A triumphant entry
The concert on June 3 at the Palau de la Música Catalana was quite an event. The audience cheered enthusiastically when Yuja Wang entered the stage. It was a special night, part of the Palau Piano cycle, and expectations were high.
A masterful interpretation
Yuja Wang started the concert with Samuel Barber’s Piano Sonata in E flat minor, op.26. His performance was impressive, showing impeccable technique and great musical sensitivity. He captivated the audience with his ability to explore the boundaries between tonality and atonality.
The movements of the sonata were contrasted, highlighting the Scherzo character of the second movement and the darkness of the third movement. The main room of the Palace, surrounded by the penumbra of the sunsets outside, created an intriguing and mysterious atmosphere.
The last movement, a fugue with an air of Latin music, brought Barber’s work to a close. It was a vibrant and percussive finale that left the audience cheering.
A recital of preludes and fugues
After the Barber Sonata, Yuja Wang performed a selection of Shostakovich’s 24 Preludes and Fugues. He captivated the audience with numbers 5, 10, 12, 16 and 24 of Op. 24, and numbers 2, 8 and 15 of op. 87.
His performance reflected the diversity and complexity of these works, which combine classical influences with elements of neoclassicism and post-romanticism. He showed great skill in expressing the emotions and contrasts of each prelude and fugue.
Yuja Wang’s charisma
Throughout the concert, Yuja Wang demonstrated his charisma and passion for music. With his gestures and his facial expression, he conveyed his total immersion in the work he was performing. He captivated the audience with his energy and stage presence.
The audience reacted enthusiastically, clapping in unison and asking for kisses. Yuja Wang delighted the audience with a selection of diverse pieces, including Danzón no. 2 by Arturo Márquez, Schubert’s lied Gretchen am Sprinrrade, and a piano arrangement of the third movement of Tchaikovsky’s Pathética.
In summary, Yuja Wang’s concert at the Palau de la Música Catalana was an unforgettable experience. His masterful performance and charisma captivated the audience, leaving them wanting more. It was a night of exceptional music that will remain in the memory of all attendees.
