Cliburn 2009: May 22 - June 7
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closeSunday, Jun. 07, 2009
Final performances bring competition to a fine conclusion
By CHRIS SHULL Special to the Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH -- In the concluding concert of the finals round of the Van Cliburn piano competition, three pianists had a chance to make a real impression right before jurors adjourned to decide the winners. Nobuyuki Tsujii (20, Japan), Haochen Zhang (19, China) and Di Wu (24, China) did not perceptively elevate their chances over past recital performances. Nor did anyone crash and burn.
Tsujii opened Sunday’s session at Bass Hall playing Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt in a program well-suited to his artistry and playing style.
The dark opening of Beethoven’s "Appassionata" Sonata whispered ominously, then Tsujii attained a feeling of noble majesty as the music tugged toward bright assertiveness. Tsujii crafted delicate intensity in the Andante.
The last movement was a storm, with chords erupting like lightning flashes in the din of lashing rain. Tsujii played with focus, building tense phrases with strong fingers. Though this sonata can trace the arc of violent struggle, Tsujii chose calmer contrasts, and charted a gentler journey.
Chopin’s Berceuse was a charmer under Tsujii’s refined touch. He introduced the graceful, childlike song -- which took flight on flitting wings. I wanted more dash in the Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, more dramatic posturing and spicy coloring from Tsujii’s phrasing. Gypsy passion was submerged in cool, icy colors; the twirling dervish dance had a glassy tone.
Sharper attacks would have given more bounce and edge to the unrelenting rhythms. But Tsujii negotiated the works wide leap’s with accuracy and its broad tempo changes with ease. It was a fine ending to his long Cliburn run.
Haochen Zhang (19, China) played a persuasive Piano Concerto No. 2 by Prokofiev on Sunday afternoon. Both pianist and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra under conductor James Conlon luxuriated in honey-colored sonorities and projected ferocious grace.
The Andantino began with a searching melody sounding as if reflected on water; then began a muscular march. Zhang played the bounding cadenza with edgy brilliance.
In the Scherzo: Vivace, Zhang’s fleet fingers traced a fanciful melody shaped by booming accents in the orchestra. Zhang led the grand and grotesque processional in the Intermezzo with boisterous bounce and bejeweled effects. The Finale began as Zhang displayed amazing accuracy across hammered-out leaps; then caramel-colored violas introduced an exotic, circular theme which slowly unspooled. A tumultuous coda had Zhang’s hands striding percussively up and down the keyboard to rapping accents in the brass.
Zhang performed magnificently; he and the orchestra made brilliant pictures out of Prokofiev’s spiky and spirited score.
Di Wu (24, China) brought the finals to a rapturous close with her playing of Rachmaninoff’s magnificent Piano Concerto No. 3. Wu powerfully projected the power and beauty of the music through one acrobatic keyboard move after another.
The piece opened with a famous, simmering theme in the piano. Wu then almost pushed her performance off the rails when the theme’s return was made in an unruly up tempo. Some of the gracious interplay in the orchestra was squelched by the hurried pace. But sumptuous sounds returned, settled and slower. The start of Wu’s cadenza featured a bold, brassy tone; the second part an airy incandescence.
Oboist Jennifer Corning introduced the anxious and tender theme of the Adagio, followed by lush strings. Then Wu’s angst-ridden piano broadened into calm, then churned out hyper-expressive phrases which billowed and blew.
A growl in the piano launched the Finale, characterized by bell-like filigree and unrelenting energy. Great sweeps and washes were driven by Wu’s full-handed cascades; her quick fingers created mischievous chatter and sparkling stardust. Wu commanded a huge sound from the Steinway in the work’s dazzling conclusion.
She received a rousing standing ovation from the audience. Wu hugged conductor Conlon before taking her first bow.
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