Winner Of The 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition Warsaw 2015

Just beginning to explore Chopin's music, i listen to youtube clips a lot, particularly in the Preludes. Out of many fine accounts i chose this because there is something about the young Cho - his involvement, the refined poetry of his readings - which draws me in. Some of these pieces have a transcendent quality in the right hands; and i feel that he is one of those who can realise this. No doubt i wii find other fine interpretations, but i am very happy to have begun with this beautiful performance.

This is a totally brilliant first CD from a young maestro of phenomenal talent. It is very pleasing that Deutsche Grammophon saw fit to take recordings of the the various heats of the 2015 International Fryderyk Chopin Competition and release these astoundingly mature performances from a worthy winner of such a comparatively young age (21). If Seong-Jin Cho is achieving this level of musicality and communication with his listeners now, I await with eagerness his musical development over the coming years. He finds every single tone-colour the piano is capable of producing (and a few more besides) - his interpretation of all the works on this CD is simply spell-binding. In particular, his mastery of the C minor Nocturne and the Polonaise in A flat demonstrates a flawless technique, revealing not only a technician of amazing virtuosity, but also a deeply-feeling and caring musician who is able so perfectly to communicate: and that, surely, is what musical performance is all about.

I enjoyed watching Cho's performance during the Chopin competition. This CD allows me to enjoy that experience again. However, I thought his playing of the concerto and polonaise was even better during the winner's concert than during the competition, but the latter was not represented by this CD.

Easy listening