Review: Dear Paul Huang - I'm sorry; I do know better!
Yes, I know you’re not supposed to clap at the end of the first movement of a concerto, let alone rise for a standing ovation. But, come on! If you’re going to play the way you did with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra last week, then you can’t expect me to stay in my seat.
And I was not alone. Group faux pas aside, superstar violinist Paul Huang played the exhilarating Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with all the fireworks one expects, yet brought a pathos to the subdued sections that showcased his remarkable emotional range.
Violinist Paul Huang performing with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Aram Demirjian. Photo by Trianne Newbrey, courtesy of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
Huang’s sound is full and enveloping, without a hint of pushing or stridency. The warmth of the G string continues to the heights of the E string. His harmonics are impossibly clear and focused. This may have something to do with the fact that he plays the 1742 "ex-Wieniawski" Guarneri del Gesù – an instrument that sounded as if it was being played right next to me, when, in fact, I was seated in the last row of the balcony.
Huang is one of those rare artists who casts a spell and keeps the audience in his thrall. His trill at the end of the first movement’s cadenza diminished to such a faint glimmer, I wasn’t sure if I was actually hearing sound or just imagining it. When the flute solo dovetailed in (played rapturously by Devan Jaquez), Huang and Jaquez created a moment of musical magic I will not soon forget.
After hearing Huang’s stellar performance, I was eager to attend the Q&A that followed. Not surprisingly, I learned that Huang listened to Menuhin, Heifetz, and Oistrakh while growing up. This influence was evident in every aspect of his playing. Huang is by no means trying to imitate any of these great masters, rather, he is the embodiment of a time gone by.
I was surprised to learn that Huang has only had two teachers. He credits the first, Li-Wen Wang, with teaching him to love music. Of Wang, he said he was not rewarded with stickers or stars when he did well in a lesson. Rather, the reward was getting to play duos with her – something he absolutely cherished. Huang believes this tactic kindled his early, and ongoing, love of chamber music.
Huang credits his second teacher, Hyo Kang, with teaching him to trust himself. Of Kang, he said his instructional style brought him from being an obedient player who would do whatever the teacher asked, to a mature player who learned to think on his own. "I won’t always be there," Kang gently reminded him. So Huang learned how to trust himself and become his own guide.
Huang’s ability to trust himself makes for a mature performer whose musical choices always seem organic and authentic. They never register as being for show, even though his left and right hands are superhuman in their dexterity and touch. I overheard a man in the audience say that Huang’s fingers moved so quickly "it almost looked like they weren’t moving."
The entire evening was a delight. Maestro Aram Demirjian paired Tchaikovsky with Brahms’ Symphony #3 and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade in A Minor, Op. 33. Demirjian was always an attentive partner in the concerto, his own string training evident as he seemed to anticipate every moment Huang wanted a little room or some forward momentum.
Under Demirjian’s baton, the orchestra played with a wonderful combination of confidence and spontaneity. Being able to present an artist of Huang’s stature, let alone provide him with a first-class collaboration, is no small feat. The KSO is a source of great pride in the community, and rightfully so.
And they brought in the type of audience any classical enterprise would be thrilled to have. The sizeable crowd was comprised of people of all ages -- parents with young children, couples on dates, students, and seniors. It was even announced there was a large group in attendance from nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The diverse crowd had at least one thing in common, and that was their love of Huang's performance. The thunderous standing ovation at the concerto's close was the perfect ending to an absolutely thrilling performance.
You might also like:
- Interview with Violinist Paul Huang: Playing the 'Wieniawski' del Gesù
- Paul Huang on Lera Auerbach's 24 Preludes For Violin and Piano
- Review: Trio Shines in Camerata Pacifica's All-French Season Opener
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Replies
Thank you, Richard! You make a great point about opera! I remember a time my husband was conducting "Elisir" in Spain and the applause for "Una furtiva" went on so long, the tenor sang it again. Gotta love opera fans!
Wonderful review! I’ve been a fan of Frank for many years now. I met him when he was in Houston. And I am a professional musician that claps in between movements!! Why not??? Why do I have to withhold my appreciation of an artist(s) wonderful performance? We clap after a great jazz solo, after a great aria! Sorry but classical music is not more special than any other style of music.
Let’s give our appreciation to the artist regardless of music genre.
I agree, Jesus! Thank you!
Paul is a consummate musician, as a soloist and also as a chamber musician. I have seen him perform such a great variety of music over the years, and it's always a revelation, whether it's something as unusual as Lera Auerbach's 24 Preludes or as frequently-played as the Tchaikovsky concerto. I'm not surprised he had everyone jumping to their feet after the first movement!
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October 23, 2024 at 08:19 AM · Another lively, wide-ranging review, Diana! On the issue of first-movement applause, there was some at a concert I attended last week - Beethoven 'Emperor' concerto (Francesco Piemontesi, accompanied by the Orquesta Nacional de España under Joana Mallwitz). Interestingly, sign of the times, there was no disapproval or shushing. Opera audiences have always shown their enjoyment: is there anything wrong in concert audiences doing the same?