they all can't accept different interpretations because they feel that theirs is 100% correct. Therefore, every piano performance will always have blood suckers complaining no matter how good it is.
Yes, what pianists do is to describe the feeling of the composer, and everyone have their own opinion, it's just different people, why do they need to be the same?
+Kataune Miku that's right for those reasoning with their own gut... you recognize them because they say something like "too fast" "too slow", no emotions etc. Nonetheless, there are some unbiased factors that can be used to evaluate a performance, such as coherence in interpretation, phrasing, managing stress moments, ability to exalting and disentangling different voices.. etc. Some factors need expertise in piano technique to understand what passages are more tricky or difficult to render in a certain manner. Anyway, do not be too much critic about critics, music is love so there is also hate. It's not jealousy. If everybody say that all is beautiful it would be pretty boring and meritocracy wouldn't exist. P.S. I'm not criticizing this interpretation!
What is going on with people dissing on her here? this lady is a really fine pianist and this was a good interpretation, it's not my favorite but I still acknowledge the sensitivity that she has and Chopin himself said "Put all your soul in it, play the way you feel", and she definitely did that, you might not like everything she did, I didn't like everything she did but I did like a lot of the liberties she took and you have to admit that it has great sensitivity and she plays with passion and you have to respect that because not everyone can play like this, also she is a professional pianist that has been playing her whole life and performed in some of the biggest halls worldwide so she knows what she is doing better than anyone commenting here on UA-cam, and she was very young here so this was a fantastic interpretation for such a young age.
@TheGreenPianist , WHAT didn't you like she did? The ONLY thing I did NOT like was she did not give an encore !!! Her interpretation of Chopin's Ballade in G minor was magnificent !!!
...she breaths through the piano keys... she feels through the sounds.. she exists through the music .. she is letting herself to be filled, and she fills anyone and anything whoever is around with the emotions out of place and time.. I'm grateful to whoever is responsible for spotting and developing this amazing talent.. and I am a bit sorry for the artist though... as- as we all know : "With great power comes great responsibility".. Sending my love to Yuja.. be strong, beautiful...
I was fortunate enough to be there in person for this recital! I had never heard of Yuja Wang before, but I can assure you that after that recital (which also included such show-stoppers as the Prokofiev Toccata and Ravel's piano version of "La Valse") she became unforgettable in my mind forever.
@@Fomites Yes, I was there live and in person with my date, at the Curtis Institute's Field Recital Hall in Center City Philadelphia! I will always remember!
False. Lang Lang is much better. And Yunchan Lim is probably the most talented prodigy in the world right now that will take both of their spots in about 10 years
Ich muss zugeben, sie berührt mich nicht tief im Herzen. Dafür ist ihre Interpretation zu perfekt.. Sie ist zu sehr im Verstand. Das sind die meisten Pianisten leider. Auf Kosten von Gefühl, Herz...
Having heard this piece so many many times I was beginning to become a bit jaded to the genius of the music, and then Yuja comes along and revives it all. Grateful.
Les 15 dernières années ont pleinement confirmé le remarquable talent de Yuja qui éclate ici alors qu'elle n'a que 19 ans. C'est clairement une des plus grandes pianistes des années actuelles en devenir. Je suis d'autant plus frappé qu'à cet âge on pourrait craindre beaucoup de vitesse et d'éclats ; pas du tout Yuja révèle une admirable sensibilité et profondeur.
Not only a great performance, but also a unique performance. For me it's unique because of the extreme sensitivity and sensibility demonstrated by the great pianist Yuja Wang. Its here strong technique that leads to such an enhanced sensitivity an romanticism in her performance. This is unique. One of a kind!
Beauty should not be a factor in evaluating a musical performance! Unfortunately it color's so many people's opinions and adds extra undeserved points to a woman's performance in too many instances. Yuja Want doesn't wear microdresses for nothing. That said I did like her interpretation of this piece and I thought she did a good job. I wouldn't place this performance on par with other world class performers but as has been pointed out she was only 21 so give her a decade and she'll be up there with the rest of them.
You played it wonderfully. You are amazing full with emotions. Thank you. I just listened to from the start to the end (its not obvious) When I was about 25 (37 years ago), I played it the way you interpreted it with minor differences 😊, my professor was influenced by Horowitz and Rubinstein, thus do I ❤ After 30 years not playing at all - I decided to play it again, I didn't remember I was struggling so much like now.
Jiminy Chrismas! This "gal" is incredible! Just her virtuosity alone is spellbinding, but she also plays with tender lyricism here as well. Stunning performance and done as part of a graduation recital! I read somewhere once that Chopin advised a student to play with all their soul. Detractors here can say she plays too fast, slow down, etc., but I find her abandon here to be electrifying! What I wouldn't give to be able to play this great Ballade like this! Bravo, Yuja Wang! And many thanks to "Excellent interpretation" for uploading this superb performance!
Awe inspiring. I don't really even get how it is possible for a person to play a song like this, but I am sitting here with goosebumps on my arms anyway.
As I look at some of the, shall we say, less than complimentary comments here, I feel that most of the nit picky posts come from those who are convinced they know something real. Having been involved in music for nearly 60 years; both performing and enjoying all over the world countless performers, I will share that it is extremely rare for me to find an artist who is SO talented they move something deep inside me emotionally. It doesn't matter to me about their gender, the instrument, their nationality, or anything else. Yuja Wang MOVES me deeply. She excites me in her technique, interpretation, and approach. It astounds me that she's so young and gives me awesome pause imagining her abilities in the future. I don't claim to be an expert or "highbrow," or anything of the sort. It doesn't matter to me if her instrument is flawless in every way or it isn't because it's utterly irrelevant. Her interpretations playing Chopin are incredible. They don't always fit MY views, but I will point out that everyone sees EVERYTHING differently - it's human nature. What most impresses me is that she doesn't PLAY her instrument, she EXPRESSES on it. I think she's incredibly amazing . . . PERIOD!
If music as it is presented moves you that is a very personal experience. I had the privilege of seeing Ms Wang and found her playing an amazing experience, something I will never forget. For those that have the ability to feel the music in their soul it is a living thing that no other stimuli can equal. As young children in school we were so fortunate to have an amazing music teacher that taught us to appreciate great music. Even though most of us did not become musicians he instilled in us the desire to seek out styles that move us, what greater thing could a teacher accomplish, he changed our lives. I've sought out and witnessed amazing performances throughout my life in many places because of this man. Thank God for great teachers!
As an asian musician(violin) myself, I agree with your comment partly. No one can denied you were moved by Yuja's performance. However, classical music is surely european culture. We have to respect about that. The composers like Mozart and Chopin requires certain study about their style which even european students has to learn. Yuja's Chopin wasn't in that manner. This performance lacked the essence of Chopin. The same reason I don't respect Hiraly Hahn's Mozart. There are so many reasons I can respect American education, but it's not perfect. More specifically, I am not comfortable about her way of feeling the first beat and how to flow rest of the bar. Polish has own sense of rhythm which is so strong. It was big influences to the left hand part's artistry, and right hand part's musical flow in Chopin's work. Chopin used his polish background into the great piano works with his unique elegance. Thoughtful tone choices and articulation also requires to fit Chopin as the same case of Mozart.
Yes is, I totally agree that Yuja plays this in an extraordinary way. She succeeds over some musical phrases better than any pianist I have heard play it. This is a sign of an extra-ordinary technique that few pianists have accomplished. In fact if Franz Liszt were here today, one might say she has stolen his shoes-and is wearing them. The blend of her technique and musicology is so fine! I have noticed this in only one other pianist, Martha Argerich. Robert C., Palm Desert CA.
I personally feel like I watched her feelings and heard Chopin's heart pour out through her fingers. Its was not played as if only by rote. Mechanical. Technical. Brava! Beautiful.
Это юность, это первая любовь...это то, что кружит голову, это радость, от которой хочется взлететь....искрящаяся жизнь.....это прошлое...это то, что осталось... Все это в звучащей музыке- спасибо, Юджа!!!
I played this piece at 19. It has some pretty hard sections but all of it is conquerable with the right technique. The music is so compelling that it urges one on to work through the most difficult challenges with sheer determination. I think no. 4 at the end is much harder, as well as scherzo 2 and 3. Everyone has their own demons! And if you really want to talk impossible, try Rach sonata 2 or any of the Liszt transcendental etudes or his Snow Drift. Insane!
JDM 104 i find rachmaninoff's pieces in general to be pretty hard, because of how far apart the notes are. And yeah I find fast songs too difficult for me and I'm pretty ashamed of it myself. (Such as Chopin's revolutionary etude.) I've got a lot to work on.
ilyen fantasztikus előadást soha nem láttam még.......majdnem beleolvad a billentyűkön keresztűl a balladába........mennyei.....földönkivűli alakitás......nagyon köszönöm, hogy láthattam......
Do not compare. Just enjoy. She is into the music, plays nuances everyone could agree to as they follow gravity of movement, flowing through the body, through her hands, and through the heart. There is no best player. On the top, they must be different, or they would not breathe that thin air.. There is just this lady now, gifted to express, energetic and brillant..
Let Wang criticise her own work. My God, it was absolutely perfect! Maybe I liked Horowitz' interpretation a little more, but that's only because I grew up listening to him as a boy. The world is richly blessed to have her!
Well, I am not a critic but I love her playing. I can almost feel what she is feeling in her interpretations and her feel for the piece. That is a sign of a great pianist. Katia possesses this also.
Yuja Wang was a perfect, master piano performer way before this playing at her graduation! There is no one close to her perfection on the piano keys! Remember, she particularly lived on a piano bench since six (6) years young! Also, the forever saying, "What ever is sowed, shall be reaped!" Holds true in every situation!
Only geniuses are Beethoven, Schubert and Chopin just to name a few of classical music composers. Pianists are not geniuses, they are just interpreting and performing music by composers.
this will be the benchmark for centuries to come... Even observing Yuja's back movement, let alone her face, I can tell that she has become one with this beautiful piece.. She does things that just cannot be learned.. They flow from the deep crevices of her complex emotional buildup.
I've literally heard dozens of fine and great pianists perform this Chopin ballade. Yuja Wang brilliance here outshines all other experiences - in power, precision and grace!!!
Like a Ming Dynasty vase, delicately coloured, a recurrent pattern, best china, made of & making history, priceless. Yuja Wang & her performance. Love the Chinese still in her. This is so riveting, committed, dynamic, driven. I am in her thrall.
2:26 is the part where I like to hear the artists' interpretation. I LOVE how she goes slow and progressive instead of going really intense half way through. Very subjective of course! great piece, great interpretation.
Those who caNOT, criticize, those who CAN, enjoy! I enjoyed this performance. In the few years that have passed wince this recording, Yuja Wang is still fulfilling her promise, still "Best Performer of the Year". And still getting better . . . before she's 30 years old.
Nothing quite compares hearing the magnificent sound of chopan on a finely tuned grand piano, expertly played by a very talented pianist, Mis Yuja Wang...very enjoyable, thank you, ✌️
I think most people knew the instant they heard Yuja play that they were witnessing greatness. For the lucky people at this very early recital by Yuja, I'm sure they were floored by what they heard. Thank heavens this recital was recorded so that now it is available for all to hear.
Hey my friends !!! I think that everyone play a piece as it feel it . There is no mistake and correct. The pianists should play the rights keys/ notes and rhythm but the way that you have to express the piece is just about the feeling that catch in your soul . Thanks
Actually I like this version quite a lot although there are a few mistakes. Someone says that she was like a racing car, but in fact she was slower at the beginning than most of others, then she increased fluently to a higher speed. Unlike Argerich or Langlang , she was not that aggressive( in order to express the struggle of Chopin or sth...?), but more poetic without losing strength.
I really like Argerich's playstyle. Its pretty understandable why she isnt for everyone's taste, but please do not put her in the same level as Lang Lang. That guy is a clown and his Chopin is probably the worst I've ever heard. Argerich has brilliant technique, maybe the only pianist who can be comparable to Horowitz's skills. She may play faster than almost everyone, but her phrasing is pretty recognizable, unique style. For me she is always great, its impossible to find her performances boring. Top 3 performances of this ballad are Horowitz, Arrau and Argerich, in my opinion.
6:20 to criticize THIS ? WHAT ?? This is absolutely delightful , tremendously free and sensitive .... full of some essence you'll never be able to reach , you "critics" .... (the fantastic work of the left hand here , only Tamarkina could play like this )
Never in my life I´ve understood why some critics have the right to say "how it should be done" if they haven´t the direct experience. Since when is music a thing which should be played exactly as someone (even if composer) wishes? It´s up to player to decide where should be forte and where pianissimo. I don´t give a damn whether it´s been played the same way a few centuries. If my way is more real for me than how can critics want anything else? Maybe that´s reason I like different music styles better because there aren´t any dummies who haven´t accomplished anything preaching "how it should be done"...
Fritz Maisenbacher amen. This is simply magical. I've taught and played this piece too many times and thought I couldn't have my breath taken away by it. Naturalness one rarely finds, and an apparent absence of ego before the composer.
I don't adore this recording of this - but I think that her playing it now would be stupendous. This is a piece that while amazing youngsters can learn, it's the actual understanding of the phrasing and meaning that brings it to life
Wow! 19years old...chopin is so complicate, complex, sensitive to play, you can find hundred of different interpretations, and in each of them one or several marvelous parts, it depends on your feeling. But she has such a good technic, feeling too, speed... And expression...And now she is even more explosive! I like her very much, you cannot say someone is better, it depends on the music, the age and maturity of the pianist. Listen some slow pieces from Barenboim, no speed but so much expression, or kissin, etc... But this little yuja is really good too.
I know this piece from a few decades ago. I've never heard it played like this but, at least on first listening, I quite like her interpretation. Plenty of energy and passion. Quite a girl, I'd say
She made this ballade her own! 👏👏👏👏👏 Having an Impressive Technique she focuses on interpretation so easily, everywhere... Very sensible interpretation, clear and with so many nuances!
A star is born! No doubt about it. Just glorious playing. Lucky audience. (Of course, by the time of this graduation recital, Yuja had already appeared as a soloist with a number of the world's greatest orchestras while still a student at Curtis.)
I've been searching for this balad for years then I come across this young lady with sich a wise, sweet, excact performance. What can I say? Sheila, have a nice day!
every time, every damn time i hear her play something i know so well, i hear something new that i've never heard anyone else manage. the clarity, the voicing, the original interpretation, makes me scream outloud takes my breath away what humans are able to achieve
I don't have the score before me so I don't know the dynamics. Quite often those details vary from edition to edition. What a lot of people may not know about Chopin is that he performed no more than 30 concerts during his entire lifetime. He was terribly shy and didn't like the almost circus type clamor of the big concert hall. His contemporary, Franz Liszt, on the other hand singlehandedly practically reinvented what we now know as the solo piano recital. Up until that time, musical productions involved many performers, but Liszt changed all of that. He changed the position of the piano so that his profile was to the audience so that the people could see his large flamboyant hands as they flew across the keys. I said all of that to say this. Chopin preffered the salon and its more intimate atmosphere. He was a brilliant pianist and composed some of the most technically demanding works for the piano, but he himself was frail and did not have the physical stamina for the concert hall so that the dynamics of his playing were not as loud and flamboyant as many pianists perform his music today. So a slightly laid back interpretation is truer to the way Chopin performed himself.
I thought it was only 3 concerts. Glad to hear he gave the world more than that. Remember too that pianos back then aren't what they are now, so (a) it was physically impossible to do then what can be done today on any 9 ft grand, and (b) it's physically impossible to do today what could be done then in regards to some pedaling techniques. Regarding the written dynamics I'm pretty sure they're uniform from edition to edition since everyone tries to be true to the original, but this piece has so much texture that it provides ample opportunity for the performer to deviate according to his own ideas and still remain true to the overall narrative.
bittenheroz Fine. If you say so. You may have the last word. It doesn't bother me. By the way, do you believe there was such a person as George Washington, and if so, how do you know? Did you read it somewhere or is it just hearsay?
bittenheroz Chopin was born in 1810 and died of tuberculosis in 1849 at the age of 39. He was ill and very frail all of his adult life because of the tuberculosis. I have read extensively about him and own almost his entire works including the lesser known cello sonata, 17 Polish songs, his piano trio, his piano concerti and the four other works for piano and orchestra. Before you speculate about things of which you are ignorant with an expert who knows what he's talking about, it would be a good idea to study up on the subject so that you don't appear ignorant on this forum for all to see. There are many other people on this forum who can confirm all that I have posted. Have a great day.
This brilliant pianist has got into the heart and soul of Chopin and brings the full range of his emotions to life for us to experience through this glorious piece. We are taken through quiet contemplation into agonizing memories, brought to great heights, playful moments, and dropped unexpectedly into sadness, regrets, or is it love...? What an outstanding performance.
She was a piano master at a very young age, what a big star she has become, her music is living an important mark in classical piano. I love everything about her; the miniskirts and beautiful stilettos she wears, her mastery of the piano, and her irreverence to classical piano norms, that’s what an Artists is by definition.
To play this at all is a great achievement. To play this as Yuja does is beyond my ability to imagine what the hands and heart of a human can do. To have written it is almost God-like. Im weeping as i write.
I WILL NOT DIE BEFORE I CAN PLAY THIS PIECE
It's not that hard really. There's many pieces that are much more difficult.
No, but the rest of us will listening to you try.
@@satrialesporkstore7889 i dont care how difficult it is, that's my statement about it anyway
Nice meet you Hannah! You can do it. I am not good pianist but I can play this piece. I had played at open hall in front of over one hundred persons when I was 52 years old. Even though not prefect but I had tear with joy. This piece make me full heart.
Hannah! You can do it. Right now let's practice.
@@MountainwalkwithMusic thank you very much :)
Yuja's technique is obviously great, but what really stands out to me is how smart of a player she is. Her performances are so intuitive and nuanced, they just feel right.
Wonderful dynamics.
Yeah she just crushes it every time. She says she doesn't even practice before a performance as it throws her off.
Yes I agree- so much better than others imo😊
J'ai rarement entendu cette oeuvre jouée avec autant de sensibilité et de grâce
This instrument she is playing, sounds really like a piano should sound. She gets out of it 100 different intensities, her pianissimo is pianissssssimo, her fortissimo is fortissssssssimo. What an amazing performer, what a musician, her sensibility is beyond belief. thanks Yuja for bringing tears to my eyes. Chopin would be so very proud of you. Jose Zamora
Tf is this ?
Do you mean pianississississimo, and fortissississississimo
I love Yuga Wang. Sometimes I think she is assaulting the piano, other times she is making love to it!
How can so much talent fit in such a small person?
@@cecilogren8616 sounds so 🤨 but perfectly describes it.
Well, the Steinway D helps...
This is definition of a true genius. Her own interpretation, does not care about any rules. Music flowing naturally. Chopin would be full of joy himself on such playing!
No.
The genius is the composer.
@@markrymanowski719 It takes two! The whole performance is magic.
@@patriciagraham222
Playing the piano is not genius.
'The composer is the God
I'm just the interpreter'.
Valentina Lisitsa.
One of the top five super virtuoso pianists today.
@@markrymanowski719 Playing to that amazing level is wonderful - what can you play of Chopin's? - to that high quality?
@@markrymanowski719 Hey Mark! Envy is in not a good guide.
Student recitals at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia are such an amazing thing because a few times a year you get to see young people who are quite clearly going to be superstars. Great things were expected of Yuja Wang from the time she set foot in Philadelphia. You can certainly see from this performance that she was ready for the world stage. But it would have been impossible to predict her level of superstardom. There's a good argument she's the most important pianist in the world under 40 right now.
Ooof this comment did not age well after two years. There's a good argument she's now the most important pianist in the world period, regardless of age :D
@@DrDLL99 Can't argue with that. She is setting new standards. Her virtuosity and stamina (and of course good taste and insight) are allowing her to redefine some of the music she's playing. She will be influential. She plays lightly with incredible clarity. Young people will be trying to emulate her Hammerklavier for years to come.
You couldn't expect because at the time she was dressing properly. If you listen to that extraordinary Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, same age as Wang and same virtuosity, you will hear the difference : incredibly deep understanding and respect of composers ' styles which gives strong emotions to the audience. (And he won the Van Cliburn International Competition in 2009... despite his blindness).
She is nowhere near "the best"
@@DrDLL99 ....in your opinion only. She is not the most "important" or the best pianist in the world by a long shot.
I have never commented before on an online forum but I've been a professional musician for over 30 years and have adjudicated various competitions around the world. One might do things differently, but this is still sensational piano playing. In a difficult "lockdown" situation her Mendelssohn 1st Concerto with Kurt Masur at the Verbier Festival on You Tube is truly joyous music making. A spectacularly gifted musician just having fun! There's a childlike sense of wonder about it all and a playfulness that everyone I've shared it with just loves. Hope you love it too...
It's not "still" sensational, it's just plain sensational, as Yuja proves over and over again in 2023!
What I hate about piano critics is that everyone has a different idea for interpretation of the piece, and they all can't accept different interpretations because they feel that theirs is 100% correct. Therefore, every piano performance will always have blood suckers complaining no matter how good it is.
Yes, what pianists do is to describe the feeling of the composer, and everyone have their own opinion, it's just different people, why do they need to be the same?
+Kataune Miku I agree with you. It's a dangerous mix between ignorance and jealousy.
+Kataune Miku that's right for those reasoning with their own gut... you recognize them because they say something like "too fast" "too slow", no emotions etc. Nonetheless, there are some unbiased factors that can be used to evaluate a performance, such as coherence in interpretation, phrasing, managing stress moments, ability to exalting and disentangling different voices.. etc. Some factors need expertise in piano technique to understand what passages are more tricky or difficult to render in a certain manner. Anyway, do not be too much critic about critics, music is love so there is also hate. It's not jealousy. If everybody say that all is beautiful it would be pretty boring and meritocracy wouldn't exist. P.S. I'm not criticizing this interpretation!
+Kataune Miku Not necessarily true. Rubinstein played it perfect.
Yes, I mean you are right. Just for me it's exciting to listen to, and compare all those different interpretations. (Therefore UA-cam is excellent!).
Did she realize at that time how good she is worldwide? Sublime dynamics and transitions!... and crystal clarity! 👏👏👏👏👏
I am glad that the recording does her performance justice. Yuja is superb!
What is going on with people dissing on her here? this lady is a really fine pianist and this was a good interpretation, it's not my favorite but I still acknowledge the sensitivity that she has and Chopin himself said "Put all your soul in it, play the way you feel", and she definitely did that, you might not like everything she did, I didn't like everything she did but I did like a lot of the liberties she took and you have to admit that it has great sensitivity and she plays with passion and you have to respect that because not everyone can play like this, also she is a professional pianist that has been playing her whole life and performed in some of the biggest halls worldwide so she knows what she is doing better than anyone commenting here on UA-cam, and she was very young here so this was a fantastic interpretation for such a young age.
@TheGreenPianist , WHAT didn't you like she did? The ONLY thing I did NOT like was she did not give an encore !!! Her interpretation of Chopin's Ballade in G minor was magnificent !!!
Bravo!!!
Chopin said thst??
Most people here think she is brilliant. Some squabble about how this or that pianist interprets the music but people will never all agree.
...she breaths through the piano keys... she feels through the sounds.. she exists through the music .. she is letting herself to be filled, and she fills anyone and anything whoever is around with the emotions out of place and time.. I'm grateful to whoever is responsible for spotting and developing this amazing talent.. and I am a bit sorry for the artist though... as- as we all know : "With great power comes great responsibility".. Sending my love to Yuja.. be strong, beautiful...
In her mind, she knows how to play this with subtle emotion- sounds so much better than Zimmerman
Ela é magnífica!!❤️💖*😊
Unbelievable... How she could achieve creating such emotion during a graduation recital is beyond my mind.
I was fortunate enough to be there in person for this recital! I had never heard of Yuja Wang before, but I can assure you that after that recital (which also included such show-stoppers as the Prokofiev Toccata and Ravel's piano version of "La Valse") she became unforgettable in my mind forever.
I can belive you!
What made you attend the recital if you didn't know anything about her?
Steven Haff It wasn't just her recital. There were many other people there.
That must have been amazing!! You are so lucky to have been there... I wish I was there too!!
Cory Newman I would DIE to hear her play La valse live
I was there, in person! My first time attending one of her performances -- super memorable!!! (As I noted in my message 7 years ago, LOL).
100 процентно -профнепригодный ученик музучилища...
At this very recital?
@@Fomites Yes, I was there live and in person with my date, at the Curtis Institute's Field Recital Hall in Center City Philadelphia! I will always remember!
She gets better every time I listen to her.
...... or, perhaps it's my appreciation that grows.
What an amazing pianist!
I don’t think there are any words to describe her brilliance. She probably is the best pianist in the world right now.
Let's say, for the last 10 years
and for the next 100 j. also
False. Lang Lang is much better. And Yunchan Lim is probably the most talented prodigy in the world right now that will take both of their spots in about 10 years
Ich muss zugeben, sie berührt mich nicht tief im Herzen. Dafür ist ihre Interpretation zu perfekt.. Sie ist zu sehr im Verstand. Das sind die meisten Pianisten leider. Auf Kosten von Gefühl, Herz...
Idk if i really like this interpretation however she surely can play it better now.
Having heard this piece so many many times I was beginning to become a bit jaded to the genius of the music, and then Yuja comes along and revives it all. Grateful.
This masterpiece in the hands of Yuja Wang describes my devotion for poetry.
The woman is extraordinarily, wonderfully, wonderful. And extraordinary. If no one has guessed yet, I am a fan.
Stand in line………lol
Les 15 dernières années ont pleinement confirmé le remarquable talent de Yuja qui éclate ici alors qu'elle n'a que 19 ans. C'est clairement une des plus grandes pianistes des années actuelles en devenir. Je suis d'autant plus frappé qu'à cet âge on pourrait craindre beaucoup de vitesse et d'éclats ; pas du tout Yuja révèle une admirable sensibilité et profondeur.
What??! *polite applause* at the end of this incredible performance?? I was almost as astounded by the tepid reception as I was at her brilliance.
She absorbed the music and it became part of her, amazing and beautiful
Not only a great performance, but also a unique performance. For me it's unique because of the extreme sensitivity and sensibility demonstrated by the great pianist Yuja Wang. Its here strong technique that leads to such an enhanced
sensitivity an romanticism in her performance. This is unique. One of a kind!
+Zareh Darakjian I AGREE...
+Zareh Darakjian I think like you.
Absolutely to the point! Her performance is just magic. Add her age and beauty, and we are blessed with a goddess from outer space.
Beauty should not be a factor in evaluating a musical performance! Unfortunately it color's so many people's opinions and adds extra undeserved points to a woman's performance in too many instances. Yuja Want doesn't wear microdresses for nothing. That said I did like her interpretation of this piece and I thought she did a good job. I wouldn't place this performance on par with other world class performers but as has been pointed out she was only 21 so give her a decade and she'll be up there with the rest of them.
SHE WAS 19...
...WHAT ABOUT TODAY AT PUSHING 30?
Totally brilliant, and she's only 19 in this video. Thanks for being super-human !
I think Frederic is looking down smiling...
Frydryk
@@moderncaleb3923 Thank you! My bad... But I meant no disrespect.
And I love a very well tuned Steinway (or any piano...)
@@toddburton6570 u were right it is frédéric
Sorry...but, in what sense?
Fraidryick 😀
You played it wonderfully. You are amazing full with emotions. Thank you. I just listened to from the start to the end (its not obvious)
When I was about 25 (37 years ago), I played it the way you interpreted it with minor differences 😊, my professor was influenced by Horowitz and Rubinstein, thus do I ❤
After 30 years not playing at all - I decided to play it again, I didn't remember I was struggling so much like now.
She is extremely good ,her technique is soo unique ,her interpretation also outstanding !!
Jiminy Chrismas! This "gal" is incredible! Just her virtuosity alone is spellbinding, but she also plays with tender lyricism here as well. Stunning performance and done as part of a graduation recital! I read somewhere once that Chopin advised a student to play with all their soul. Detractors here can say she plays too fast, slow down, etc., but I find her abandon here to be electrifying! What I wouldn't give to be able to play this great Ballade like this! Bravo, Yuja Wang! And many thanks to "Excellent interpretation" for uploading this superb performance!
Awe inspiring.
I don't really even get how it is possible for a person to play a song like this, but I am sitting here with goosebumps on my arms anyway.
Piece* not song
As I look at some of the, shall we say, less than complimentary comments here, I feel that most of the nit picky posts come from those who are convinced they know something real. Having been involved in music for nearly 60 years; both performing and enjoying all over the world countless performers, I will share that it is extremely rare for me to find an artist who is SO talented they move something deep inside me emotionally. It doesn't matter to me about their gender, the instrument, their nationality, or anything else. Yuja Wang MOVES me deeply. She excites me in her technique, interpretation, and approach. It astounds me that she's so young and gives me awesome pause imagining her abilities in the future.
I don't claim to be an expert or "highbrow," or anything of the sort. It doesn't matter to me if her instrument is flawless in every way or it isn't because it's utterly irrelevant. Her interpretations playing Chopin are incredible. They don't always fit MY views, but I will point out that everyone sees EVERYTHING differently - it's human nature. What most impresses me is that she doesn't PLAY her instrument, she EXPRESSES on it. I think she's incredibly amazing . . . PERIOD!
Many young players bring something fresh; challenging us all to be open minded and thankful a new generation is so motivated!
The Spook mm
If music as it is presented moves you that is a very personal experience. I had the privilege of seeing Ms Wang and found her playing an amazing experience, something I will never forget. For those that have the ability to feel the music in their soul it is a living thing that no other stimuli can equal.
As young children in school we were so fortunate to have an amazing music teacher that taught us to appreciate great music. Even though most of us did not become musicians he instilled in us the desire to seek out styles that move us, what greater thing could a teacher accomplish, he changed our lives. I've sought out and witnessed amazing performances throughout my life in many places because of this man. Thank God for great teachers!
As an asian musician(violin) myself, I agree with your comment partly. No one can denied you were moved by Yuja's performance.
However, classical music is surely european culture. We have to respect about that. The composers like Mozart and Chopin requires certain study about their style which even european students has to learn. Yuja's Chopin wasn't in that manner. This performance lacked the essence of Chopin. The same reason I don't respect Hiraly Hahn's Mozart. There are so many reasons I can respect American education, but it's not perfect.
More specifically, I am not comfortable about her way of feeling the first beat and how to flow rest of the bar. Polish has own sense of rhythm which is so strong. It was big influences to the left hand part's artistry, and right hand part's musical flow in Chopin's work. Chopin used his polish background into the great piano works with his unique elegance. Thoughtful tone choices and articulation also requires to fit Chopin as the same case of Mozart.
I’d like to see and hear these “critiques” play this repertoire and make the world stage like Yuja has!
When I here this ballade I can't help but think of that poor sick man who composed it.
I hear you, yet this cannot be played without muscle strength and neurons firing!
Her music is heavenly for 99.99% of mankind who loves the music.
Yes is, I totally agree that Yuja plays this in an extraordinary way. She succeeds over some musical phrases better than any pianist I have heard play it. This is a sign of an extra-ordinary technique that few pianists have accomplished. In fact if Franz Liszt were here today, one might say she has stolen his shoes-and is wearing them. The blend of her technique and musicology is so fine! I have noticed this in only one other pianist, Martha Argerich. Robert C., Palm Desert CA.
More than others Ballade
I personally feel like I watched her feelings and heard Chopin's heart pour out through her fingers. Its was not played as if only by rote. Mechanical. Technical. Brava! Beautiful.
Это юность, это первая любовь...это то, что кружит голову, это радость, от которой хочется взлететь....искрящаяся жизнь.....это прошлое...это то, что осталось... Все это в звучащей музыке- спасибо, Юджа!!!
No puedo escuchar en mi celular. Todo se escucha en el tv
Cómo soluciono este problema ,no puedo escuchar nada en mi celular solo en el tv.y no quiero es.
Only one word describes Yuja wang's performance! (Superb) 😊❤❤❤
Its easy to criticeze...
Jaja besides she was 19 by then. To a pianist play chopin's first ballade is like... a doctorate. Its a advanced level work.
doctorate is an overstatement lol. I would consider it to be around degree-masters.
what's criticeze ?
I played this piece at 19. It has some pretty hard sections but all of it is conquerable with the right technique. The music is so compelling that it urges one on to work through the most difficult challenges with sheer determination. I think no. 4 at the end is much harder, as well as scherzo 2 and 3. Everyone has their own demons! And if you really want to talk impossible, try Rach sonata 2 or any of the Liszt transcendental etudes or his Snow Drift. Insane!
JDM 104 i find rachmaninoff's pieces in general to be pretty hard, because of how far apart the notes are. And yeah I find fast songs too difficult for me and I'm pretty ashamed of it myself. (Such as Chopin's revolutionary etude.) I've got a lot to work on.
reformed desire h
One of Yuja wangs most beautiful piece’s
ilyen fantasztikus előadást soha nem láttam még.......majdnem beleolvad a billentyűkön keresztűl a balladába........mennyei.....földönkivűli alakitás......nagyon köszönöm, hogy láthattam......
I played this when I was young- 20 yrs old- Yuja plays sooo well with more emotion - I loved this .. yes..
Her control of dynamics and ability to bring out the emotional content of the music is startling for someone of her age. 19 yrs. old.
Jeez, the only innate Chopin performer alive. Look at her now 11 years after - still a class for herself.
Still very much taken by your performance/. My absolute favorite piece/. Sorry for repeating myself/. Best regards/.
It goes without saying, you absolutely nailed this piece, Yuja. Simply amazing!
Such a wonderful performance!!! I am in tears listening!!!!! This lady is a amazing,really unique!
Do not compare. Just enjoy. She is into the music, plays nuances everyone could agree to as they follow gravity of movement, flowing through the body, through her hands, and through the heart. There is no best player. On the top, they must be different, or they would not breathe that thin air.. There is just this lady now, gifted to express, energetic and brillant..
Vous jouez à la perfection , vous interprétez comme les plus grands et .... vous êtes belle ! Un cadeau des cieux!
Marty.
Tiziano Marcolini - uh.... ok.
Let Wang criticise her own work. My God, it was absolutely perfect! Maybe I liked Horowitz' interpretation a little more, but that's only because I grew up listening to him as a boy. The world is richly blessed to have her!
makes me cry. among THE best on UA-cam.THANK YOU to Excellent Interpretation. end of story.
Me too! When I played this, I used to cry- never had this as good as Yuja!
Well, I am not a critic but I love her playing. I can almost feel what she is feeling in her interpretations and her feel for the piece. That is a sign of a great pianist. Katia possesses this also.
Yuja Wang was a perfect, master piano performer way before this playing at her graduation! There is no one close to her perfection on the piano keys! Remember, she particularly lived on a piano bench since six (6) years young! Also, the forever saying, "What ever is sowed, shall be reaped!" Holds true in every situation!
her phrasing and flow is really impressive
So very impressive. She gets a wonderful sound out of the piano. It is a joy to hear her play. Hard to believe this is before she turned professional.
ממש נהדרת ביצוע מעולה
She is a genius. Watch her too when she was a child. She is now a renowned concert pianist and you critics where are you now?
Only geniuses are Beethoven, Schubert and Chopin just to name a few of classical music composers. Pianists are not geniuses, they are just interpreting and performing music by composers.
The phrasing of the descending part at 6:20 into the main theme is phenomenal!...
this will be the benchmark for centuries to come...
Even observing Yuja's back movement, let alone her face, I can tell that she has become one with this beautiful piece..
She does things that just cannot be learned.. They flow from the deep crevices of her complex emotional buildup.
you put that well...
@@davidaltschuler9687 Thank you so much!
@@zarehdarakjian2476 did you listen to Seong-Jin Cho's interpretation? I think it was phenomenal!
A true artist feels their work, and this young lady is most certainly living the moment. Beautiful.
I've literally heard dozens of fine and great pianists perform this Chopin ballade. Yuja Wang brilliance here outshines all other experiences - in power, precision and grace!!!
Beautiful and wonderful graduation recital which has been already predicted
the future success in the music world internationally !
Bravo !
❤❤❤she certainly has a god given gift, truly mesmerising, l could listen to her forever ❤❤❤❤❤l truly love you 🎉🎉sylvie x
Like a Ming Dynasty vase, delicately coloured, a recurrent pattern, best china, made of & making history, priceless. Yuja Wang & her performance. Love the Chinese still in her. This is so riveting, committed, dynamic, driven. I am in her thrall.
mckavitt . . . as am I. Beautifully said.
+PETER KRONES Many thanks.
😢😅
2:26 is the part where I like to hear the artists' interpretation. I LOVE how she goes slow and progressive instead of going really intense half way through. Very subjective of course! great piece, great interpretation.
I've listened to 10 different versions of this piece, and Yuja's performance is by far the most passionate. I can't stop coming back to this video.
I call her performance "magic " , thank you
Experiencing Yuga Wang's graduation recital is like having Willy Mays' rookie card.
Such astounding talent!
Those who caNOT, criticize, those who CAN, enjoy! I enjoyed this performance. In the few years that have passed wince this recording, Yuja Wang is still fulfilling her promise, still "Best Performer of the Year". And still getting better . . . before she's 30 years old.
I would love to hear how she interprets this piece today. My favorite is still Zimerman. I wish I could just have 2% of their genius.
I prefer the Michelangeli version
she plays it differently like all players do. On the whole it's fantastically performed! And, I would buy a ticket if she came to my city.
You’d be lucky to OBTAIN a ticket today! She sells out concerts almost as fast as when the tickets go on sale!
supreme eloquence.every voice in this complex narrative is carried with convincing clarity.
Nothing quite compares hearing the magnificent sound of chopan on a finely tuned grand piano, expertly played by a very talented pianist, Mis Yuja Wang...very enjoyable, thank you, ✌️
Rubenstein would have agreed with you and marvelled at her virtuosity. He would also have admired the confident expression of her femininity. Bravo
Yuja Wang is Yuja Wang and no body else
Pure poetry when poetry is needed; incredible passion and drama when called for. An unforgettable story in music told by a master.
The coda was magnificent, bravo. The dynamics used is how I like to play a lot of classical pieces, with power, speed, and passion!
the best interpretation of this ballade I've ever heard, it felt like i was there listening to her absolutely magnificent playing.
This is simply amazing!! Thank you Yuja
I think most people knew the instant they heard Yuja play that they were witnessing greatness. For the lucky people at this very early recital by Yuja, I'm sure they were floored by what they heard. Thank heavens this recital was recorded so that now it is available for all to hear.
Hey my friends !!! I think that everyone play a piece as it feel it . There is no mistake and correct. The pianists should play the rights keys/ notes and rhythm but the way that you have to express the piece is just about the feeling that catch in your soul . Thanks
Actually I like this version quite a lot although there are a few mistakes. Someone says that she was like a racing car, but in fact she was slower at the beginning than most of others, then she increased fluently to a higher speed. Unlike Argerich or Langlang , she was not that aggressive( in order to express the struggle of Chopin or sth...?), but more poetic without losing strength.
+Miss Bananafish I agree. I have many versions and this is worth listening to along with the others. From someone who is 16!
Miss Bananafish y
I really like Argerich's playstyle. Its pretty understandable why she isnt for everyone's taste, but please do not put her in the same level as Lang Lang. That guy is a clown and his Chopin is probably the worst I've ever heard. Argerich has brilliant technique, maybe the only pianist who can be comparable to Horowitz's skills. She may play faster than almost everyone, but her phrasing is pretty recognizable, unique style. For me she is always great, its impossible to find her performances boring. Top 3 performances of this ballad are Horowitz, Arrau and Argerich, in my opinion.
6:20 to criticize THIS ? WHAT ?? This is absolutely delightful , tremendously free and sensitive .... full of some essence you'll never be able to reach , you "critics" .... (the fantastic work of the left hand here , only Tamarkina could play like this )
Fritz Maisenbacher He meant it's supposed to be a very light touch there
Fritz Maisenbacher and she rushed a bit
Never in my life I´ve understood why some critics have the right to say "how it should be done" if they haven´t the direct experience.
Since when is music a thing which should be played exactly as someone (even if composer) wishes? It´s up to player to decide where should be forte and where pianissimo. I don´t give a damn whether it´s been played the same way a few centuries. If my way is more real for me than how can critics want anything else?
Maybe that´s reason I like different music styles better because there aren´t any dummies who haven´t accomplished anything preaching "how it should be done"...
Fritz Maisenbacher amen. This is simply magical. I've taught and played this piece too many times and thought I couldn't have my breath taken away by it. Naturalness one rarely finds, and an apparent absence of ego before the composer.
@@luzhi4144 Dear Mr. Lu Zhi ,
And you , when you make love , do you not "rush a bit" , .. or have a strong touch in your action ???
as a music lover, it doesn't get any better.
Je n’ai jamais entendu une si belle interprétation (de cette ballade). Chopin serait content, je crois.
Sent chills through my body. Theres NO WAY. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GOLD.
I don't adore this recording of this - but I think that her playing it now would be stupendous. This is a piece that while amazing youngsters can learn, it's the actual understanding of the phrasing and meaning that brings it to life
Wow! 19years old...chopin is so complicate, complex, sensitive to play, you can find hundred of different interpretations, and in each of them one or several marvelous parts, it depends on your feeling. But she has such a good technic, feeling too, speed... And expression...And now she is even more explosive! I like her very much, you cannot say someone is better, it depends on the music, the age and maturity of the pianist. Listen some slow pieces from Barenboim, no speed but so much expression, or kissin, etc... But this little yuja is really good too.
dowding lawrence i
dowding lawrence aa
I know this piece from a few decades ago. I've never heard it played like this but, at least on first listening, I quite like her interpretation. Plenty of energy and passion. Quite a girl, I'd say
Maravilloso
Plenty of banging and the notes are all over the place.
I'm back. She went and tore my heart out! What a performance!
She made this ballade her own! 👏👏👏👏👏
Having an Impressive Technique she focuses on interpretation so easily, everywhere... Very sensible interpretation, clear and with so many nuances!
Amazing performance and interpretation on Chopin. Delicate sounds. Great pianist, I believe.
An amazing composition expressed through this amazing talent. Wow! I am in awe.
I saw her live at Davies symphony hall in San Francisco and man was she phenomenal!
Десятки раз слушаю и восхищаюсь. Какая она молодец, для технические приемы - не проблема, у нее поет трагическая душа Шопена! Великая пианистка!!!
A star is born! No doubt about it. Just glorious playing. Lucky audience. (Of course, by the time of this graduation recital, Yuja had already appeared as a soloist with a number of the world's greatest orchestras while still a student at Curtis.)
And used long dresses
@@christianjimenez2551 So ????
@@deirdrekiely6187???
I've been searching for this balad for years then I come across this young lady with sich a wise, sweet, excact performance. What can I say? Sheila, have a nice day!
thank you very much for uploading
every time, every damn time i hear her play something i know so well, i hear something new that i've never heard anyone else manage. the clarity, the voicing, the original interpretation, makes me scream outloud
takes my breath away what humans are able to achieve
I don't have the score before me so I don't know the dynamics. Quite often those details vary from edition to edition. What a lot of people may not know about Chopin is that he performed no more than 30 concerts during his entire lifetime. He was terribly shy and didn't like the almost circus type clamor of the big concert hall. His contemporary, Franz Liszt, on the other hand singlehandedly practically reinvented what we now know as the solo piano recital. Up until that time, musical productions involved many performers, but Liszt changed all of that. He changed the position of the piano so that his profile was to the audience so that the people could see his large flamboyant hands as they flew across the keys. I said all of that to say this. Chopin preffered the salon and its more intimate atmosphere. He was a brilliant pianist and composed some of the most technically demanding works for the piano, but he himself was frail and did not have the physical stamina for the concert hall so that the dynamics of his playing were not as loud and flamboyant as many pianists perform his music today. So a slightly laid back interpretation is truer to the way Chopin performed himself.
I thought it was only 3 concerts. Glad to hear he gave the world more than that. Remember too that pianos back then aren't what they are now, so (a) it was physically impossible to do then what can be done today on any 9 ft grand, and (b) it's physically impossible to do today what could be done then in regards to some pedaling techniques. Regarding the written dynamics I'm pretty sure they're uniform from edition to edition since everyone tries to be true to the original, but this piece has so much texture that it provides ample opportunity for the performer to deviate according to his own ideas and still remain true to the overall narrative.
bittenheroz History speaks for itself. It is not hearsay. It is history.
bittenheroz Fine. If you say so. You may have the last word. It doesn't bother me. By the way, do you believe there was such a person as George Washington, and if so, how do you know? Did you read it somewhere or is it just hearsay?
bittenheroz Chopin was born in 1810 and died of tuberculosis in 1849 at the age of 39. He was ill and very frail all of his adult life because of the tuberculosis. I have read extensively about him and own almost his entire works including the lesser known cello sonata, 17 Polish songs, his piano trio, his piano concerti and the four other works for piano and orchestra. Before you speculate about things of which you are ignorant with an expert who knows what he's talking about, it would be a good idea to study up on the subject so that you don't appear ignorant on this forum for all to see. There are many other people on this forum who can confirm all that I have posted. Have a great day.
Sherman Smart get a life bro
This brilliant pianist has got into the heart and soul of Chopin and brings the full range of his emotions to life for us to experience through this glorious piece. We are taken through quiet contemplation into agonizing memories, brought to great heights, playful moments, and dropped unexpectedly into sadness, regrets, or is it love...? What an outstanding performance.
One of the most amazing performances of this piece I've ever seen
She was a piano master at a very young age, what a big star she has become, her music is living an important mark in classical piano.
I love everything about her; the miniskirts and beautiful stilettos she wears, her mastery of the piano, and her irreverence to classical piano norms, that’s what an Artists is by definition.
To play this at all is a great achievement. To play this as Yuja does is beyond my ability to imagine what the hands and heart of a human can do. To have written it is almost God-like. Im weeping as i write.
Amen