Eric Lu - Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante in E flat major Op. 22 (second stage) 

I am tempted to think that Chopin played like Eric. English ladies at Chopin's recitals used to say that the sounds he produced were "like the water"..... Eric's Andante sounds like that. Just beautiful.

I love this guy, a perfect technique coupled with the most expressive phrasing. He has everything.

Wow! Out of this world phrasing. Nothing is rushed nor over paused. Not over rubato. Makes my heart leap in ecstasy listening to the beautiful melodies.

All these geniuses and their recordings on youtube. Yet i come back to Eric's playing ...

I love how sensitive and mature his playing is. He doesn't get caught up in the whole who-can-play-fastest-and-loudest mess that seems to dominate these competitions anymore. I would listen to his performances over any of the top three winners from this year's comp, hands down.

Rare for such young, gifted pianists to be so intelligently reserved in their playing. Bravo!!!

Spectacular performance! Such an amazingly mature artist for his age. After winning a prize in the Chopin, and now 1st in the Leeds, he's really made it onto the international stage. A star is born! It will be a joy to watch/hear his further development into a great artist!

Eric's touch and ease of playing makes one think these monstrously difficult pieces are pleasurably, even enjoyably easy! I'm sure when Fryderyk entertained comfortably seated in his own Paris parlor this same sparkling, dynamic tenderness was expressed in just this fashion! Eric has captured Chopin's power in brilliant, visionary splendor! Bravo!

Absolutely magnificent. Listen to his singing tone and ringing,warm, quality of tone. His loud chords are not just meaningless chords but with meaning. Personally, I would say that he has one if the best singing tones in this Competition.

What a beautiful singing tone.... it is heavenly. A true poet on the piano. Bravo, Eric.

You can tell he puts his entire heart into the pieces he plays. His interpretation of Chopin is absolutely beautiful.

Eric: Just by this performance alone you should have the rights to call yourself Polish with all the honors and privileges within. Playing and grasping Chopin is not just the notes. In order to be able to do what you did ,-There is no other way-, YOU HAD TO embrace Fryderyk's heart. No if's and's or but's. ..'to do that, you had to give your prime time on the account of tremendously hard work. This could never be successful without a true and honest passion. And for all that I truly thank you!

***** For this performance there is no grading scale. Power of Art. The best performance I have ever heard. Bravo!!!!!!!!!!! *********

The best version of Grande Polonaise so far in this competition. Great mastery.

This artist is clearly in love with the music. What a joy to watch him pouring out this love on the piano.

Incredibly rich texture of subtleness with the Andante Spianato, yet the power to express such flourishing excitement with the Polonaise!

Chopin wrote all that almost grotesquely difficult music with only one goal; to take the people along with him to the nether regions of the galaxies then back to a place of perfect rest and repose to consider the marvel of life and music. “Music expresses wordless odyssey’s” ; which original axiom occurred to me some years ago because of the joy of experiencing these transcendent works that stir the heart, mind and spirit in ways simply not possible by any other art form. King Solomon wrote: “And a word filly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” I am so happy to understand and appreciate “philosophic music” because of the nature of the finest that corresponds to the best and brightest in the spirit of man. “For measure and proportion manifest themselves in all areas as beauty and virtue.” This quote by Plato is a frequent reference whenever I am moved by the extraordinary. Congratulations brother Eric Lu for this radiant interpretation! PWG

Technically impeccable, beautiful and refined is how one describes Eric's playing.

The only thing I can say after listening to this incredible performance is, he truly knows Chopin’s heart.

Unbelievable, and just otherworldly. I shudder to think generative AI could ever replicate the phrasing and pure soul put into this perfomance.

Everyone note is amazingly crystal clean & clear with warmth. This is the piece that we can use for communication with outer space culture.

oh my goodness - I've always gone to Yundi Li for my favourite interpretation of this piece but I think that this surpasses it. What I love about this one is the appreciation of all the individual voices within the piece (and not just the melody). I'm not musically trained but my ears are happy! And he seems like he's really enjoying himself too :-D. (But only 80k views? That's a shame :-( )

absolutely breath taking!!! can't wait for his recital in Warsaw this Summer!!!

In my opinion, this version is so ChopinTic.....so beautiful..

One of the finest Grand Polonaises I've ever heard.

Outstanding technique and musicianship.

Absolutely breathtaking! I love the way the audience grasps at the end of Eric's performance. The notes, the tone, the passion was so incredible. He plays this piece like true genius! That piano was SANGING!!!! Loved it, loved it & I just loved it!

That performance of Grande Polonaise Brillante.... made me feel like I was floating in the clouds up above. Absolutely heavenly!

I have never seen a pianist play this piece so effortlessly and joyfully. It's as if Chopin himself has taken over his body. It is spectacular!

im so impressed !!!!! i've ever heard such a poetic and beautiful sound

Wow. Just wow. His dynamics are incredible. The piece rises and falls so beautifully and phrases are left with perfect spacing as if they are truly breathing. I love it. That final reprise is ABSOLUTELY amazing, the constant sixteenth notes!!!!

Questa performance lo proietta tra i grandi interpreti di Chopin. Bravo davvero

What a pleasure listening and watching this immensely talented and gifted young man.

I love his interpretation of the passage around 9:16 the best of all the ones I've heard from that years competition. Some people go to fast, others way too loud and still others both.

There is a unique beauty about Eric's playing that makes it a real pleasure to listen to repeatedly.

wonderful very delicate beautiful

His music is sublime. I give ten thumbs up! Too good!

I'm not sure why Kate's rendition was praised and loved by so many. Eric Lu's interpretation was like flying without wings.

Ерик, твоя игра блестяща, одухотворённая. Звуки рояля чудесно ласкают слух. Рояль звучит божественно мягко и словно поёт. Спасибо за такое проникновенное исполнение Шопена! Браво!❤👌🙏🙏

I can't decide between him and Kate Liu. Both performances are transcendental.

Most pianists performed well in second round and made some good music too but only Eric make me feel like Chopin himself is playing the piano.

This is even better than the original orchestral version. You don't in any way feel there is anything missing, and there is no hesitancy between the orchestral interludes and the piano solo. Brilliant

Bravo Eric for the masterful performance and colorful,poetic interpretation. Hope to see you some day and enjoy your live concert.

Trzymałem za Erica kciuki na ostatnim konkursie szopenowskim. Ujął mnie swoją skromnością i trafnością interpretacji oraz wielką muzykalnością, a także dynamicznym i niezapomnianym wykonaniem Preludiów.

This piece of music is just so heavenly beautiful!

音になぜか、不思議な余裕が感じる。なぜだろう⁉️そして確かな技術‼️私は、彼の演奏がとても好き‼️ショパンらしい気がする❤

Bravo to Eric Lu ... an early Sunday morning cup of coffee, enjoying this remarkable performance!

Absolutely marvelous interpretation!

No word to explain .Just beautiful.

Astonishing playing. Wonderful.

so delicately played..absolutely divine..

Eagerly anticipating a dedicated Chopin album from Mr. Lu.

Simply Beautiful!!!!

What an amazing pianist. Very enjoyable to watch and listen to.

Een mooie uitvoering van dit prachtig werk van Chopin die begrepen wordt. Mooi gespeeld op een mooie vleugel door een pianist die Chopin in hart en en nieren heeft

It's perfectly fluid that gushes brilliantly.

Bravissimo! A new Pollini is born.

Superb. No.1 so far.

amazing technique! I love the way his fingers glide away on the keys with such buttery scales. Lu's sound control over the keys is immaculate

Unbelievable performance.

Eric, you are super and you play super!

An outstanding blend of perfectly played notes executed with emotion and technique. Incredible performance. As if he plays from the past. Bravo!

I decided to close my eyes after the andante portion. This piece is quite cosmic. Chopin had a novel way of conceptual genesis and execution of his unique ideas that guaranteed his music would win the hearts of the masses of music lovers. He seems to me the original romantic transcendentalist who defied all accepted forms of traditional musical expression. No one excels his level of originality, majestic poise and beauty! PWG.

This is amazing...now my favorite performance of this piece.

He didn't miss any of the notes during the arpeggio section towards the end :O

Brillantissime ...

I only found him in the Leeds International Piano Competition - how lucky I was!!! Such a delicacy of touch!

Excelente interpretación, llena de musicalidad y dominio pleno de la técnica. El ganó el 4to. lugar, pero para mí merecía mucho más

Probably the best Chopin pianist wordwide.... for me even deeper than Trifonov

love that smooth movement

Absolutamente impecable!!!!!Bravo,bravo y bravo Eric!!!!

very wonderful & delicate beautiful

Ecouter Eric Lu est un réel bonheur.

4:54 for the Grand Polonaise

Después de oír la belleza armonica, la grandeza de sonido su virtuosismo técnico, que ridiculo y profano es pensar como la tocaría Chopin, su propia musica, compuesta por el, de su alma, pues la tocaría MARAVILLOSAMENTE BIEN...dichosos quienes pudieron oírla interpretada por el...BRAVO Chopin, y bravo por este magnífico pianista.Se me ocurre pensar con los pianos de hoy, el sonido del siglo XXI que no hubiera hecho Chopin....increíble.

effortlessly well done

im really impressed

Bellísima! Me fascina la música de Chopín, para mí es el número 1, y mi compositor favorito.

Incredible!

He has a very gentle touch.

Simply phenomenal.

2015 년도에 어마어마하신 분들이 많았네요

Faaaaantastic. Thank you sooo much.

Perfection!!!

Listening to this melody is like watching the drizzle falling with the fresh smell of grass and mud

You'll never hear anyone play the paini better than THAT, ALL the cntestants are winderful pianists, but after hearng THAT, it's hard to understand wy THIS fellow din't WIN HANDS DOWN SHEER PERFECTION from every conceivable angle.

13:04 so smooth it’s amazing

👏👏👏👏👏 best performance ever

So much love & respect🎉

wonderfully poetic and fluid

7:43 nice contre-chant !

今まで、反田さんのアンスピが一番好きでしたけど、超えかたも❗エリックさんの品の良さと優しさが溢れた演奏で、胸が熱くなりました。また、聞きにきます(^-^)

STAR !!!!!!!

On evidence of this, Eric Lu is already equipped for the international stage.

Wonderful

Splendid in all musical respects!

Eric 😱❤️

Un grande pianista che sa cantare bene.

Chopin byłby kontent z takiego wykonania. Brawo!

He expressed what composer wants to express!!!