REMASTERED: Yunchan Lim 임윤찬 - RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, op. 30 

2024? hands up!

"스테이지 위에서 울어본 적이 언제였는지 기억도 나지 않는다. 임윤찬의 예술성에 감동했다. 윤찬은 어린 나이임에도 불구하고 이미 성숙한 영혼을 가지고 있고, 완벽한 테크닉과 함께 경탄스러울 만큼 놀라운 재능을 가지고 있다. 헤아리기도 어려울 만큼 깊이 있는 내면의 음악을 가진 것에 대해 칭찬하고 싶다." (마린 알솝) “윤찬과의 라흐 3 공연 때는 내가 이전에 그 어떤 공연에서도 느껴보지 못한 엄청난 에너지의 기운이 감돌았다. 심사위원 바부제가 "고귀함"이라는 단어를 사용한 것이 좋았다. 그 모든 불꽃과 로켓을 단 듯한 빠른 템포에도 불구하고, 오케스트라는 알았다. 그것은 그에 관한 것도 아니고, 우리에 관한 것도 아니라는 것을. 그것은 음악에 대한 헌정이었다. 역사적인!” (포트워스 오케스트라 단원) ““보통 사람의 인내심에는 한계가 있고, 어떤 악절을 연습하다 보면 이만 하면 되겠지 안도하려는 본능이 있는데, 윤찬이는 가장 높은 기준을 향해 절대 만족하지 않는다. 윤찬의 연주를 보면 때론 작곡가와 가장 사적인 공간에서 둘만이 이야기하고 있는 것 같다. 작곡가가 요구하고 이야기하고 싶어 하는 메시지를 담아내기 위해서 외길을 간다. 이번 콩쿠르 기간에도 윤찬이가 새벽까지 연습을 거듭한 뒤 궁금증이 남으면 문자로 보내는 일이 다반사였다.” (손민수 교수) “라흐마니노프 3번은, 초등학교 3학년 때 처음 듣고 너무 충격을 받고 평생 좋아한 곡이기 때문에.. 제가 피아노를 칠 수 있게 해 준 존경하는 모든 예술가들에게 바친다는 마음으로 연주했다. 그리고 매 경연마다 작곡가들이 남긴 위대한 유산을 잘 전달하는 데만 신경을 썼다. 결선 반주를 지휘한 마린 알솝은 가장 존경받는 지휘자 중 한 분이고, 내가 특별히 뭘 하지 않아도 알아서 잘 맞춰주셨다. 세상에서 가장 열정 적인 콩쿠르 관객의 뜨거운 응원이 큰 도움이 됐다. 그리고 제가 먼저 오케스트라 단원분들에게 마음을 여니까 오케스트라 단원분들이 저에게 맞춰주셔서 더 음악에 빠져서 연주를 할 수 있었다.” (임윤찬) : 남들이 쉽게 가는 길 말고, 아무도 가지 않은 어려운 길을 가는 사람이 되고 싶다는 아름다운 피아니스트 임윤찬! 그의 위대한 스승 손민수 교수님과 반 클라이번, 마린 알솝, 오케스트라, 호스트 패밀리분들께 진심으로 깊이 감사드립니다. 모두의 음악적 헌신과 노력으로 탄생한 이 멋진 영상을 매일 들을 수 있어 행복합니다. ‘임윤찬의 라흐마니노프 3번’ 영상은 앞으로도 오랫동안 수많은 사람들에게 깊은 감명과 영감을 줄 것입니다.

같이 연주한 단원들이 끝나고 힘들었을텐데...저렇게 열심히 박수쳐 주는거 오랜만에 보는 듯.....

Please release this music on CD and dvd! Please! Please!!

I need to see him live one day

I love this boy ❤

Unbelievably incredible performance.

I never tire to listen this genius. There are still people who bring beauty and happiness in our sad times… we are blessed with enchanting performance

How is this even possible

이 녹음은 인류의 문화자산입니다.

Still tearing up. Let's cherish this video for the coming ages..

Couldn't say a word. I closed my jaw with my hands after the end of this amazing performance.

오늘 비오는 날 밤 딱 제게 알고리즘으로 떴네요 덕분에 편안한 밤 보내게 됐어요 ㅎㅎ 감사합니다 🩵

This is a competition, not a recording or recital. Still, it's one of the best Rach 3's ever played. We met a genius.

Sometimes, we hear heaven touching earth.

Greatest Musical Performance I've ever Witnessed, No Words can Describe This.

I just can't get enough of Rach3 by Y-Lim!

태어나 이렇게 많이 들은 클래식은 처음..........

Oh my god. What is a piano. What is a life. Unbelievable!

I wish Rachmaninov was alive so that he can see this

This performance will live forever.

At some point, the orchestra knew something special was happening, and they rose to the occasion.

아 이게 음악이 주는 감동이구나..

Alsop’s smile at 32:37!! What a magical moment

A RACH 3 for the AGES! ♥♥♥♥

15:57 I always come back to this. It's shockingly meditative.

I burst into tears whenever I watch this. Thanks your for your dedication, Yunchan! Bravo!!!

unbelievable performance. melted my heart. he deserves the world

I'm a grown man, and it's bringing tears to my eyes.

At that time, I saw an orchestra member who performed with YoonChan-Lim said that it was a pity that a lot of the sound had disappeared at youtube play, and I am very much looking forward to it.

아름답고 황홀하다

Thank you for the faithful pianist

영원히 남을 예술의 작품입니다 감동입니다

The recording of the century

I recently heard Lim perform this with the Boston Symphony and it was spectacular, electrifying, gorgeous! What a classical rock star! Wishing him many years of great performances.

What an absolute legend! BRAVO!

He Deserve Gold Medal !!!

I seem to keep re-listening to it at least once a day. I think it's the most impressive of Rachmaninoff's piano concertos I've ever heard.

Monday morning I'm listening to it again and tearing up.

What a performance! GOAT! absolutely..

The absolute joy on the face of Marin Alsop at 32:35. She knew he was the ONE

와...머냐머냐 클래식이 왜 영화보다 더 재밌냐 -.-;;

The orchestral performance is somewhat overlooked due to the brilliance of the piano soloist, but the FWSO played beautifully also, as if they knew they were in the midst of a historic performance! Kudos to all involved. Marin Alsop obviously knew it also!

Just listening to this performance is not enough. When I listen to this music, I see the video.

Cant actually believe this was in a competition

Not only was that live and in a major competition, it was the most incredible performance of Rach 3 I jave ever heard... 😮

like smooth water flow. what a talent

이 곡을 매일 듣습니다. 들을 때 마다 신을 만나는 기분입니다.

I propose that in next Voyager spacecraft, the golden disc with message for other civilisations include Yunchan's Rach 3 concerto

I watched this as I was on my deck looking at the eclipse. Both were fascinating and extraordinary. However, YLim was the winner. I have watched again and again. Also, congratulations to the conductor and orchestra. Fabulous.

What is this? I keep coming back to this performance and seeing new colors each time. Rachmaninov is quite addictive I guess.

A recent interview with Yunchan Lim -September 15, 2022 (whenever I write the link, it's being deleted immediately. So I copied the whole thing) There are few comparables for what transpired this past June in Fort Worth, Texas. Music lovers around the world watched in bewilderment as an 18-year-old South Korean pianist set new competition standards, first ripping through Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes, then moving listeners to tears in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto in D minor (Op. 30). Below is the transcript of our September 2022 e-mail exchange with the phenomenal pianist, Yun-chan Lim. EH: At what age did you realize that your musical gifts were perhaps a bit unusual ? Lim: I never thought I had musical talent in my life. I started playing the piano at the age of seven, and I'm just a person who loves music so much that I'm trying to make great music. EH: Do you believe you played your very best at the Van Cliburn ? Is there much more you could have done in, say, the Transcendental Etudes or the Rachmaninoff Third ? Lim: I don't think I was in my best condition at the Cliburn competition. I entered the stage thinking about Carl Sagan's pale blue dot, but I couldn't help being nervous and couldn't show 100% of me. I had to create more universes and there was a possibility, but it didn't come out easily. EH: The world would love to know your thoughts on the Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto. Whose recording inspired you to play it so magnificently ? Is Rachmaninoff a composer who speaks to you on a personal level ? Lim: Rachmaninoff is like Bach. All the voices are singing their own beautiful songs, and they're developed in a really detailed relationship to create highlights. It's one of the most important factors in Rachmaninoff. I've rarely listened to any other playing than Horowitz and Rachmaninoff. I decided that it's right to listen to the most basic recordings. EH: On the other hand, is there are composer whose works you cannot fall in love with - or a period of music - that simply does not speak to you ? Lim: My teacher said, "The composer is not at fault, the performer is always the problem." EH: Stephen Hough, Daniil Trifonov, and Marc-Andre Hamelin are a few of today’s pianists who perform and also compose. Do you spend any time composing ? Is it necessary for a great performer to compose ? Lim: Every pianist has to compose. I learned music (composition) at school for two years from Min Jae-jeon, a 2009 winner at the Queen Elizabeth competition, composition category. He told me that a pianist should compose and play his own music. If I can do that, I'll do that. EH: After the competition, you told the world, “I made up my mind that I will live my life only for the sake of music, and I decided that I will give up everything for music”. What a beautiful sentiment. What are some of the more meaningful musical moments - recordings, live performances, or personal music-making - that have led you to this decision ? Lim: I think the most beautiful moment to taste music is when a musician practices in the practice room. The artist's practice room is a space that creates various universes, and you can see the frustration and joy of making great music through many attempts. This process was not only for my teacher, but also by pianists like Schnabel and Sofronitsky. EH: One of the more famous prodigies in America, George Li, told me he was practicing 3-5 hours a day by age 8; as many as 6 hours by age 9; and by his teens, he was doing eight hours whenever possible. How much practicing did you do growing up ? Are you a compulsive practicer, or do you need to be pushed with lessons, concerts, deadlines, etc ? Lim: George Li is one of the musicians I respect most, and I have always admired him for learning from my teachers, Russell Sherman and Wha Kyung Byun. I practiced for 4 to 5 hours when I was young, but I practiced for 8 hours since I was 12 years old, and now I do it all day. It could be pressure for the concert. Because there is pressure not to disappoint people who pay to see it. EH: People have noticed a breath of freshness, a certain unbridled freedom you attack pieces with. Do you take chances when you are on stage ? Lim: I think every pianist can improvise. In fact, Horowitz and Rachmaninoff admired Art Tatum, and the Hungarian musician, Liszt, was also a master of improvisation. If you just do what you've practiced, it causes tension and you lose many possibilities on stage. EH: What is your relationship with the audience ? Do you deal with stage fright, or, are you like Arthur Rubinstein, who needed an audience in order to give his very best impression of the music ? Lim: Music was born to communicate. I want to share my ideas with the audience and ask them for their opinions, and this is probably one of the most beautiful things in the world. EH: You are quickly becoming one of the most talked about musicians in the field. What is one thing listeners probably don’t know about you that you would like for them to know ? Lim: Not really, because I'm just a person who makes music, and I'm not much of a person at all. EH: You are currently working with Professor Minsoo Sohn at the Korea National University of Arts. What are some of the most helpful ideas he has imparted upon you ? Will you stay with Professor Sohn, or do you have plans to study with others in the future ? Lim: I can't tell you my future plan, because I don't know if I'll die tomorrow or seven days later. My teacher’s musical ideas surprise me every time, and Sohn always comes up with new ideas. Sohn values interpretations that people can understand. All ideas are based on good evidence, and my teacher says it's important to bring out the songs deep in my heart into the real world, not to play them like the trends that others play. EH: Which pianists - dead or alive - mean the most to you ? Lim: There are so many artists in my mind, but Stanislav Neuhaus, Cortot, Schnabel, Horowitz, Rachmaninoff, Yudina, Josef Lhevinne, etc. are most inspiring to me. EH: It is the responsibility of the performer to be faithful to the score. Is it possible for a great performer to surpass the vision of the composer ? (I’m thinking of those like Horowitz and Gould, here) Lim: In fact, no one knows what a composer wanted. Even the composer himself might have something he wants to fix if he were to come back to life. Every musician should be able to sing his or her own song in a given score. If you look at Horowitz's performances, he adds notes that are not in the score, or sings in a completely different phrase, but it doesn't matter because it persuades many artists. EH: Because everybody struggles with something - which Chopin or Liszt Etude is the most difficult for your hand ? Lim: I've played all 24 of Chopin's Etudes and op. 25 a lot, but I haven’t played the whole op. 10 on-stage yet. But what I feel is that the Chopin Etude, which has to express characters and the universe for each song, is more difficult. EH: Your upcoming program in California includes the astonishing Liszt ‘Dante’ sonata. You said you almost memorized Dante’s book from cover to cover. How long does it take you to learn and memorize a piece like the Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto ? Lim: I played the Dante sonata in 2020 and read so many times the great man Dante. Maybe not now, but at the time, I remembered enough to say the words of the book without looking at it, and I think it really meant that I was inspired by Dante. It depends on the piece, but in Rachmaninoff's case, it took seven days for each movement to memorize it. EH: Korean-pop culture has recently turned into a global phenomenon. Do you listen to pop music yourself ? Are you proud of the growing international success of your country ? Lim: I'm very proud of the international success of the music, but at the same time, I haven’t listened to a single thing yet. EH: There are some who hold the belief that a pianist from country X cannot truly understand the culture of a composer from country Y ? What are your thoughts on this matter ? Lim: Only the stupidest people in the world would have that idea. A great pianist from Japan can understand Rachmaninoff 100%, and a great pianist from India can understand Beethoven. Because this is music. If you try hard enough, you can understand everything about the composer. This is a matter of individual, not race and nationality EH: Is there anything about the state of music right now - bad programs, musical ignorance, the way performers sound, lack of inspiration, etc. - that you would like to change ? Lim: I do feel that the world is changing one dimensionally. I think there are a lot of people who swear when new things come out, because they live in a one-dimensional world, they don't get 12 dimensions of inspiration. Artists have to try new things every time and think constantly. EH: Thank you for taking the time, Yun-chan. And all my very best to you. Lim: Thank you!

Such emotion. I cried

이 연주는 라흐마니노프도 울면서 박수칠듯.

Haven't seen anyone mention this yet, but surprisingly in this massive concerto with monumentally epic moments, one of my favorite moments is actually a complete silence... That silence after the flurry of notes at 15:00 only to return with that soft and beautiful chord, and then into such a delicate melody... The way yunchan prolongs the pause past the point his foot is already off the pedal and all the sound is gone, with that final note as a distant memory. You can even see how affected the conductor is by that moment! Such an underappreciated moment. I feel like this moment demonstrates how the space between the notes is what truly turns sound into music.

just can't stop watching it!! personally, the best Rach 3 ever!

Thanks to Marin You made the bird fly free. I could feel your warm regards toward the young guy all through the music. Great conductor!!!!

Its been a year yet this is just on the top od my youtube sesrch list

I am totally speechless, what just happen?? My musical journey has just started to questioning everything. I'm 50 and mega versed to piano since I'm 8. I am speechless, meaning that if I were to try doing a breakdown of what I've just heard, I would say tons of useless things. Bravissimo!❤🎉

아.....100번넘게 들었는데...일주일정도 못듣다가 오늘 이어폰을 끼고 리마스터버젼을 듣는데..황홀하다못해 클라이막스에서 오열하는 나를 마주했네요..ㅜㅜㅠㅠ진짜 끝내주네요ㅜㅜ이어폰끼고 들으시길강추합니다ㅜㅠ언제까지 이리감동을줄껜가..

New standard for Rach 3.

Been coming back here almost everyday for 2 months now. I can't stop

Shed a tear listening to this live with the New York Philharmonic

Wow wow wow. That's all I can say.

From the VC magazine; The Friday night Final Round concert had just wrapped, and a group of us were walking down the street to the post-concert Patron Party at the City Club. Everybody was strung as tight as, well, as tight as a piano string. The signs were unmistakable: dilated pupils, nervous and excited chattering, an overwhelming sense of euphoria and rapture-we were all high on Rach 3, Yunchan Lim style. Everyone was talking over everyone else. I turned to former Cliburn Chairman Alann Sampson and wondered how a teenager could even understand that level of emotion, noting that he hasn’t had his heart broken enough to play like that. She just shook her head and said, “Otherworldly.” - Jeffrey B. King Chairman of the Board

This is why it's still worth living.

Incredible. Finally found someone who plays the regular cadenza instead of the ossia cadenza

Marin Alsop has probably performed this piece dozens, if not hundreds, of times. Watch her wipe tears from her eyes at the end, acknowledging that this was something special. I wish he had chosen the longer cadenza, but I'm looking forward to replacing my current favorite of the Rach 3 with this remastered version. Thanks to the Cliburn for their help in bringing the competition and contestants to people, like me, who are unable to travel to the live event.

The hug and the demeanor of the conductor after the end tells everything. She had to lean on the piano, you can tell from her head movements she felt it as "something else".

Perfection: a concept not rooted in technicality, but in the genuine beauty of music-the only thing in this world that truly resonates. It's a concept that transcends theories, surpasses knowledge, and touches the soul, making the innocent inner soul weep every time it encounters this miracle. This is the real truth, the genuine gem. It's the rarity we manage to grasp in this cunning world.

협연이 아니라 가장완벽한 오케스트라 공연이네요 가장 감동한 명작입니다!

저도 솔직히 4개월 가까이 하루에 3번이상은 기본으로 들으니 100번은 더 들었을텐데도 어찌 늘 새롭고 경이로울까요? 너무 좋아서 '좋아요' 꾹~~~! 눌러놓은것이 없어질까봐 못 건들고 댓글 다신 분들 모두 또 '좋아요' 버튼마다 다 눌러드리고 한참을 벽타기하고 제자리로 올라왔네요 ^^ '좋아요' 누르신분들이 다 저와 같은 마음이었을듯요 마지막으로 치닿을때는 숨이 정말 멎을듯하고 소름까지 돋아서 팔을 감싸봅니다.

윤찬아 네가 바라던대로 나를 포함한 수많은 사람들이 이 영상을 보고 새로운 우주를 발견하고 찾았단다.. 고마워

The conductor has stolen my heart

볼 때마다 느끼는 거지만 참 예술적이다 라는 말이 절로 나오네요. 다른 사람의 라흐3 공연을 보면 기계적이다 라는 생각이 제일 먼저 떠오르는데 이 공연에선 기교가 하나도 안보여요. 피아니스트는 마치 노래 하는 것 같이 들려요. 호흡이 너무 자연스럽고 전체 곡이 마치 하나의 스토리 같이 느껴지고 라흐마니노프의 자서전을 시청하고 있는 상상을 하게 만듭니다. 그리고 진정한 콘체르토가 무엇임을 알게 해줍니다. 알솝 지휘자와 임윤찬 피아니스트의 호흡이 찰떡궁합. 또 피아노가 오케스트라의 하나의 악기에 불과함을 느끼게 됩니다. 협주곡에서 피아니스트의 음악에 대한 자기 희생이 무엇임을 보여 줍니다. 이기심을 버리고 음악 그 자체에 헌신하는 피아니스트와 그에 호응하는 오케스트라와 그 지휘자까지 모든 것이 거의 완벽한 혼연일체된 공연. 지휘자 알솝의 멋진 카리스마와 배려심. 그로인해 더 돋보이는 임윤찬 피아니스트의 신들린듯한 연주. 매일 저녁 퇴근하고 들어와서 최소 두 번은 시청하게 되네요. 아, 라흐2를 다시 들었는데 마치 라흐3과 라흐2는 서로 이어지는 이야기가 아닐까라는 생각을 하게 됐어요. 그리고 이 곡을 매일 들었더니 마치 20세기를 대표하는 곡이 아닐까하는 생각도 들었어요. 특히 마지막 3분간의 대단원의 막은 전형적인 20세기 초반의 격동적인 세계를 대변한다는 상상을 불러 일으켜요. 이런 생각과 감상이 나만의 생각일까요? 여러분은 어떻게 생각하세요?

What a treat! I commented and asked for sound improvements. Thank you thank you thank you, Cliburn. I am so grateful to listen to this historic performance for the rest of my life.

We are witnessing a legend in the making. Heavenly, literally.

this is just a Greatest of All Time.

I am completly lost by his sound , the way he put his soul and bring me with him to this unbeleibable emotions. I can not stop crying. I am so greatful to be this way.

Speechless. The 3 is definitely his now.

Even Rachmaninoff would like this rendition.

이게 얼마나 대단한 연주인지는 말할 필요도 없고.... 나 이거 2년째 거의 매일 듣는데 질리지 않고 갈수록 새롭게 들리는 음들이 있다는게 정말 난 더 대단하다고 느껴진다. 그리고 가끔씩 여기 다시 들어와서 댓글들 찬찬히 읽어보면 사람들마다 어디가 좋고 어디가 감명 깊은지 다들 달라서 읽는 재미도 있고 댓글이 꼽은 곳 다시 듣는 재미도 있음. 적어도 5년 뒤에 돈 좀 벌고 여건이 맞으면 임윤찬 피아니스트 연주 보러 다니는 삶도 나름 괜찮겠단 생각을 하곤 함... 오늘도 듣다가 너무 좋아서 댓글 달아봄.

Oh... this is too beautiful... my poor heart... what a magnificent world!

It is just a magical moment of 43mins.

경의와 찬사를 보냅니다. 임윤찬의 연주를 들으면서 많은 생각을 합니다. 음악의 본질, 삶의 본질, 마음의 지향성과 표현, 이에 대한 헌신, 결과물, 영향력... 에 이르기까지 매일 다르면서도 비슷한 생각을 합니다. 그리고 음악의 힘이 무서운 게 나로 하여금 지금 있는 이 자리에서 좀 더 의미있게, 성실하게, 본질을 묵상하며 살게 합니다. 대부분의 일과를 말이죠. 나이는 절로 드는 게 아니기에 이런 마음의 자극을 준 연주자로서가 아닌 '예술가'로서의 임윤찬, 그의 선생님 손민수, 마린 알솝, 이름모를 위대한 오케스트라단원들, 이 곡을 쓴 라흐마니노프의 모든 인생에 존경을 표합니다. 오늘도 잘 들었습니다.

I was there, he IS the gift to our world.

THIS is what LIFE is all about ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

ありがとうございます😊❣️🙏

A titanic performance now superbly remastered. thank you for posting.

Marin Alsop - great conductor!!

His hair and the ending camera angle did their parts as well..

Thank you Cliburn. Thank you Yunchan Lim👍👏👏👏

Thank you, Cliburn!!!🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🎹

WHAT JUST HAPPENED - I am in shock at this talent

He is just all about Beauty, Delicacy, Integrity, Power, Softness, Harmony, and All-Bliss.

Listening it again right after the live stream 😭😭 it's just too beautiful

I saw Marin Alsop conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Yunchan Lim performing this piece last Saturday at Ravinia Festival. I was standing just outside of the pavilion, stage right, where I could see the piano keys directly. I witnessed something incredible.

I've listened to many virtuoso performances both live & recorded, he truly tops them all here. Bravo to the Orchestra & sound crew as well. This piano sounds heavenly.

He can play Rach 3 like this virtuoso at the age of 18...I come in every day and listen to him play Rach 3. It purifies my soul to think about his playing and the passion he puts into practicing.

I came across this performance at 2 a.m. this morning .... and I just booked tickets to fly out and see him in April in Omaha. Never been so impressed and transported quite this way before. What a genius. What a gift.