Lang Lang plays Debussy Prelude "Les Collines d'Anacapri".

[koolanddagang12]

Real talk.. there aren't too many notable contemporary pianists out there nowadays. And as ego driven as he is, just open a new tab and don't watch if its bothersome, because he really is a marvelous player and its not like he doesn't feel the music, i'd almost rather see this overzealousness as opposed to a bland facade. "The Kanye of Classical" hahah quote me on that.

[manthasagittarius1]

OK, OK -- this kid is on the high end of the eccentricity curve. But he is musical and intelligent, and the stuff he is doing is about 90% unintentional, especially the body choreographies, which are the way he is mediating his nicely shaped long phrases, with body kinetics in real time. The face -- well, the music delights, pains, amuses, or blows him away and it shows. This is not hammy clowning -- that really looks very different. Check out Victor Borge, who did it brilliantly on purpose.

[fredericfranc]

...too much of an ego-driven show, to show off the technique, or something, no interest in "being fair to the intent of the composer"...you just get no sense of that "visual-Impressionist" Debussy feel...listen to how the French pianists, raised on THEIR Debussy do it...

[ajayajath]

i love his musical sense

but hes just too cocky i guess

i mean, why shuld u make faces like that!?

i know that lang lang plays great but why do that!?

[videoreff]

Lang Lang is quite a drama queen, even Liberace was less facially expressive.

Some people like this kind of expressiveness, personally I find it distracting as it comes over as pure showmanship - it's as if the pianist is showing the audience what they should be feeling.

I like the way Richter would often play in near-darkness, saying that the appearance of a pianist is irrelevant, the sound you produce is everything.

I do acknowledge Lang Langs sound is good so if I buy it'll be CDs not DVDs.

[MentalModel1]

The master of overkill. He must think his audience so stupid that they need all his gesticulating to appraciate and undersatnd the piece. Cheap.

[juantendo8]

A good performance, but Michelangeli's interpretation is clearly superior. I feel Lang Lang is just a bit too aggressive with dynamic and tempo shifts. Exciting, but a bit shallow in comparison.

[humourlayers]

indeed, his mastery of the piano overpowers his facial expression and like it or not, he and the music fuse together as one. I was not a fan of Langlang before, also disliked his expressions - but overtime, I am totally captivated by his play and looking more positives towards his expressions. He is getting better by each performance. Debussy couldn't be happy at all having another person who looks like Debussy!

[TheBuck4013]

You can see he truly feels the music.

[DafniElissa]

strange faces. they're not debussy's appropriate faces lol.

[cravatterianazionale]

TOO FAST DAMMIT

[gkollias14]

If he was more modest he could in fact dwell in the depths of the music. What I heard just now did not put me into any sort of impressionistic mood. All those rapid increases of tempo and odd emphasis I did not enjoy a lot and torn my logic apart...'Why did he do that just there? etc...

[TATISTCHEFF2]

very unusual , i was thinking that Debussy was a french composer, what a mystake he was one of the first international composer: french of course ,and spanich, italian, british, russian (he went in Van Mercks house in Russia as a young pianist) and oriental music, here lang lang show us his orietal mood and wy not?....

[saocotta]

Excelente! Dá prazer ver o prazer que ele tem!

[705JRC]

Paltry ad hominem attacks! Next you'll be calling me racist, the final destination for all who engage in criticism with Lang Lang fans. Nevertheless, I shall not be deterred. Lang Lang is too "subtle" here in comparison to Bozhanov. The slight head tilt at 2:00 --- how is that communicative with the audience? Surely no one can even see that! Rather, Lang Lang is playing to the camera. Bozhanov would never engage in such cheap theatricality at the expense of his audience!!

[CFforLL2011]

@705JRC It's not cheap! In fact, the fact that you feel the need to rant about it suggests that it's incredibly effective. Don't blame the world for your paranoia about being called racist and your need to show you have "better" taste. I refuse to take your repeated baits. You clearly just want to show that all Lang Lang fans have no sense. The fact is, we have more sense than the nutsos out there who follow piano competitions like sports fans and idolize the same old kind of classical musician.

[705JRC]

@CFforLL2011 Indeed, the same kind of classical musician -- REAL classical musicians.

[CFforLL2011]

Iceberg is certainly the right term. If you're Bozhanov is one big Bulgarian iceberg. His facial choreography belies his cold, unexpressive manner. Lang Lang, on the other hand, is all warmth and affability. Anyone who prefers Bozhanov to Lang Lang must be blind, deaf, and uninspired.

[705JRC]

@CFforLL2011 Utter nonsense! Bozhanov is the real deal: the complete pianist. Have you witnessed his left hand conducting? even his right hand conducting? His left foot the epitome of interpretive genius. And the side glances that he throws while playing; this is an art that cannot be taught, one has to feel it intuitively--or rather, channel it directly from God!

[CFforLL2011]

@705JRC Way to mix bad taste with blasphemy! Only someone with pianistic myopia could do it with such flair. It's too bad Bozhanov can't display the same creativity that his nutso fans do. Lang Lang communicates the music with his whole body, not just his arms and one leg. His brilliance radiates from his core all the way out to his fingertips! Your closed-minded opinions only prove that you're blinded by that brilliance. Perhaps you feel a little threatened by it too?

[EMPERORMIKI]

A paper bag over his head would improve this performance 10 fold

[705JRC]

Wow, great pantomime! He's really reviving a lost art in this performance. (Although Bozhanov is still the master in this regard). Lang Lang really tells a story through gesture and expression here.

The background music is kind of neat too; what is it?

[CFforLL2011]

@705JRC You must concede that the fluidity of his gestures, the subtlety of his hand movements, and those facial expressions are unparalleled in the world of elite pianists! Who else would be able to communicate thoughts and emotions with such finesse? True lovers of French piano music the world over should applaud this performance!

[705JRC]

@CFforLL2011 Oh, please. What does Lang Lang know of eyebrow choreography? He doesn't understand the true art of commentating through rhythmic eyebrow lifting---nothing else communicates pathos in such a direct and expressive manner. If you want to watch a true master in action, go find some clips of Evgeni Bozhanov. Evgeni is a GENIUS!

[CFforLL2011]

@705JRC Eyebrow choreography does not equate to genius! The only advantage to Bozhanov is that he does a mediocre impression of Hugh Laurie making fun of concert pianists. Lang Lang exudes true grace, sensitivity, and panache. Don't dismiss him just because he's Chinese! Russians aren't always the bee's knees, but Lang Lang is ALWAYS top notch!

[705JRC]

@CFforLL2011 The eyebrow is just the tip of the iceberg, as it were. What Evgeni Bozhanov can do with his eyebrows in combination with the rest of his eyes, his nose, and his mouth -- that is true artistry that vastly transcends Lang Lang's goofy pantomime here. Bozhanov IS the music!!

[darkblueangel1956]

Ancora non posso credere che ci sia chi ha fatto credere al povero Lang Lang che sia un .... artista !!! Siamo proprio alla frutta di questi tempi, dove si sta perdendo il vero senso del "quid estetico" e del culto per un alto livello artistico e culturale !!! Mi convinco sempre di più che le vere guide artistiche e culturali, in questo mondo, sono sempre di meno !!!

[daniel15671]

Very bold and beautiful playing...

[8096vrolijk1]

Superb pianoplaying, however less idiomatic Debussy then Monique Haas, Dino Ciani, or Michelangeli .

[TheSmack77]

Michelangeli or Richter for this work. they win hands down - LangLang is too mannered + affected.

[Deon20111]

Stunning, what talent and joy.

[koumisp]

I think Lang lang is feeding conversations in youtube about his facial expressions, as part of a greater conspiracy theory

Clever guy who knows to impress with his playing as well as with other means..

I be a fan

[violinpianoclassical]

I love this interpretation.:)



[LesQuatreAges]

Beaucoup de gens au concert. Ne manquait que Debussy

[tamkobu]

Very unique ---- that the word to this Debussy. Debussy himself would be so flattered if he listened to this great performance.

[scrillanilla]

Jesus fingers. perfect interpretation

[johngotwalt]

Listen to Michelangeli if you want to hear this music; everything Lang plays sounds the same

[johngotwalt]

It's more Lang than Claude

[mdeonx16]

Will people please stop bitching about his face and just listen to the music? God damn

[stefan7207]

omg his fucking face so ... its only show he dont feel it.

[MrAkihiros]

I like the way the music rushes through him and he begins to see and hear visions in the void. Like a medium. unfortunately some people find it distracting. I find it complementary.

[finalfantasyfan64]

I can't get over his face playing this song lol.

[xiaobrel]

Il n'a aucunes notions de ce que peut être la musique de Debussy.

C'est ce qu'on nomme de la bouillie pour les chats

[MuscleDaddyCMH]

more of his damn facial masturbation in the name of "involvement"

[ysgao]

like it :-) I will see langlang in Manchester !

[adriprotux]

he's playing for himself!

[szangolna]

impressive

[jackdamak]

beautiful chord at 2:12.... ahhhhh

[langlang37]

also dieses Prelude was ich zurzeit spiele hö sich viel anderester an als dieses aber das ist auch sehr schön (-; und auch die bewegungen die er macht er geht mit der musik (-:

[imdidiwawa]

I like langlang

[ScutigerousPume]

Lang Lang is probably my favourite Debussy interpreter. Why? His playful and energetic style fits Debussy perfectly in most of his works. :)

[sparklekitten16]

Not the biggest lang lang fan, but I loved this performance and it helped me to better 'get' how some enjoy his antics so much. They enhance the performance of this playful piece.