Axworthy on Hao Rao at Duszniki: “The Birth of a Great Artist”

Music critic Christopher Axworthy offered a striking appraisal of Hao Rao’s recital at the Duszniki International Chopin Festival, one of the most historically significant platforms for Chopin interpretation. In his review, Axworthy characterizes the performance as “the birth of a great artist,” emphasizing the rare convergence of technical mastery and poetic sensibility evident throughout the program.

Writing in Christopher Axworthy Music Commentary, he highlights Hao Rao’s ability to unite structural command with lyrical imagination, noting that virtuosity in this performance never existed for its own sake. Instead, technique functioned as a transparent medium through which musical ideas unfolded with clarity, nobility, and expressive depth. Axworthy draws particular attention to the pianist’s sense of proportion and narrative continuity—qualities essential to Chopin’s larger forms and often elusive even among mature artists.

The Duszniki appearance marked a significant moment in Hao Rao’s artistic trajectory, situating him within a lineage of pianists who have shaped the festival’s legacy. Axworthy’s commentary places the performance not merely as a successful festival appearance, but as a statement of emerging artistic identity—one defined by balance, inner poise, and a deeply considered musical voice.

👉 Read the full article:
https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2024/08/04/hao-rao-at-duszniki-festival-the-birth-of-a-great-artist-where-mastery-and-poetic-sensibility-combine/

Published in Christopher Axworthy Music Commentary, August 2024.