AIMI KOBAYASHI - Polonaise-Fantasy in A flat major, Op. 61 (18th Chopin Competition, second stage) 

マジで何回きいても感動します…。はぁ、美しい。この幻想ポロネーズ大好きです。

この曲は魅力とか場面とかが飛び散りすぎてて、すごく上手でもまとめられない有名ピアニストがいらっしゃいますね。 こんな曲をよく１つの空間におさめきって♪ 本当に気持ちがスッキリする演奏です。 愛美さんの清潔感あふれる演奏が大好きです。

I have never heard such intimately open and honest renditions of Chopin's music. Great impression

This is one of my favorite Chopin works. She sings Chopin's later masterpieces vividly using a variety of techniques. It is a very wonderful performance that remains in the history of this competition.

It is said that this piece was composed at a time when his separation from Georges Sand had become final. His friend Liszt said of the piece, "It is too sentimental to be art. He must have been out of his mind.” It is not hard to imagine how confused Chopin's mental state must have been under such circumstances. Indeed, if you listen carefully, you can hear the bright major melody and the rhythm of the polonaise. But the next moment, the polonaise melody turns into a melody that seems to be sinking into a deep solitude. It is as if the music itself is in turmoil. I felt that Aimi Kobayashi's performance successfully expressed Chopin's confused state of mind, such as anxiety and confusion when he lost his love. Moreover, she expressed Chopin's state of mind beautifully and "fantastically" without adding unnecessary embellishments, using the technique of subtraction. This is one of the great performances.

静謐で　わびさびを感じる演奏 でした。揺蕩う愛実さんの音楽に酔いしれました❗

Pure joy and peace 💖 she plays with auch a strong feeling of Chopin

Wunderschöne und kultivierte Aufführung dieser romantischen und fein komponierten Fantasie im relativ langsamen Tempo mit anmutigem Klang des technisch perfekten Klaviers und mit sorgfältig kontrollierter Dynamik. Echt intelligente und geniale Pianistin!

A remarkably mature and seasoned performance of this inspired piece where not a single note was wasted, and utmost attention was paid to subtle nuances and layered voicing - not to mention no distracting facial expressions! What a privilege to witness this display of true sensitivity and delicacy! 4:44 to 5:00, 5:50 & 7:50 were the highlights for me, I love how she slightly holds back the tempo here for full dramatic effect - most pianists tend to rush through these sections. Aimi was truly at the height of her powers during this competition. 2020-2021 were the years ravaged by the covid pandemic, however her brilliance brought much-needed joy and light in such dark times.

The best polonaise-fantasy

So expressive and deep! Loved it!🌟

Absolutely the best Polonaise-Fantasy ever. It was almost weird that the each note made me feel like I'm watching/experiencing the same view and emotion which Chopin seems to have when he wrote this Polonaise.

若いアーティストが最近こぞって演目にして弾くので何年ぶりかに戻ってきて聴き直しました。 少し大人になってからでないとしっくりこない曲なのかもしれませんね。 憧れて若いアーティストが挑戦するというのもまた素敵ですけどね。円熟したところで、というか節目節目で弾いてほしい曲です。

I cried with this performance 😭😭😭❤️bravoo👏👏👏

Her performance always captivates my heart.

Beautiful performance on by far the best and most beautiful and special piano in the entire competition! None of the other pianos have that glorious sustaining resonance in the opening explorations of the piece - and so much variety of colours which Ms Kobayashi took advantage. It's so interesting to hear the same piano maker also came up with by far the worst piano in the competition!

天才少女が素敵な大人の女性になりましたね、これからの活躍に期待してます。若い日本人演奏家のレベルの高さには本当に驚きますね。

このピアニストは素晴らしい

Beatiful interpretation ! The vibration of the music is everything. Thank you and succes !

Chopin to najpiękniejsza spuścizna dla ludzkości.

Timeless. I could listen forever. Aimi gets it.

Thank you for your music ☘️

６年間で大きく変化が〜深淵な珠玉の音色です〜！

her gentle touch gives me the chills.

Chopin competition on the end “s fingers beautifully dressed in A flat Majority! A Joyful! Fun! Taste good! !whole day!

美しい‼️何回聴いても涙が溢れて止まらない❤❤❤❤❤

愛実さんの演奏を聴いていると、湖…湖畔が浮かぶ。

Superb I cooked the best ever jerk risotto my dinner listening to it. Thanks RU-vid&Google. John

歌声というよりは、心の声のような演奏

Perfection

very good~~~~

AIMI

素晴らしい I can't believe there were empty seats!

So beautiful

For me Japan are Aimi Kobaiashi for the piano and Yuka Ishimaru for the organ .

Tanto en sus scherzos como en esta Polonesa, lleva la razón interpretativa que seguro afirmaba Chopen.

震えますねぇ

流石に素敵な演奏ですね😊🎶 この頃には既に、反田さんとの愛を育まれていらっしゃったのでしょう🎉❤一音一音に込められた情熱がとても伝わります😊

Bravo!🎹

Unbelievable

I wonder if Chopin could hear modern classical music (i.e. mid 20th century to present), if he would repent of his harmonic wanderings (which are actually less than it sounds like), like a guy who just went out to have a couple of drinks and some fun but then influenced a friend to get roaring drunk and get in a bad car accident. "Oh no, I was just playing with harmony a little--I didn't mean for this to happen!"

最後は、愛実ちゃんの腕を持ってもかなりキツそう💦 相当難しいんだろうな、、 手元を見てると手がギリギリで届かなそうに弾いてるとこもあるし、幅のある和音を 高速で弾くって女性は不利だよな〜😰 そんなこと言うのは素人なんだろうね😑

Beautiful music, horrible masked crowd.

Beautiful... from the era when people got fooled into wearing face diapers

Hard work, bad music.