Yuja Wang's 'The Vienna Recital' is a kaleidoscopic souvenir of a concert given in 2022. And if the programme, ranging far and wide, hardly possesses the underlying cohesion claimed by the sleeve note writer the constant shifts of mood and vision provide a special frisson and delight. Following her previous recording of Albeniz 'Triana' from 'Iberia' Wang now supplements this with 'Malaga' and 'Lavapies' And if her performances hardly possess the pungent authority of Alicia de Larrocha, her accentuation, sparking through one intricacy after another, is very much her own. The monstrous acrobatics of 'Lavapies,' in particular, (an inspiration for Messiaen who considered Albeniz 'parmi les etoiles') hold no fears for a pianist of Wang's legendary facility. Her's is a triumphant refutation of the composer's belief that 'Iberia' would be considered unplayable. It is also greatly to Wang's credit that even when confronted by writing that engulfs virtually the entire keyboard she finds a lyrical core at the centre.
Again, in her two large- scale offerings, Scriabin's Third Sonata and Beethoven's E flat opus 31, No 3 Sonata you sense a warmth and engagement above and beyond prestigidation. There is greater lyricism in the Scriabin than the high-pitched eloquence and drama provided by such masters of the idiom as Gilels, Ashkenazy and, most of all, Horowitz whose separation of voices. creating an all-Russian form of polyphony, remains a unique phenomenon. Wang is at her finest in the dreaming Andante where she sinks into grateful repose after so much torrid, heart-stopping romanticism; her approach is entirely her own and exerts its own distinctive fascination.
Wang's performance of one of Beethoven's greatest middle period Sonatas(one which prompted Beethoven scholar Marian Scott to write of the opening as like an evening star tapping at a casement window) is too light-weight in execution to be fully convincing. You sense her playing with the edges of the music rather than aiming for a deeper, fuller involvement, though she makes it hard to resist her pace and vivacity in the finale where the hunt is very much in full cry.
Moving to the shorter works, Wang is on home ground in two of Kapustin's 'jazz' Preludes and once again, following her previous recordings of Ligeti Etudes, she continues with 'Automne A Varsovie' and 'L'Escalier Du Diable.' Here, her capacity to bring light and air to textures, no matter how elaborate, is among her prime virtues. Certainly few could excel her virtuosity in the The Devil's Staircase; in its scurrying and sinister momentum.
Going against the current critical grain I find Philip Glass's Etude No 6, despite claims of 'mesmerically repeated phrases', little more than manufactured music. Even given with Wang's conviction(it is among her frequent encores) it comes as small beer after Ligeti's dazzling invention. Arturo Marquez Danza No 2 follows its seductive lilt with frantic hyper- activity and is followed by Brahms C sharp minor Intermezzo opus 117 No 3 making the sleeve-note writer's claim that the former is like the latter transferred to a Havana bar more witty than convincing. Wang's way with the Brahms is tremulous to the point of faint-heartedness. I would have liked a fuller more characterful sonority. Again, I can imagine a more glowing cantabile in the Gluck-Sgambati ‘Melodie.'
This is in so many ways a special addition to Yuja Wang's discography. There have been long gaps with few recordings over the years, and after discs of major master pieces such as the Brahms 'Paganini' Variations, Chopin's Second Sonata and the Liszt Sonata too little of substance from her already rich and substantial repertoire. I am, of course, not forgetting her discs of the complete Rachmaninov Piano Concertos and the 'Paganini' Rhapsody, originally performed live in a single evening. This truly extraordinary occasion was so much more than a feat of physical prowess or athleticism, of which more anon.
DG's sound is exemplary and features several photographs of the artist, some charming others sensational.
Bryce Morrison