Striking competition performances

[thalberg]

Have you ever attended an entire piano competition, first round all the way to the last?

What were some of the best performances you heard?  What did the person play?

One of the best ones I ever heard was Gilles von Sattel playing Prok 7th.  Or Elizabeth Schumann playing Liszt's Gretchen transcription.

[invictious]

The best I heard was myself.
I was playing some random Sonata, then I forgot the rest, so I just improvised my way out.

Awesome, heh?

[pianistimo]

barry douglas in the 1985 tchaikovsky competition - playing mussorgsky's pics (i saw it live on tv).  they actually put scenes of russia up whilst he was playing - and they fit so wonderfully.  it was as if he figured out the russian soul - even though he's irish.  that's how people win, imo.  they figure out the composer and what he was attempting to say - and also get a foothold into the mesmerizing effects of having the right tempos.

leonard bernstein's interpretation of his own candide with the la philharmonic made me realize that piano music and orchestral music aren't that different.  you are basically conducting yourself. 

[leslieb547]

Yes, I go to every round of the Leeds every 3 years. The most outstanding performance I can remember was Antii Sirala in the 2003 semi-final when he played the Brahms F minor sonata. He went on to win the competition.

[iumonito]

I have a few.  The competition I follow most closely is the Van Cliburn.  I have watched it on the documentary and on Internet, not from the first note to the last (that I did years ago at the Teresa Carre#o competition, a dreadful experience).

My top 12 moments:

1.  Andy Russo 2001 Crumb followed by a very C Major chord to begin Schubert's Wanderer
2. Maria Mazo's 2005 Op. 106
3. Barry Douglas 1985 Liszt Dante Fantasia
4. Elizabeth Joy Roe 2005 Corigliano and La Valse
5. Roger Wright 2001 Rzewski Cotton Mill Blues and Jon Nakamatsu's 1997 Rachmaninov 3
6. Davide Cabassi 2005 Estampes
7. Olga Kern 2001 Barber Sonata and Jose Feghali 1985 Haydn Sonata 62 (?)
8. Davide Cabassi 2005 Appasionata
9. Xiaohan Wang 2001 Ginastera sonata
10. Antonio Pompa-Baldi 2001 note from the first F on Mozart 332 to the last C on Prokoviev 3

[slobone]

Jose Feghali 1985 Haydn Sonata 62 (?)

That was really good. That whole competition was quite well documented on TV if I remember correctly.

Jose Feghali (and Barry Douglas) both participated in the Jorge Bolet Rach 3 master class of 1983, which is available on youtube:

I don't know which segments they're in.

Out of curiosity, I googled Feghali and found the NY Times review of his Carnegie hall debut. He played the Haydn sonata, or a Haydn sonata, and they didn't like it. They said he sounded like a typical competition winner, so I guess that puts the Cliburn in its place...

[prongated]

Out of curiosity, I googled Feghali and found the NY Times review of his Carnegie hall debut. He played the Haydn sonata, or a Haydn sonata, and they didn't like it. They said he sounded like a typical competition winner, so I guess that puts the Cliburn in its place...

...isn't that the same paper that adored Lang Lang's as "deeply musical"?

[elevateme_returns]

i wouldnt say lang lang was deep. but hes musical. just not maturely musical. he should stick to playing liszt and chopin.

[retrouvailles]

One notable competition performance was when Fedor Amirov played Hamelin's arrangement of the Flight of the Bumblebee. Amazing piece. Just happened a week or so ago, too.

[etudes]

One notable competition performance was when Fedor Amirov played Hamelin's arrangement of the Flight of the Bumblebee. Amazing piece. Just happened a week or so ago, too.

ahaha and then went to play a badly rachmaninov 3rd in the final of tchaikovsky?

[spaciiey]

I remember when I was about 10... when I went to a school's competition, and this Year 12 guy was playing one of Liszt's etudes.... I cant remember what it was but it was magical - especially as he was only 16. It probably isn't the best performance ever, but if I can still remember it now, I think that its good.