CHINA SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION 2012
Grand Finals
Shanghai Concert Hall
Sunday (11 November 2012)
The grand finals of the Shanghai International
Piano Competition was held at Shanghai Concert Hall, a converted cinema hall
just south of Renmin Guangchang (People’s Square). Its close proximity to
Xinshijie (New
World),
once the entertainment centre and playground of Shanghai’s moneyed and affluent
suggests its rather plebeian origins. It resembles some of the minor opera
houses in Europe, and is smaller and
more intimate than the Shanghai Grand Theatre. I however favour the acoustics
here, which although on a dry side is still preferable to the desiccated sonics
of the larger and grander venue.
The finals was accompanied by the Shanghai
Philharmonic Orchestra, which had its origins as a film orchestra, conducted by
a young 30-something conductor who happens to be my namesake, Zhang Liang (the
Chinese characters are exactly the same). The orchestra is wholly Chinese and
the playing alert and sensitive, even if there are some raw edges. Due to the
dryish acoustics, the sumptuous bloom that usually accompanies the strings is
absent, and brass tends to come out with a bleating stridency.
The pianists performed according to their
established order when their lots were first drawn, which is the fairest way of
doing things. That meant the first music to be heard was Bartok’s Third Piano Concerto performed by the
Chinese lass LIU YILIN. She is a
most musical soul, although a tad inexperienced. I will not be surprised to
learn if this was the first time she is performing a concerto with an
orchestra.
Raw nerves emerged shortly after the mellow
opening, when she lost her place momentarily, and rhythmic insecurities and
unsteadiness marred certain passages. The Adagio
religioso slow movement however found her at her best. The chorale theme
was stated with simplicity and beauty, and the night music segment was
delivered with full of colour and spirit. She gradually grew into the work, and
the section with rapt woodwind solos was simply beautiful. The finale began
well with virtuosity brought to the fore and the fugue subject was played very
crisply. Again when the rhythms became more intricate and tricky, there were
missed notes, but she recovered well to close with a flourish. Liu is only
seventeen, and she will have a lifetime ahead with this concerto and much other
music, and I think her overall musicality and true feeling for piano literature
will serve her well in the long run.
Next was HENRY
KRAMER, who demonstrated a gulf in experience with his assured performance
of Liszt’s First Piano Concerto in E
flat major. Again great musicality dictated the proceedings. In the opening
salvo of octaves and cadenza, he does not barnstorm in the manner of Argerich,
but instead plays these with much dignity and nuance. But this is Liszt, and is
he being too polite? The second movement’s nocturne was mellow and moody,
livened up by a well-appointed cadenza and very even trills leading to the
triangle-led scherzo. The true meaning of scherzando
(the sense of playing a joke) was well realised, and that is where the real
barnstorming for “Barenboim junior” truly began. With not a single missed note,
and doing exactly what is necessary to make the work come alive, have we found
the first prize winner?
Followed without a break was JIN WENBIN in Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto in G major
(Op.58), arguably the most difficult of the three concertos to interpret.
Opening with G major chords on both hands, he confidently set the tone for the
work, which was one of great mellowness and musicality. There are neither
gimmicks nor gestures bringing attention to oneself, only the joy of music
expressed with much alacrity. Yet he was also able to dictate the tenor of the
performance, exerting and relenting in equal degree, with the orchestra
responding in kind. Taking no untoward chances, he opted for Beethoven’s own
usual cadenza which was beautifully
shaded. A miscue in synchronising with the orchestra’s entry provided the only
blemish.
The short but dramatic slow movement –
contrasting brusque strings with lush piano chords – was gorgeously handled,
fully living up to the legend of Orpheus taming the Furies. The finale was
another display of unadulterated joy and the ecstasy of being alive. Jin has
this in loads, and his artistry is matched with very strong and secure
technical capabilities. Could we now have a two way tie for the first prize?
 |
| The three semi-finalists (from L): Hao Yilei, Zhu Wanchen and Bruno Vlahek. |
Unlike many competitions where the jury takes an
agonising long time to decide its winners, this one was particularly short. The
other three semi-finalists were given a chance to perform again, Hao Yilei in
Ravel, Zhu Wanchen in Liebermann and Bruno Vlahek in Scarlatti. With the
spotlight of competition now extinguished, there was a certain casualness to
the playing, but Vlahek still meant business in the three Scarlatti sonatas he
offered, as if to demonstrate that his elimination from the semi-finals was a
mistake.
The miscellaneous prizes were announced first:
Best performance of Commissioned Work: JIN WENBIN
Best Lieder accompanist: HENRY KRAMER
Best Chinese pianist: JIN WENBIN
Chairman of the Jury, Gary Graffman, then read
out that the First Prize would not be awarded, and there would be a tie for
Second Prize. The mostly Chinese audience gave a gasp of surprise only after
the translation into Chinese was complete. With that the final placings were
already decided, and the rest became an anti-climax of sorts.
For the record, here are the final placings:
2ND PRIZE
(Ex-aequo): HENRY
KRAMER and JIN WENBIN
 |
| The three finalists (from L): Jin Wenbin, Henry Kramer and Liu Yilin, with Gary Graffman and Idil Biret. |
Was my effort of flying to Shanghai worth all the trouble?
An emphatic “yes”, because the later rounds of this competition was a display
of high levels of musicality (and undoubted virtuosity as well) from all the
musicians I had heard. There was very little to separate the quarter-finalists,
and even less to separate the semi-finalists playing in their respective
rounds. Given the same cohort of pianists in a different competition with a
different set of judges, the result might have been very different. A musician
of the quality of Sun Jun, Abdiel Vasquez or Bruno Vlahek might have won first
prize in a different setting. With fewer participants, the performance rounds in
the quarter and semi-finals were limited to the afternoons, and there was ample
time to do sightseeing, shopping, catch dinner and stroll on the Bund afterwards.
The competition was very well organised and the
atmosphere was congenial throughout. There were opportunities to mingle with
the jury, many of whom had passed through Singapore over the years and
provided me with marvellous musical memories. The He Luting Concert Hall at the
Conservatory had very good acoustics for the two Steinway grands to bloom, and
Shanghai Concert Hall provided a nice cameo or the finals. Most of all, music
was the winner, and that is the long and short of it all.
