Malaysian pianist Yang in uniquely memorable recital/ ABS-CBN ensemble performs

Through the grant of Zheng LiPeng, the 39-year old Malaysian pianist Claudia Yang gave a recital at the Ayala Museum under the auspices of the MCO Foundation. The program was unique, consisting of complete sets of works by only two composers: Chopin and Rachmaninoff.

Chopin’s four ballades were the G Minor, F Major, A Flat Major, F Minor. Rachmaninoff’s ten preludes rendered successively were the F  Sharp Minor, B Flat Major, D Minor, D Major, G Minor, E Flat Major, C Minor, A Flat Major, E Flat Minor and G Flat Major.

Chopin was the most innovative composer of his time, inventing musical devises in distinctively individual and original a manner, devises he tended to repeat over and over again. Thus, when a listener hears passages or measures of a piece, he recognizes them as Chopin’s own.

The first, third and fourth ballades were the most familiar. The pianist etched the characteristics of each ballade clearly and  eloquently, while demonstrating a formidable technique and conveying the passion, temperament,  romanticism of the composer. For instance, the swiftest runs rushing through the entire piano register in the second ballade proved the former. The entire set of pieces could be considered either program music depicting emotions, feelings and moods, or absolute music of exquisite melodies. Either way, Yang interpreted Chopin faithfully, leaving the audience to react to the music, each listener in his own fashion.

When Rachmaninoff was asked how or why he composed, he replied: “I compose music because I must give expression to my feelings, just as I talk because I must give utterance to my thoughts.” The resulted in lyrical expressions and exquisite harmonies. Musicologists agree that Rachmaninoff acquired, techniques and traditions from others, although he infused them with his own creativity. Further, being himself a pianist of enormous skills, his compositions conformed or suited his own daunting technical standards.

Yang consistently rose to Rachmaninoff’s technical demands while reflecting his intense loneliness, feeling of isolation, romantic fervor in the preludes, the second and the fifth being the best-known.

Yang’s recital was not only unique but also memorable, covering and conveying the most diverse and widest range of tempo, dynamics and emotion — of mood, feeling, passion — as well as drama. The pianist brilliantly and effortlessly stressed how the preludes were to be played as indicated: largo, maestoso, tempo di minuetto, andante cantabile, alla marcia (march), andante, allegro, allegro vivace  and presto. How often sparks flew!

For an encore, Yang interpreted her own beautiful, glowing, effervescent arrangement which combined the Chinese folk song “Jasmine Flower” and the readily identifiable aria “Nessum Dorma”, both from Puccini’s opera “Turandot”, the arrangement illustrating another facet of Yang’s talent. In the first encore, the second movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”, Yang executed fiery, fantastic, electrifyingly swift runs through the entire register of the piano.

The recital elicited a warmly deserved standing ovation that implied how urgently the audience was requesting Claudia Yang for another superb performance soonest.

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Enchanting music is promised audiences when the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra will be playing as a chamber ensemble in free concerts at the Lopez Museum on Aug. 1 and 2, 5:30 p.m.

The concert, which will run for approximately an hour, will consist of jazz standards such as Rondo Alla Turk and That’s Plenty, and great classics such as Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, Liebeslied, Liebesfreud and Exultate Jubilate.

Menchu ends “Triple Threat”

On Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Little Theater, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo will perform as the last featured artist in the “Triple Treat” series, entitled thus because like her peers Audie Gemora and Nonie Buencamino did before her, she will act, sing and dance to the amazement and admiration of the audience.