IheardLangLang,theacrobaticpianist,inLondonlastMonday.ItwasattheRoyalFestivalHall.ItbroughtbackmanymemoriesformeforwhenIwasveryyoungatschool,Ioftensavedupinordertocometolistentoaconcertatthisfamous,butugly,concerthallonthesouthbankoftheThames.IwouldtraveluptoLondonbytrainandgettoWaterlooStationandwalkacrossthebridge.ImostlychosetogotopianorecitalsasIhadjuststartedlearningthepianoatthelateageof16,andIwasfascinatedbyitssounds.IwasgenerallyoverwhelmedbyWesternclassicalmusic,andIcouldnothaveenoughofit.IheardsomelegendarypianistsattheRoyalFestivalHall.IparticularlyrememberRichterandMichelangeliandAarau.IalsorememberHaitinkconductingMahler,whowasjustbecomingpopular,andPrevinintroducingRachmaninoff'ssecondsymphony.Itwasallthestuffofdreams.Iwassimplyfilledwithmusic,andeachdayIwouldseekoutmore,andallthepocketmoneyIhadwasspentonrecordsandconcerts.Tothisday,foroverthirtyyears,Ihavenotstoppedplayingthepianonorlisteningtoclassicalmusic.SoyoucansaythatIamreasonablysensitivetotheappreciationofmusicalperformances.
AtLangLang'sconcert,Iwasnotexpectingmuch.IhadheardhimoncebeforeinHongKongandsomeofhisrecordings.Itseemedtomethathe"banged"onthekeyboardabit.Nonetheless,IwasinterestedtohearhimattheRoyalFestivalHallwhichhasacapacityof3,000,andunlessyouarereallygoodandpopular,youdon'tgettoplaythere.Onthenight,theplacewaschock-a-block.IwasluckyenoughtobeinthesupremecomfortoftheRoyalBoxandlookingdown,Icouldn'tseeasinglespareseat.Therewerealsoseatsbeneaththeorganonstagebehindthepiano-thatwashowpackeditwas.LangLangthencameon-tothunderousapplause.Hisattirewasslightlyunconventionalashisjacketwassparklingwithsequins,notunlikewhatLiberacemighthavewornonaquietday,andapairofrathertighttrousers,notunlikewhatPeteDohertymighthaveworninoneofhisconcerts.
LangLangthenplayedtheK333Mozartsonata-perhapsmyfavouritest.Thefirstmovementauguredwell,butthenInoticedtheslowmovementwasplayedwithsomestrangedynamics.InMozart'stime,hedidnothavethebenefitofthemodernpianowhosedynamicrangeisvastincomparisontothekindofinstrumentMozartwascomposingfor.Thenbythelastmovement,IbecameevenmoredisappointedasLangLangwasclearlyover-peddling-acardinalsinforMozart,andcertainlysurprisingfromamusiciansuchasLangLang.ButwhatwasevenmoresurprisingwasthegeneralgesturesofLangLangwhenhewasperforming.HegyratedhisbodyasifhewasdancingL'apres-midid'unfaune;hishandswentallovertheairandinparticular,hislefthand,whennotinplay,wouldbrushagainsthisfacewithshuteyesasifhewasactingoutRomeoandJulietatthetomb.Hiswholemovementwasratherdisconcerting.Itwascertainlydistracting.ThenLangLangplayedthemonumentalSchumann'sFantasieOp17.Thismasterpieceisextremelydifficulttoplay,butIknowitinsideout,andIwashorrifiedtohearwrongnotesfromLangLang.Itwouldn'thavebeensobadifhewasnotstillmovingaroundlikeasnakecharmerandasnakeonhisstool,buthisinterpretationofthepiecebecameworseandworse.Hisuseofextremedynamicsandrubatowasclearlyuncalledforandunmusical.Buttheaudiencelovedit.TheystoodupandclappedasiftheyhaddiscoveredanothergeniusHorowitz!Soendedthefirsthalf.Everyoneinmyboxthoughthowimpressedtheywere.Ikeptrathersilentindisappointment.Thencamethesecondhalf.Itwasawfuller.LangLangplayed5ChinesepieceswhichIcouldn'tbearhearing,astheysoundedneitherherenorthereandexemplifiedtheworstof"fusion"music.ButthemortalsincamewithLangLang'sLisztwhenheshowedoffwiththetranscriptionofWagner'sTristanandIsoldeandtheSixthHungarianRhapsodie.LangLangcouldplaythepianoallright.HepeeledoffmorenotesinrecordtimethananyotherpianistIknow.Ithoughtatonepointhewasgoingtobringthe9-ft.Steinwaygranddowninanexplosion.Butagain,theaudiencelovedhim.TherewasastandingovationandLangLanglovedit.Iwentbackstageandsaidhellotohimasnotsolongago,IhadinterviewedhiminHongKongfortheBBC.ButIleftindisappointment.ForitwasmoreofacircusratherthanaconcertIsaw.ThekindofmusicalexcitementIrememberedfrommyyoungdayswasnotthere.Iwasprovednottohavebeentheonlyone.LangLanghadsomeawfulanddamningreviewsinallofthemajornewspapersandclassicalmusicmagazine.IjustfeelagreatsenseofshameasLangLangcanclearlyplayanythinganywayhewants,forhistechniqueissecond-to-none.ButIwishhewouldpaysomuchmoreattentiontothemusicalityofwhatheplays.InoticeheisplayinginHongKonginJanuary,sponsoredbyPanasonic.Nodoubtitwillbesoldout.Nodoubttheaudiencewillgowild.Andnodoubteveryonewillmarvelathisact.Butplease,LangLang,youmustgrowupwithyourmusicalsensitivities.Thereisanenormousamountofscholarshiponeverypieceofclassicalmusic.Thereisnosubstituteforsomeproperstudyofit.Butyouseemtohaveskimpedonitattheexpenseofyourextravagantacrobaticswhicharedefinitelyandindubitablyadistractionandanunwelcomedsignofegoism-unwelcomedbecausenointerpreterisbiggerthanthemusicitself.
鄧永鏘（DavidTang）
中國會、上海灘創辦人
電郵：mailto:[email protected]
逢周日刊出