Yuja Wang plays Schumann's 'The Smuggler' on a Steinway Spirio

[thegreenpianist]

The clarity and the touch are out of this world

[tedl]

The finesse of her touch on this piece is exquisite.

[jordidewaard]

While the piano sounds amazing, we must not forget the clarity that is being achieved by miss Wang here. The way she switches from loud to soft, in such short spans is just incredible. I wish I could voice half as well as she can

[sliversilver]

she always manages to make difficult pieces look so easy.... magical!

[Spscc]

This was played on a Steinway, in case you didn't notice.

[NadyaPena-]

this is the only commercial I ever watch over and over again voluntarily.

[jeremyngpiano]

I love those dancing fingers. Such a pleasure to watch.

[gretareinarsson]

She is totally one in a million. A brilliant pianist.

[gregturner]

It is one thing to be able to play so fast, but when you can play that fast and have each note played perfectly - OMG - perfection!

[Kim-fvbn]

One Of My favorite pianists... she has a unique style and can show jazzy soul but never be out of classic....

[jiaxinli]

passionate but accurate performance. she has the unmatched skill and sophisticated understanding of music of the younger generation pianist

[jonathanwelsh]

Has anyone mentioned that this is a transcription by Carl Tausig? If not, I just did!!

[victoriaelizabethwhitimaxw]

she's amazing and light as air when she plays

[uriahmrache]

Just saw her live. She was literally flawless.

[avamei]

So much respect for Yuja Wang <3333

[jennifer]

In addition to Yuja's incredible technique and amazing chops, the sound she's getting from this piano is remarkable. She's playing a Steinway model "M" seen in the piano's golden plate triangle in the baritone section of the keyboard at 0:11. A model "M" (medium) is 5 feet 7 inches long, which is an appropriate size grand piano for a home, rarely a performance venue. Usually, grand pianos which are under 6 feet in length, do not have a very robust baritone or bass section sound, yet this model "M" has a very bold and distinctively resonant baritone

section. It's particularly noticeable at 0:45 through 0:56.

Since this video is a Steinway advertisement, the piano is in perfect tune, and the hammers have been voiced really well. Due to the tight close-up camera work, It is difficult to determine the size of the room, but there are lamps and tables glimpsed at times. The recording has a bit of reverb added to enlarge the overall sound of the piano and the the size of the room, which creates aural depth.

I've seen Yuja's past practice piano in her New York apartment, and it appeared to be a medium-sized Steinway grand. She practiced and played it as many classical pianists do, with the lid completely closed, and a thick quilted cover over the entire piano (except the keyboard) with the music desk placed on top of the cover.

This helps deaden the sound to neighbors, but it also creates more pressure on the keyboard, since the sound is trapped inside the closed case and cover. With this added pressure, the keys require more effort to play, which is exactly what baseball players do when they warm up by swinging two bats before they approach the plate. A pianist will be able to play a difficult work more easily after practicing on a keyboard which requires more effort.

This is why most organ players find it difficult and uncomfortable to play piano very well, since organ keyboard actions are extremely light and springy, whereas piano actions, especially 9-foot concert grand piano actions, are heavy and demanding. It takes practice to get used to the heavier piano action.

In terms of fingers and hands, pianists' hands may range in size from tiny feminine hands, to hands the size of a baseball glove, with fingers the size of big cucumbers. In fact, the hands make up only a small part of a pianist's ability to play the piano. It is actually the brain and the heart which really play the piano.

[MrKlashmaster]

Beautiful, both the woman and her skillful playing. Truly magnificent.

[pauliberg]

oh my world.. what pianist..just be blessed in the future.You and your hands..the way you play music..the way you make music ..is out of heaven..

[karenistalking]

I've been around Classical music for over 50 yrs but have never heard of such a piano piece. It is a total delight seeing and hearing it played under her glib light fingers. Am going back for the second round.

[pauliberg]

this is just pure magic..absolute magic..