REVIEWS
"If someone asks the question: After Glenn Gould, do the Goldberg Variations still have vitality? The answer is clear and unequivocal: Yes! The best evidence is right here."
—— Gramophone Magazine Rob Cowan
"Thoughtfully designed interpretation, filled with deep musical insights."
——Record Geijutsu Magazine Tsutomu Nasuda
"With this, Du achieves the difficult balance between constructive logic and metaphysics, between knowledge and mystery: A strong statement for a debutant."
——Rondo Magazine Attila Csampai
Musically, Du understands better than the majority of his predecessors to transform written notes into meaningful motifs and expressive melodies.
——Foto Forum Ingo Haren
“The sheer beauty of his playing frequently captivates the listener.”
—— MusicWeb International Ralph Moore
“He was touched by the God of Music. I am very proud of him!”
—— Pianist and professor Meng-Chieh Liu
“Serious, intelligent performance. Shows deep personal connection to the music. Congrats on the big accomplishment!”
—— The committee of New England Conservatory
“It’s impossible not to draw comparisons to Glenn Gould when considering Tianqi Du, age 25, a rising star in China’s classical music scene. In the sea of up-and-coming piano talent, Tianqi Du has forged his own identity. Embracing avant-garde experimentation and modern visual arts, Du pushes the envelope, extending himself far beyond the classical concert pianist route. ”
—— The Theatre Time, at Carnegie Hall, NYC
“Admiring his bravery and confidence to play in a creative and original way when it has been performed as kinds of classic and authoritative works by numerous masters as well as he shows the understanding of this work honestly and daringly through his natural and almost perfect performing.”
“For me, Tianqi Du’s performance is the successful revival of ‘Goldberg Variations’. There is no replication with any masters or fuss of necromancy. Just the happiness it is.”
“Such unique performance is definitely derived from his powerful and confidential originality presented with the thoughtful creativity.”
——Chinese critics, Lihua Su
“Tianqi’s amazing ‘Goldberg Variations’ deeply touches everyone at the recital and my heart is waving. His melody makes the soul shocked and moving.”
“There is a lot of emotion, excitement and sleeplessness due to the various concerts in my lifetime. However, it was the first time I enjoyed the performance in tears and cried out my eyes with Tianqi backstage.”
——Professor Zhaoyi Dan
“He meditated on Bach's music universe, closed the door to thank the guests, and studied music. He performed Bach in his own heart which we had never heard before. He found his greatest inspiration from Bach's music, using Bach's music as a master key to open the art lock of various music.”
“He seems to be like Bach's soul possession, playing Bach's music so vivid, and like Gould's resurrection, the music breathing and musical charm of the performance is like Gould, but the interpretation of music is very different from Gould's performance. The voices outside of Gould’s mouth seem to have popped up by Du Tianqi. I heard a new Bach with my heart, and I used the ear to "see" a reincarnation of Gould.”
“If the music played by Bach is three-dimensional, then Du Tianqi's performance makes me see the fourth dimension. If you think that I am making subjective assumptions to flflatter Du Tianqi, I hope that you will listen to Bach’s music played by Du Tianqi as seriously as I did.”
—— Chinese critics