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BIS-2381
Originally recorded in 2019
Classical
Orchestral & Concertos
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About
Winner of the 2009 Van Cliburn competition, Haochen Zhang is no stranger to a challenge. On this début concerto disc he proves this once more, boldly jumping in at the deep end as he takes on Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The demands posed by Prokofiev’s concerto are famous, starting with a huge cadenza already in the first movement. This may explain why the concerto was for a long time relatively unknown and, unlike the First and Third Piano Concertos, has only recently taken its rightful place in the repertory. I
The work was premièred by the composer himself in 1913, shocking the audience with its modernistic sounds and jagged rhythms. But even though Prokofiev was happy to nurture a reputation for bad-boy modernism, there is also a rich seam of Russian tradition which underlies his music from the beginning to the end of his career. It is therefore fitting that Haochen Zhang has chosen to complete the disc with one of the best-loved concertos from that tradition: Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in B flat minor. In both works, Zhang is supported by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its principal conductor, Dima Slobodeniouk.
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Reviews
WQXR – Best Classical Recordings of 2019
“A decade after winning the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Zhang continues to electrify. He infuses this pair of well-worn concert hall staples with sorely needed vitality and wit. “
“… both performances are imaginative, brilliantly executed and offer further evidence of the pianist’s superior gifts, with the Prokofiev being the more outstanding of the two.”
Interpretation ***** Sound **** Repertoire ******
Performance *** Recording ****
“… Zhang’s keyboard mastery is beyond question …”
“In this recording, the first movement of Sergei Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto is kind of a battle of the giants. A strong orchestra against a strong pianist. Wow! This gets under your skin, especially since the power never becomes a show and Zhang’s tone always sounds full and round. No less exciting is the scherzo, highly virtuosic and urgent, with a lot of colours. With a mix of wild and calm passages the last two movements are mostly ecstatic, always brilliant and musical, never circus-like. Beyond his controlled force, Haochen Zhang impresses with colours and well-nuanced dynamics. The Lahti Symphony provides an incredibly dense and rich sound. Very exciting and gripping! In Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, Zhang’s approach is very rhetorical and his playing incredibly imaginative … In the orchestra, the conductor reveals details that are not common. And so, despite some mannerisms, the Tchaikovsky Concerto is gripping, not least because of the soloist’s vibrant temperament and his perfect interplay with the orchestra. The recording is first-rate too.*****
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