Music Review | Hong Xu: Soulful Tones For That Prince Of Russian Romanticism

Try to imagine the pressure the young Chinese pianist Hong Xu must have been under when he played Rachmaninoffs treacherously difficult Piano Concerto No. 3 during an open rehearsal and concert at the Juilliard School on Sunday afternoon. Vladimir Ashkenazy, the conductor, has performed the work as a pianist more than 50 times, and made five recordings of it: four as a pianist, the fifth on the podium.

Mr. Ashkenazy is president of the Rachmaninoff Society, whose annual conference was held in New York over the weekend. Experts and enthusiasts from around the world were present. So were Mr. Xus parents, who had flown in from China.

But if Mr. Xu was feeling that pressure, it was not evident during the rehearsal, which began with a complete run-through of the concerto with the house lights up. Mr. Ashkenazy drew a warm, mellow tone from the Juilliard Orchestra, with silken strings and especially fine contributions from Virya Quesada, the principal bassoonist, and Eric Reed, the principal horn player.

Mr. Xus playing was lithe and elegant. He subtly shaped lines without exaggeration, and his fast passagework was precise and buoyant. Mr. Ashkenazys shoulders shuddered and rolled in sympathy as Mr. Xu played the first movements flamboyant closing cadenza.

Mr. Xu played the second movements lyrical passages soulfully, with dark, pensive tones from the orchestra amplifying the mood. In the dizzying waltz section Mr. Xus articulation was technically flawless, lending the music a perky personality. He was equally commanding in a powerful account of the finger-busting finale.

After the concerto concluded, Mr. Ashkenazy asked the orchestra to repeat the coda of the last movement, hoping to clarify what he termed a misunderstanding. After minor adjustments, the passage gained clarity.

Where did you feel particularly uncomfortable? Mr. Ashkenazy wryly asked Mr. Xu. I didnt notice any particular problems, but Im at the service of the soloist.

Mr. Xu wanted to go over the waltz passage from the second movement. Mr. Ashkenazy complied, then repeated it again more quietly, with scintillating results.

Those last-minute improvements were audible when the concerto was formally presented after intermission. If tiny signs of weariness crept into Mr. Xus playing in the closing movement, it was understandable: Even Rachmaninoff waved off requests for an encore after playing the premiere of this concerto in 1909.

In any case, Mr. Xu was revealed as a technically brilliant, insightful musician of seemingly limitless potential.

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