Yuja Wang’s Rachmaninoff Marathon Experiment
On January 28, 2023, pianist Yuja Wang joined The Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin at Carnegie Hall for a once-in-a-lifetime, all-Rachmaninoff marathon that featured the composer’s four piano concerti plus his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Throughout the performance, Wang—along with Nézet-Séguin, members of the orchestra, and concertgoers in attendance—wore devices to track their heartbeats.
Unprecedented and insanely demanding, Wang made history. These five pieces include two-and-a-half hours of music, 621 pages of score, and more than 97,000 piano notes.
To this day, Rachmaninoff’s virtuosic compositions captivate like few others, and these world-class artists ensured that the music was as heartily felt as it was technically astounding. Together, they answered a singular question: What happens when Rachmaninoff's music touches your heart?
This month on Carnegie Hall+, we salute this singular musician with two extraordinary performances on the channel.
Photography: Wang by Chris Lee
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Yuja Wang: Carnegie Hall+ Artist to Watch
This month on Carnegie Hall+, we salute this singular musician with two extraordinary performances on the channel.
Sergei Rachmaninoff at Carnegie Hall
Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff’s association with Carnegie Hall spanned more than 30 years.