Classical music Q&A and review: Is Yuja Wang the New Horowitz? In her Carnegie Hall recital debut, she seems the successor to Martha Argerich as both her playing and dress get raves from The New York Times critic Anthony Tommasini.

By Jacob Stockinger

Her stiletto heels and slit skirt might have caught some eyes.

But it was her fabulous piano playing of Scriabin, Prokofiev and Liszt that made the Carnegie Hall recital debut of 24-year-old Yuja Wang  (below) a noteworthy success this past week.

It makes one wonder: Is Yuja Wang the New Horowitz (below)?

That would an honor she takes over from the fierce but aging Martha Argerich (below), about whom Horowitz himself once said “That lady learned a lot from me.” The comparison seems apt for the virtuosity Wang consistently shows, the repertoire she plays and the breathless receptions she receives.

Maybe micro-skirts, stiletto heels and slit gowns are her trademark equivalent of Horowitz’s signature bow ties?

Anyway, read the review about her Carnegie Hall debut by chief New york Times critic Anthony Tommasini (below):

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/22/arts/music/yuja-wang-at-carnegie-hall-review.html?ref=anthonytommasini

And here is a pre-Carnegie Q&A with Yang that reveals more about her history and personality as well as her reaction to that buzz about her micro-skirts and other fashion controversies:

http://www.chron.com/life/article/Piano-phenom-Yuja-Wang-previews-her-Carnegie-Hall-2211910.php

And here is another preview, with great behind-the-scenes information, in the Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203914304576628961037766644.html

If you, like me, couldn’t make it to Carnegie Hall for Yuja Wang’s debut, here is a sample of her luscious playing of the same Scriabin preludes and Poeme she played there — but last year in Santa Fe and with another very short skirt (purple then) that did NOT create such a buzz back in 2010:

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Posted in Classical music