There are many things to consider when assessing Alpin Hong’s performance, much of it being when he’s off stage. But I’ll get to that later.
He’s a great player with fantastic technique. He can rip through a crazy run, ooze out a slow moment, bang out a fantastically loud melody, and trickle through the essence of a soft whisper. He certainly wowed the audience Friday night, and not just with his technique; he was also incredibly funny and personable. He told some great stories and played some great pieces. I think the audience was ready to either marry or adopt him by the end of the show.
The die-hard classical musician, however, may not be so swayed. The program read like a “Greatest Hits” of classical music, which may seem a little cheesy to the most discriminating of music critics. There were a few hiccups throughout, notably a memory lapse on Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in g minor. But honestly, it happens to all of us - - even when memorization comes easy, it’s no phenomenon when our brains decide to work against us (I personally believe that my brain is out to get me most of the time).
But mostly, I think what keeps Alpin Hong outside of the “greatest ever amazing pianists” club is his interpretation. As I explained to a friend, in my attempt to articulate just what was floating around in my head, “When he played Clair de Lune, I know I heard the essence of awesome. But I’m not sure I heard the essence of Debussy.” I would also like to note that Clair de Lune is the only Debussy piece that 98% of the population knows. We might as well say “As heard in the remake of Ocean’s 12.” Or was it 13? Anyway, I think that pretty much sums up the way he plays music. He was obviously born to play the piano. I can’t fault him for anything technically or talent-wise. He was great, but I kept thinking to myself, “Is he really feeling it?” I heard Beethoven, but I didn’t feel it. The music didn’t sink into me, taking hold of my soul and stealing my breath. Granted, that’s an extremely romantic depiction of what music does to us, but it’s honestly the reason why we all do it.
However, looking at the bigger picture, I, as a thinker on a more general/social level, and a trumpet player who hacked through ten years of piano lessons, am willing to forgive the interpretation issue and the memory lapses. You pianists out there can stick to your guns - - you owe it to your art form to be as stringent as you like in your criticism. But what I saw was something truly amazing. I saw in Alpin Hong his ability to be a good musician and a good person. These two things don’t always coincide, but they did here.
I was impressed by what he does when he’s not on stage: his involvement in the community, his educational outreach. When he’s not putting on recitals or practicing, he’s infusing his love for classical music into the next generation. He plays the “Mario Brothers” theme (inviting three middle schoolers, two cellists and a bass, to join him on the second half) and goes into schools to preach the good music word, that Beethoven is inevitably tied to the background noises we hear every day. Mozart can be just as beloved as movie music, and we can learn that through Alpin Hong.
Educational outreach is so important. Bringing the joy of what some are calling a dying art to our young generations is what will keep this beautiful art form alive. We can’t convince our generation to switch out Beyonce for Borodin, but we can speak to the future of music. Given his “extra-curriculars,” if Alpin Hong needs to play Chopin a little too fast to spur on the future of classical music, so be it.
Puppies, Flowers, and Smiling Babies,
Kery Lawson
