Conductor Gemma New, pianist George Li and the New Jersey Symphony perform at NJPAC.“Strange how potent cheap music is.”
Rachmaninoff, like Coward, was a virtuoso performer, who also knew a good tune. His “Rhapsody” is one of the most famous melodies of the 20th century — you’ve heard it in movies, video games, TV commercials. It’s one of classical music’s monster hits. George Li was the virtuoso seated at the Steinway in Prudential Hall, and the 27-year-old pianist won over the Newark audience with his commanding phrasing and ringing tone. The best thing was Li didn’t make the stirring melodies seem sappy or old-fashioned — nor did he shy away from the Rhapsody’s emotional pull, instead playing it with a robust clarity that was as refreshing as it was dazzling.
As otherworldly as that fluke made the Rachmaninoff feel, it just set the stage for Li’s thrilling encore — a wild, whirlwind performance of Liszt’s “La campanella.” It was a nice choice as an encore, because it too riffs off another Paganini violin piece. Li artfully articulated that melody with his left hand, while his right hand ripped through an ethereal string of arpeggios.
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