Several Chinese pianists have begun their careers with the Hong Kong-based Naxos label and gone on to contracts with major labels in Britain, the U.S., and continental Europe. One of the best is Xiayin Wang, who is the formidable virtuoso among the group. Her earlier releases have involved such unusual composers as Earl Wild and Richard Danielpour, but now, ensconced at Chandos, she has turned to more mainstream repertoire and has done well cutting through the thickets of notes in Rachmaninov. The present release is her ...
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Several Chinese pianists have begun their careers with the Hong Kong-based Naxos label and gone on to contracts with major labels in Britain, the U.S., and continental Europe. One of the best is Xiayin Wang, who is the formidable virtuoso among the group. Her earlier releases have involved such unusual composers as Earl Wild and Richard Danielpour, but now, ensconced at Chandos, she has turned to more mainstream repertoire and has done well cutting through the thickets of notes in Rachmaninov. The present release is her second album of Rachmaninov's music, moving from the Moments musicaux, Etudes-Tableaux, and Corelli Variations to two large sonatas and a trio of preludes as an intermezzo. Although Wang is perfectly capable of thundering away at the keyboard, she mostly chooses not to do so here, and for those who prefer Rachmaninov of the string-breaking sort, they may find Wang a little delicate, especially in the Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28. Her reading of the treacherous Piano Sonata No....
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