An Unexpected Visit From Xuefei Yang

At the beginning of this past February, guitarist Xuefei Yang’s performed her fourth solo recital presented by the Omni Foundation for the Performing Arts. This was followed at the end of June with the release of her latest album, Chapeau Satie. I am not quite sure how I received word of her return to San Francisco last night for another solo recital, but the source seems to have involved electronic mail from Concerts in America this past June. That led to proving me with a pair of tickets for a performance at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.

This was a “bare bones” affair, since no programs were provided. Fortunately, Yang announced each of her selections with perfectly audible clarity. For the most part, she said little, allowing the music to “do all the talking.” Attention was seized immediately with her deft command of the lightning-speed fingerwork required for the performance of Isaac Albéniz’ “Asturias” (first composed for piano, where the fingerwork was just as demanding). This was followed by two selections from Chapeau Satie: the third of the “Gnossienne” compositions and “La Diva de l’empire.” Both of these were composed for solo piano, presumably arranged by Yang for her own performance.

The monument to Tárrega in Castellón, Spain (photograph by Trewert, February 3, 2009, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain)

The one reflection on the Far East was a medley of music from Xinjiang, which was probably the least familiar offering on the program. On the Spanish side, Francisco Tárrega was represented by the all-too-familiar “Recuerdos de la Alhambra,” which was coupled with a flamenco selection by Paco Peña. There was also a “set” of familiar American tunes, beginning with Erroll Garner’s “Misty,” followed by “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (Jerome Kern) and Billy Strayhorn’s “Take the ‘A’ Train.” The program concluded with an encore, which, in the sanctuary’s cavernous space, was incoherently mumbled.

Yang has become one of my favorite guitarists. Her Omni performances led me to listening to her recordings, and I have been consistently impressed with the diversity of her repertoire.From an organizational point of view, however, last night felt more like one of those “Hey, kids, let’s put on a show” affairs inspired by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Hopefully, Yang will return for another recital produced by Omni, which always seems to give as much respect to the audience as to the performer.