Lang lang and the Yellow River Concerto (show, classic, artist)

BrianB · 04-16-2007, 03:51 PM

Jim Svejda, a host for KUSC recently devoted his entire morning show (March 15th, 2007) to ripping Chinese pianist Lang lang. He called Lang lang’s interpretations preposterous and egotistical. He spent the show playing Lang lang’s recordings and comparing them to other pianists.
He surmised that the only reason Lang lang was where he is today was because he was at the right place at the right time and Deutsche Grammophon is drooling over the potential classical market in China. He called reports of Lang lang’s technical brilliance myths.
Then he got to Lang lang’s latest release; Dragon Songs and he expressed outrage that Yellow River was recorded. He called Yellow River a piece of propaganda trash written by a committee of the Chinese government and compared it to someone recording a work that commemorated the life of Hitler.
I would have to agree with Mr. Svejda on most points here, especially how outrageous it is for an ’international artist’ and an ’international record company’ to record a work (that is truly horrid) and is the product of a government that sent any of its citizens, who showed a real interest in western classical music, to work farms or worse!

04-16-2007, 03:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
BrianB Groupie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: California Posts: 8	Lang lang and the Yellow River Concerto Jim Svejda, a host for KUSC recently devoted his entire morning show (March 15th, 2007) to ripping Chinese pianist Lang lang. He called Lang lang’s interpretations preposterous and egotistical. He spent the show playing Lang lang’s recordings and comparing them to other pianists. He surmised that the only reason Lang lang was where he is today was because he was at the right place at the right time and Deutsche Grammophon is drooling over the potential classical market in China. He called reports of Lang lang’s technical brilliance myths. Then he got to Lang lang’s latest release; Dragon Songs and he expressed outrage that Yellow River was recorded. He called Yellow River a piece of propaganda trash written by a committee of the Chinese government and compared it to someone recording a work that commemorated the life of Hitler. I would have to agree with Mr. Svejda on most points here, especially how outrageous it is for an ’international artist’ and an ’international record company’ to record a work (that is truly horrid) and is the product of a government that sent any of its citizens, who showed a real interest in western classical music, to work farms or worse!