I think she needs to put more thought into her encores, especially if she’s going to continue to play 5,6 or even 7 of them each evening. I don’t really like anyone playing the Prok 7 finale as an encore. I guess it started with Horowitz. VBM likes it too. If you wanna play a short percussive Prok sheeyat, either do the toccata or the March from Love for 3 Oranges. I don’t like the bon bons either, especially since I’ve heard her play them so many times. I’d rather her add an extra work to her programmes and just play a couple of encores.
1 Like
I think it’s a remnant of the “old” Wang. She gives the audience what they expect. I think things will gradually normalize now during her 30s.
But agreed on all points above.
Well there’s no question that presenting encores is its own skill. A bunch of variables play into it like charisma and confidence, sense of mood, cultural / social / historical connections, sense of place and other things. YW is great in a few aspects of it – certainly charm / charisma and entertainment. She can work on some other aspects – I mean she’s old enough now to know the difference between that Carmen piece and Prok 7.
Again it seems like no one really suggests to her that things could be improved. Okay, no one needs to tell her that if she’s only going to play to her strengths. That’s fine. But when she wanders into other domains, it would be good, and would help to cast off the whole Pop Diva thing that still surrounds her (for some of us).
CJ, if your friend ever has a chance to offer her repertoire advice again, tell him to get her to upgrade her encores. Things like gretchen am spinnrade are fine, but no more Turkish march or Carmen variations (at least play the whole thing, if you must). Let’s drop the Gluck Melodie while we’re at it, because I already hear that all the time by Freire.
Yuja has some of the most consistent live playing evah…