It's been thrilling to watch Yuja Wang develop as a pianist, her charisma leading the way in a successful career. If she and Claudio Abbado come to these classic Rachmaninov mega-hits as non-Russians, it in no way detracts from the joy of this recording. In the Paganini Rhapsody, it's clear that there's a level of sparkling delicacy from this pair that we didn't hear from Denis Matsuev and Valery Gergiev, Russians who made a great recording a year before this one. Here the interpretation is operating less on abrasion and more on charm. There's about the same charisma level, though. Wang weaves her lines with butterfly ease, but she's no lightweight, as her complete control attests. From Abbado, we hear wistful melancholy and his trademark sensitivity. The pair is high on energy and forward motion without seeming focused on the fireworks. This is a musical reading in every sense of the word, one that uses the subtle tosses and turns to build the interpretation. Here the joy of discovery is infectious, with no feeling of schmaltz. Intuition is dominating. The famous 18th Variation is played naturally, with no extra effort, but the conviction is unmistakable. This is an interpretation that feels light, removed from Russian seriousness, yet ultimately there's more depth than usual. And if that's a paradox, so be it.
Based on the Rhapsody, we're wouldn't expect the 2nd Concerto to be the most serious on the market. It isn't. It's fairly gentle, actually, unfolding with naturalness and freedom. I wish Wang and Abbado would have built to the central climax in the 1st movement with more visceral energy. It still feels spontaneous, but they could have dug in more. In the 2nd movement, melancholy isn't allowed to spill over, but Wang shines in the limelight, with phrasing that is alive and achingly gorgeous. Instead of great heaving sighs of sentimentality, it feels moonlit and softly romantic, with compelling affect. Abbado starts the finale in a low key vein, but as soon as Wang comes in, you hold your breath and listen. As with the rest of the concerto, naturalness is stressed, only Wang has enough individuality to keep things interesting. At times I do wish Abbado could find more energy--he's borderline tepid at times--but at least his accompaniment is supple and expressive, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra playing impeccably.
Wang is the star in this release, then. I find the Paganini Rhapsody slightly more compelling, largely because it finds Abbado in a more passionate mood, but both recordings deserve to be heard.
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