中国人ピアニスト，ラン・ランの苦難と幸運の４半世紀 [音楽時評]
CNN が，中国の世界的人気ピアニスト，ラン・ランの現在の人気ピアニストに至る困難な半生を紹介していたのが，波乱に満ちて興味深かったので，このブログで紹介しておきます．
まず，彼のトレーナーstyleの派手やかなで大胆な演奏スタイルには，評論家の意見が分かれていますが，何百万のさもなければクラシックに来なかった人々を捉えてきたといえます． その桁外れの音楽的才能が，21歳でカーネギーホール公演を果たさせたのです．
しかし，それまでの道のりは平坦なモノではなかったのです．彼は9歳で北京の音楽学校に入るため，母親と離れて，職を投げ打った父親と北京で暮らすようになったそうです． しかし，女性教師が彼には才能がないといって，６ケ月でクラスから追い出してしまいますし，父親とは大喧嘩をして，家を追い出されてしまったといいます． 長らく彼は父親を許すことが出来なかったようですが，その後は父親も仕事を投げ打って北京に来たことを理解して，仲を取り戻し，音楽教師とも仲直りをして， 現在はマスタークラスを教え，２００６年には名誉教授の称号も得たということです．
父の前でピアノを演奏するまでには時間がかかったそうですが，それを克服して，１３歳で若者向けのチャイコフスキー・コンクールで優勝し，一躍，世界的に認められることになりました． 中国人にとってた，世界的 competition こそが世界に認められる道だと考えて努力したようです．
１４歳でフィラデルフィアのカーティス音楽院に入ったラン・ランは１７歳の時大きなチャンスを掴むことになります．シカゴ交響楽団に直前になっての代役として出演機会に恵まれ，その４年後には満席のカーネギーホールでのソロ・リサイタルに至ったのです．
その後は順風満帆で，ダニエル・バレンボイムからは"like a cat with 11 fingers"といわれるほどになったそうです．しかし，彼を認めない批評家やピアニストがいることも事実です． さらに世界に羽ばたいたのは，北京オリンピックのセンター・ステージでの演奏だったようでうす． お蔭で，中国では「ラン・ラン効果」が普及して，今や40million の児童がピアノを学習しているそうです． 彼は，忙しい演奏活動の外に，多くの人から与えられたモノにお返しをするのだといって，charity にPriorityを置いて，ユニセフ親善大使やモンブラン文化財団との仕事もこなしているといいます．
次にCNNの紹介を掲載しますので，ご参照下さい．
Lang Lang: The Chinese pianist living life allegro
(CNN) -- A Grammy-nominated classical pianist who wears personalized trainers, Lang Lang is one-of-a-kind in the world of classical music.
His expressive and flamboyant style has so far brought him more fans than critics.
His flamboyant playing style and bold image has divided critics, but also attracted millions -- who might normally be more into MTV than Mozart -- to classical music.
Lang Lang's parents were instrumental in pushing him to be a world-famous artist. At the age of 9, Lang Lang gained a place at the Central Music Conservatory, moving with his father to Beijing, where he faced some of the toughest moments in his young life.
"The biggest challenge for me is that I was not living with my mom. This is really awful because... I've been always very close with my mom when I was a kid. Even till today, you know, we're still very close," he told CNN.
Tough times were compounded when his teacher took a dislike to him. Far from encouraging the young pianist, she consistently told him he had no talent, and after six months kicked him out of the school.
Being so far from his mother, he found little support at the time from his father, with whom Lang Lang admits to having a difficult relationship as a child.
"When I was a kid I didn't talk to my father so much. I didn't know who to talk to when I'm facing very challenging situations. And that was really driving me crazy," he said.
He experienced a harrowing moment when in a violent outburst, his father accused him of ruining his dream of Lang Lang becoming a great pianist, how he was no good and should throw himself out of their tenement building.
"I don't want to become a pianist at that moment, I hate piano, I hate my father, I hate everything that brings me to being a pianist," he said. "I never forgive [my father] for a long time, but it is like now I understand, you know he quit his job and he went to Beijing with me."
He also managed to forgive his former piano teacher, and had the satisfaction of performing a master class at his former school and collecting an honorary professorship in 2006.
It took Lang Lang a long time to play the piano again in front of his father, but his love for playing returned. His talent and competitive spirit won him the International Tchaikovsky Competition for young musicians at just 13.
"I only knew that competition is the only way to become famous as a Chinese person growing up in China. That's the education you get, competitions," he said.
It brought him wider attention and, at the age of 14, a move to Philadelphia to study at the Curtis Institute of Music.
His big break came when he was 17, appearing with the Chicago Symphony as a last-minute replacement. Just four years later, his solo recital at Carnegie Hall was sold out.
Since then, the 26-year-old has played with some of the world's most esteemed orchestras and conductors -- Daniel Barenboim described his playing style as "like a cat with 11 fingers" -- and his youth, rich talent and flamboyant style has attracted a new audience to classical music.
Appearing at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games was a highlight among notable achievements.
"It was really incredible when you're playing in the middle of the stage; it feels like you're playing in the middle of the universe. You do the Olympic Games in the city which has most of the feeling for you, everything: disappointment, victory, tragic moments, really sad moment, but happy moment, and satisfied. It's a city that for me has everything and that what made me extremely emotional," he said.
Wearing his heart on his sleeve, Lang Lang's performances also reflect his expressive nature.
However, not all the reviewers and critics have warmed to his style or image. Some have nicknamed him "Bang Bang," while American pianist Earl Wild dismissed Lang Lang as the "J.Lo of the piano" in an article in the New Yorker.
While admitting he has created something of a brand of himself, Lang Lang is happy that he gains more plaudits from his contemporaries than negative reviews, and that he's able to help inspire others to take up music.
Known as the "Lang Lang effect," it is estimated that 40 million children in China are now learning the piano. While performing around 130 concerts a year, he also manages to find time in his packed schedule to be a UNICEF ambassador and work with the Montblanc Cultural Foundation.
"You need to be putting all the efforts into something you think is a priority. What I believe, this charity work is my priority... I would like to give back to the world something that I get from other people," he said.
2009本屆「全世界華人鋼琴大賽」是新唐人電視台的國際音樂比賽系列賽事之一。比賽宗旨是為了提供一個給全球華人文化藝術交流的平臺。
by umida (2009-06-15 16:47)