I've always had prejudices against child prodigies and those
who started their career as one of them. I thought they emphasized too much on techniques
rather than deep interpretation/appreciation – to me, they were technicians,
not virtuosi. Sarah Chang was one of them to me. Even her live performances did
not touch me, when I was usually moved by live plays.
However, I had to entirely change my views on her when I
listened to her most recent recording of Bruch. Although she is helped by the
great performance of the orchestra led by her “musical godfather” Kurt Masur, her
performance is stellar – so intense! At least in this piece, she is not just “loud.”
I always hold my breath at 5:00 – 5:13 in the first movement. I have to admit
that I like her performance better than my goddess Kyung Wha Chung’s. Alas! I
only wish the tempo were a little bit faster. The third movement is lively and
fast enough for me.
I knew Sarah played Bruch’s when she was 5 years old and auditioned
by Dorothy DeLay – I can easily guess that she was all techniques then. Apparently
23 years after her first major performance of this piece led much mature appreciation.
Yes, it has always been time that teaches us!
I may change my views on her again, as I am an audience as whimsical
as musicians. But, I will pay closer attention to her next performance and
recording. Her Brahms, which is couple with the Bruch, is just mediocre
compared to the Bruch, but she earned my respect as a full-blown violinist and
is no long a prodigy to me. I will look forward to finding out improvements in her
next performance of Brahms’s.
