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Lang Lang Talkasia Transcript
LH: Lorraine Hahn Block A: LH: Hello and welcome to Talk Asia, I'm Lorraine Hahn. My guest today is 23 year old pianist who in recent years has taken the musical world by storm. Born in Shenyang, China Lang Lang was destined to a life as a musician, learning his Do-Re-Mi's even before he was three. By his teens, he had accumulated accolades and rave reviews for his performances in competitions and festivals. His move to the United States on a music scholarship led to a sold out solo debut concert at New York's Carnegie Hall in 2001. Since then he has been in high demand playing for Presidents and with some of the world's top orchestras. Lang Lang, welcome to Talk Asia, thank you very much for being here. What is your definition of a good classical performance? LL: I think if you really build the bridge, through your heart to the audience then I think it is really unique performance. LH: I watched you just once play, what really struck me was the intensity- and I use that phrase freely- on your face when you were playing. It was almost like you were one with the piece that you were playing, is that how you feel? LL: Yes I think not only in the piece, I think the instrument should be part of your body. And it's like the word that people ask me- Is piano your profession? I think that piano is kind of my profession, but I don't think that profession is the right word for me- to me piano is part of my life and (LH: an extension of your body), right! LH: What is going through your mind though when you actually play a piece? LL: In the beginning of course, if you need to learn the notes, you need to make a photocopy from the score. One of the great pianist Arthur Rubenstein said he tried to memorize the piece and he even tried to memorize the coffee which is spilled out on the paper, on the score. And I said wow that is quite good, first you need to make sure the notes are right, then you start your imagination, where music can take you, the colours. LH: Lang Lang, you have played a staggering number of concerts in the past few years, it seems you go on and on and on, do you approach each concert differently? LL: I must say for me every concert you need to put in the best you can do, and basically that's the kind of dream for me- to play every concert as the best that I can do, you know. And then you know, sometimes it's not hard because when you play with somebody like Sir Simon Rattle with the Berlin Philharmonic, or Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony- I mean you just get inspired from them! You get so inspired that you can just play, like a dream, like a fantasy and they really inspire you to be in a better place, in a more inspirational way. LH: You strike me as somebody who you know does not get nervous very easily, is that true? LL: For the first time for me if I play new pieces or something, I get a little bit, not nervous, but a little bit kind of not so sure, because of what I am going to face. But if I play three times, or more than two times, then it's not a problem. You just enjoy it. LH: Have you ever forgotten any notes? LL: Sometimes, you do, but you know the good thing is that you just fake it. (Laugh) I mean that is the best way to explain because lots of young performer get so nervous before a concert, and I just tell them- just improvise something, go, go ahead!(LH: Go with the flow, nobody will know anyway) Yes, even if-- you know, don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. (LH: It's your interpretation) LH: In somebody at your level, you have both critics and you have your fans. Now the critics would say you have put a lot of emphasis on being a showman, how do you feel about that? LL: That seems like an old story, when I play a lot of the show pieces like Rachmaninov, Liszt. Sure, I think that in a way I am a showman, but in another way I am also a musician as well so the two should be balanced. LH: You don't see it as clashing the showmanship, overtaking so that the traditional classical music - LL: No, I don't think so, in piano literature, you have some of the pure artistic pieces like Bach, old variations, or some of the Beethoven or some Chopin. But you also have some of the show pieces like Liszt, like Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, and like Spanish music. And I think that in order to be a good musician, you should have both. LH: Walk me through your practice routine, I mean- and how long does it take to learn a song? LL: It depends on what kind of songs you are playing or what kind of pieces you are playing. I always joke with little kids; they ask 'How many hours do you practice?' And I say "It depends on how old you are. If you are five years old, five hours, if you are six years old six hours and if 8, I'm sorry, 8 hours, and if you are ten, I'm really sorry 10 hours" But this is kind of a joke, but in my case when I was a kid, it was a little bit like this, not exactly, but a little bit like this. But, I think that after I turned 18 years old, I practiced much less because I had so much more things to do and a lot of concerts. So, now I only practice two hours. (LH: Not much) Not much, but I think it's enough. LH: Lang Lang, we are going to take a very, very short break, when we come back we'll talk to Lang Lang about his childhood and making sacrifices to see his dream come true. Stay with us. Block B: LH: Hello again- you're watching Talk Asia, and my guest is music prodigy Lang Lang. Lang Lang, why the piano? You have clarinet, drums, flute... what was it about the piano that caught your fancy? LL: My parents bought the piano when I was two years old so quite early. Then I was watching Tom and Jerry, and as you know one of the episodes they were playing Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody number two. Tom playing like a totally crazy cat, he is a crazy cat but the way he played on that piano, I will never forget, it's like a Hollywood cat's version, flat fingering, fingers flying all over, that really inspired me a lot. I was watching I was shocked, my eyes become so big and I saw my piano and I saw the big piano in the cartoon, the piano was huge and I thought, 'Hey let me try it', and I started banging on the piano, imitating the cat, Tom. And then that's the beginning, I always thought, always felt, that the piano is very unique, it's huge, it's like a symphony orchestra- basically. LH: Yes, yes, amazing what cartoons can do for you. You started piano lessons at the age of three. Now three years old, you may have been a big three year old but still, could your fingers reach the keys, could your feet touch the pedals? I mean you were three years old! LL: My hands were like a little toy thing, little tiny- but compared to kids same age I had pretty big hands, but I couldn't really reach the pedals. So my mother get a little chair, like this, like the way you see Glenn Gould playing piano, I was like a mini version of that. When I was five, I played a public recital and I must put pedal on, because otherwise I couldn't play the other music, so I basically was playing piano almost standing, stood up when I played it. LH: It seems to me that your family has almost chosen your path with your father's background in playing the erhu. Are you living your father's dream? LL: I think kind of, I mean my father's dream is also- when he was a kid he wanted to be a musician- he is a very good musician, but somehow, it's kind of like an extension of his dream. So was my mother's, but it was so many years ago and at that time they don't have the environment to really learn piano, Western invention, because of the era, (LH: Cultural revolution). Yes- basically at that time our parents, that generation, always had big hopes for the kids. LH: So when you moved away with your dad to the United States and your mom was left behind, was that difficult, was that tough? LL: At that time I am already used to it. When I was nine years old, I moved to Beijing and my father quit his job to be with me in Shenyang and my mother was the person in charge earning money to support us. So that was the most difficult time, very difficult. I remember, when i came to Beijing we rented the cheapest place without heat in the winter, and every night my father needed to jump into bed one hour before I am finishing practice so that the bed is warm. It was really a touching moment and I think things like that happen so many different ways LH: Lang Lang, your parents were very musical, did they ever give you advice on how to play? LL: Yeah my father always gave me advice, because he is a professional. Music is connected, no matter, Chinese music or Western. You can listen you can trust, and my father- it must be so many years he is next to me, we sometimes even go to the bathroom at the same time, sometimes (ha ha). So he really understands what I am doing, but now I am 23 years old, he doesn't really give me advice. LH: You also played a duet with your father at Carnegie Hall that must have been something special. LL: That was the most emotional moment in my life so far, because I kind of gave something back to my father. Because I am sure that everyone if you play an instrument, your dream is to play in Carnegie Hall. That is basically the place where you want. Especially when you play a Chinese instrument, it's like a far beyond the dreams! So in my debut in Carnegie Hall, I asked my father "Could you bring back your instrument and practice, and can we play something together?" In the beginning he was like: "Come'on no it's your show, and not my time..." And then I said please play it, then he start thinking about it, and then he did some warm up. I really admire him because he didn't practice that day and was helping me do the DVD recording Carnegie Hall. So he just picked up the erhu and played with me. It was quite amazing because it was the best he ever played and I thought oh gosh, if he was a pianist maybe, (LH: He would steal the show), yes (Laugh) he would steal the show. LH: Lang Lang, we are now going to take another very, very short break, when we come back, we will meet Lang Lang the teacher, and why he thinks it's important to nurture young budding musicians. Stay with us. Block C: 14.56.16 LH: Welcome back to Talk Asia, my guest is world renowned pianist, Lang Lang. Lang Lang, a few years, in 2002 I think it was; you were named by Teen People Magazine as one of the 20 teens who would change the world. It's quite a responsibility. LL: True, I mean it's pretty big! It's a big encouragement, as you see last year I became one of the youngest good will ambassador for UNICEF, and I went to Africa (LH: Tanzania). Yes, for my first visit- first field visit, field trip and did 20 concerts, benefit concerts this year for family, for AIDS, for malaria. I was so much more happier when I played those concerts than when I played normal concerts. I thought that I really did something to the world and I think this is the future plan, to do more future concerts like this and to raise money for kids who are in trouble, or some problems or is homeless, or whatever- this is one focus. Another focus is to inspire young people to listen to classical music, this is a very big job. LH: Yes I was just about to say, you have to compete against people like Eminem. (Laugh) LL: I mean, this is very big job! In Asia, it is very funny, because of the 20 million kids who study piano in China itself, it's not a big problem, but in America especially, and part of Europe also, it has become very difficult. Concert goers age become more, and more, and more. This is also good but at the same time, you need to be looking for the next generation involvement. So basically everywhere I go I would do outreach programs I would go to schools to play some music to explain, to tell them stories and dance and to make classical music very personal. Rather than little kids ask me: "Beethoven, I think he is dead for 20 years right?" I say, yes but his music is still there, it's great and wonderful, do you want to listen. Oh I like this piece, it's nice, nice. LH: Now teaching that is also something very special for you, your master classes. LL: Yes, I have to be very honest, in education, I have to very honest, especially in classical music, somehow, sometimes, I find that sometimes in the master class, it is often very strict and it's really like, big boss talk to little guy. Do this, do this, crescendo... Not so much life, not so much explain why you do this. So I think for little kids, it's not very healthy, you just tell them to "do this, do that". I mean music is art, it's not like this. You should be lead them place you are thinking of, not you want, but what you are thinking of and they just kind of start to go their own way to your imagination. I think that is the right way to teach kids. LH: I mean kids really, children- they don't really necessary have the discipline to sit down. I mean it's not something automatic that children have. What advice would you give to little children who are thinking, 'Oh my god, I have to practice go home and practice for four hours or something.' What would you tell these children to keep them going? LL: Don't think about the hours, just- I think this is very unfortunate in the beginning you need to do the scales, because that is the basic thing. And when you practice those boring scales, bear mind it is very useful for the beautiful pieces you will play later! Then if you always think about this, then it is not the most boring stuff- it is only preparation for something spectacular. LH: How do you make music fun, classical music fun? LL: I mean, that every piece has the fun part, has the sad part, has the beautiful part. But you should bring the joy from your heart and bring that out! LH: When you are not doing charity work, when you are not doing concerts, when you are not teaching, what do you do? LL: Movies, my first love, movies, and traveling to beautiful places- the mountain or the beach or whatever, something nice. LH: So being a pianist, doesn't prevent you from doing anything else with your hands. LL: I am very careful and I know, like I don't touch hot water. That is why when you asked me about hot water or warm water, it is not because my mouth or my throat- it is because of my hands. (Laugh) It is a little bit silly actually and a bit too much but it is better to be protected. LH: What do you think would be the growth of Asian musicians now, I mean there are so many making a name for themselves these days? LL: I think that it is really a great thing that to see more and more Asian musicians coming out, I mean look- there is 20 million pianist in China itself. LH: Does being Asian mean that the interpretation, the dynamics, the style is different from, let's say, a Western person? LL: It depends, I mean it's more about knowledge. I mean, everyone has talent, has a sense or feeling, of taste for music. The problem is that in Asia because the Western classical music still has a little distance, so that is why often what I find today and back home in the Conservatories- it's not because they can't play, but the problem is that sometimes they don't know how to think of these things. That is why the teachers really need to work very hard on it, because you really need to understand the Western culture first. LH: We are entering this New Year, what can we expect from you. Are you going to still keep up with the same pace, any new things that you are working on? LL: I mean, I am looking forward to new year. Next year, I mean in Chinese- in China years- it is the year of the dog. And I was born in the year of the dog! So it's going to be kind of my year, well it's also going to be everyone else's year, but for me I feel like I own this year. (Laugh) LH: Lang Lang, thank you very, very much, we wish you all the very best for 2006, the New Year, thank you. (LL: Thank you) I've been speaking to world renowned, classical pianist Lang Lang, and that is Talk Asia this week, I'm Lorraine Hahn, let's talk again next week. 
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