Chinese prodigy Lang Lang, 'The Little Emperor' or the 'Tiger Woods of the grand piano' as the press have labelled him, was last week given the honour of playing the first night of the 'Proms' at London's Royal Albert Hall, heralding the start of possibly the world's greatest music festival. From the first concert on July 18 to the last on September 13, Londoners are enjoying a daily treat of top-class concerts in an atmosphere unrivalled in any other music venue.
Much of the special atmosphere is generated by the 'Prommers' - hundreds of young people who stand throughout the entire concert in an arena in front of the stage. One of the Prommers' traditional tricks is to yell 'heave' in lusty unison as the lid of the grand piano is raised. On the first night, after conductor Leonard Slatkin had finished conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Shostakovich's Festive Overture and the stage hand came on to raise the lid of the grand, the first mighty 'heave' of the season was heard.
The Promenade concerts were started in 1895 by Victorian music lover and philanthropist Sir Henry Wood. His vision was to run nightly concerts to 'train the public [to love and appreciate classical music] in easy stages'. His vision remains, with the organisers aiming to present the widest possible range of music, performed to the highest standards, to large audiences. Wood encouraged the general public by offering cheap tickets, with one ticket for the early Proms equalling one Hong Kong dollar. Today's Prommers still only pay GBP4 (HK$50) to stand.
The last night of the Proms is legendary; a classical music rave that celebrates the culmination of a summer of top-class performances. The first night, though less flamboyant, is also highly charged and when 21-one-year-old Lang Lang walked on stage in his trademark electric blue and gold Chinese mandarin jacket and summer white slacks, the audience gave him an enthusiastic welcome.
Lang Lang was playing Tchaikovsky's much-loved first piano concerto, a piece he recorded for his debut album on Deutsche Grammophon. It is a work that demands enormous technical skill and emotional commitment. We sat back waiting to be blasted into the musical stratosphere. Lang Lang is great to watch, he plays the grand piano like a jockey urging a thoroughbred towards the finishing line at Happy Valley.
His technique and virtuosity are breathtaking - but as the final notes faded there was a feeling that this brilliance had not been matched by an equally powerful emotional 'heave'. It was as if Lang Lang had built the most amazing airy palace at breakneck speed but somehow left the rooms empty - architecture without heart. This feeling did nothing to quench the ardour of Lang Lang's adoring fans whose flowers and cheers did much to fill the unsettling emotional void.
