My first encounter with Yundi was watching this video. It completely mesmerized me. I had many previous favorites - Lipatti, Gilels, Richter, Bolet, Lupu, Serkin, Fleischer, Sokolov. He was quickly added to that list. His music simply was magical with an indescribable beauty, tenderness, naturalness and power not found in many. I wish Yundi strength to survive this adversity. To Err is Human, To Forgive is Divine. Which one of us is so saintly and has not erred? I forgive him, and I hope others will.
@@winglow7615 Unfortunately from where he lives, this became a shameful and humiliating act handled by the press this way even though most people there are aware this is a common practice among the powerful and the rich through the centuries. (Not just there, but everywhere.) No one there would dare say what you say for fear of being accused of supporting immorality. It is better for him to accept it as wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness.
I still find Yundi' performance in this 14th Chopin International Competition unbeatable. From the perspective of its overall performance, including the dynamic, preciseness, tempo, and emotion, this is by far the BEST ever concerto of Chopin competition I've watched including 2015 version. Yundi still the best!
I was not there in 2000, but I was there in 2017. After 17 years, he conducted and performed both Chopin’s piano concertos with the Warsaw Philharmonic in this same Hall. It was magical and magnificent. I had wished at that time there would be a recording of such a collaboration. My wish came through! You can now listen to this new release. One music magazine praised the performance as the most successful performance of these two concertos ever. I personally agree with them and so did his teacher. From this 2000 gold medal performance, his 2006 CD release, and now the 2017 performance release, one can hear the maturity without artificiality or the loss of youthfulness and naturalness so essential to Chopin’s concertos. It is hard to imagine more sublime playing than that.
I beg to disagree with you because to me, Bruce Liu rendition touches more the listeners’ hearts. Both have extraordinary talents and should be recognized and appreciated.
Warsaw Poland is enjoing this young, talented, sweet and beautiful piano player who fell in love with Chopin and represents him with flying colors.... .. Viva Lundi Li ~you are the best.
Listen to 49:15 ...the second movement of the Chopin Concerto 1. I have never heard this played with more poetry. He truly makes the piano "sing" as no one else can.
He was the first participant to be awarded First Prize in 15 years！！！！！！！At 18 years of age, he was the youngest winner-and the first Chinese-in the competition's history. Li was given the "Polonaise award" by the Chopin Society for his performance at the competition.
When he entered the competition Yundi was still 17. He turned 18 when he won it. The reason he was the first winner for 15 years is because the judges did not feel the past few winners were worthy of receiving gold. They were not impressed by their musicianship. Obviously, they were impressed with Yundi in 2000.
Alex Wang Are you talking about the final rounds of the competition in October? I saw the names of the judges in the elimination round and he was not among them.
Yundi Li, in my opinion, delivers the best interpretation of the Grande Polonaise Brilliant E flat major. I have goose bumps EVERY time I listen to him playing this piece. So a poetic pianist!
I remember watching this as a freshman in high school and feeling absolutely enchanted and mesmerized by his playing. Listening now, 13 years later, I still have the same feeling, that Yundi is a rare and special pianist whose sensitivity and touch move to a depth few can match.
Great success 4 Lundi Li. He is selected to be a juror at the 15 th Chopins Competition in Poland , where he won the 1st place and captured the hearts of his audience. Congratulations....
I come back to watch this competition over and over again because I am never tired of the wonderful musicianship. Yundi's playing is INSPIRATIONAL then even at such a young age. I was fortunate enough to attend his performance in August 2017 when he played and conducted Chopin Piano Concertos #1 and #2 with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra in the very same hall where he won 17 years ago. It was an exhilarating performance. All these rumors and naysayers all these years about his piano skills going downhill are a bunch of hogwash. Listen not only to his Chopin, but also Liszt, Scarlatti, Mozart, Schumann, Prokofiev, Ravel and Beethoven.
watched several times, Yundi is the best which has no doubt so far. I hope he can overcome the stressful hitting, wish him all the best in very near future.
you don't know how wonderful to start a day with this beautiful music by yundi every morning! By doing this, I can always keep a romantic mood through my working hours in the office. This is the way i do every day . .. As far as I am concerned , it is also the best way to pay my respect to yundi, my favorite pianist with regard to Chopin's works.
I remember crashing through some of this repertory when I was eighteen. re:crash, I played the notes, and sure I got the fast, loud parts, but was oblivious to subtlety, the play of the inner voices etc. LI hears all those things. True, one can be coached, but only to a certain point. After that point, is the realm of a great artist, hearing things that cannot be taught. Even at this young age, Li has the ears of a great artist and the technique to realize what he hears..
Li Yundi honestly is the greatest pianist of all time. He deserves better and the CCP didn't do him right by announcing his crime which could have been easily avoided but they felt the need to destroy his career.
According to my Chinese friend, it is not even a crime, but a misdemeanor, subject to administrative detention. Supposedly there are two Chinese words that sound the same and are often misused or mistaken. One is xing ju 行拘 administrative detention，the other is also xing ju 刑拘 which is criminal detention. Yundi was subjected to the first one - administrative detention and NOT the second. Most of the media got it wrong and did not even know the difference, or maybe they did but chose to do it anyway to make it look like it was criminal. What they did to him should be considered criminal and subject to defamation and character assassination charges. However, over there, the media is controlled by the government. To fight your own government over defamation is impossible. I pray for his safety. May his music continue to flourish and shine to an even higher level. The rest of the world loves you, Yundi❤️!
Argerich was like "he's it, the one we have been waiting for the past 15 years". It was worth the wait, indeed. Chopin would have been amazed by his talent and written more pieces for him to play. Yundi had just the right touch each stroke.
Argerich was a judge in this competition. The great Argerich is one of the greatest pianist of our time. For her to pick him speaks volumes about his immense talent.
my heart was totally occupied by his music, Yundi's performance is of such a magical enchantment that i just couldn't stop listening to it until late night everyday! what a talent ! his music is killing me!! what a talent , Chopin is my favorite musician and i ve listened to it my whole life, then yundi came and he brought me to a highest passion for Chopin from me ....Wow! what a interpreter!
I just listened to his new CD of Concerto no. 1 & 2. He is even better now, brilliant technique, dreamlike tone, heart-touching in a more matured style.
The 3rd movement of the piano concerto nails it for me. It's got everything. A cracking start, Fiendishly difficult arpeggios then glides into delicate melodies then bullet speed running up/down the keyboard. All played with the clearest possible articulation. I don't understand how Yundi Li's brain doesn't catch fire or his fingers get entangled. Absolutely wonderful. Not only all that but he's got the looks too.
this genius brings my special needs daughter to complete happiness when she hears him. I can be in my office on the computer , but when she hears him playing she is here immediately and moving her body to the music. She remembers the music and sings along with it. Brilliant.
Even though I’m just using my cellphone to listen this masterpiece from RU-vid. I’m still touched by his talent and gift. Nice and beautiful performance!
Much could be said for this competition performance. In the interest of brevity, I would ask only one question of the viewers of this video: What were you doing on October 2nd of YOUR eighteenth year? If what you were doing required you to leave every ounce of yourself on the floor, with your only hope being that strangers in a strange land would not step on your being, as this youngster did, then I hope you will scroll down below the video box, and just listen and experience the gift present here. Bravo! Bravissimo!
Many people could do better, don't exagerate... Some unknown pianists in this world play better than Li... And they will never be recorded nor give a concert.
A performance of a lifetime, and only barely 18!. I have watched all the other competitions. No audience was as enthralled with Yundi's performance as this. I also recently went to Warsaw in August to went to see him conduct and play Chopin piano concertos 1 and 2 with the Warsaw Philharmonic . What a phenomenal performance! I hoped and wished this might be recorded and released. It would be another performance that I would enjoy over and over again.
I always like to watch the ending, when the pianist shakes hands with the conductor and the first violin, it may be a formality for more experienced performers, but here Yundi is so wholeheartedly grateful to the conductor, behind this gesture are many years of hard work and dedication...
I am not a pianist, but I love classical music, especially piano music since I was a boy, and I am now in my eighties. This performance by the eighteen-year-old Yundi must truly be one of the best I have listened to so far. It is a masterpiece from heaven!
Again, so musical, so beautifully judged, and his musicianship...the rests that are spot on so un-rushed, the beauty of tone. A Master. Such a privilege to hear and see this again, and again.
Justin Tibbers maybe this was referring to lang lang?? but lang lang had solid technique it's just the treatment he gave to pieces that show lack of thought at times. he has worked on that and played decent these years. however, in terms of chopin lang lang is no match for li yundi as he has played chopin for whole life
It astonishes me at the amazing young talent today. Yundi is one of the most accomplished pianist I have heard! I am so grateful for internet and the opportunity to hear these classical musicians play.
This performance really reminds me music is immortal! Even some audiences today say Yundi no longer plays piano soulfully like this, I always go back here to watch it over and over...
Only genuine person can play like that. His development after the competition has also been exciting. I like his Prokofiev concerto no.2 and the Chopin Concerto 1&2 (conducted by himself which was very difficult) most, full of colors, incredible skills, all presented in an elegant way. So glad that he took time to add to his repertoire. Looking forward to the Sonata Night in 2021!
I saw him live in california a few years ago and the passion with which he plays is still moving and makes one feel as though listening to Chopin play himself. He will always be my favorite pianist
And i LOVE Yundi's faces, to me they seem to match exactly how my emotions are responding to the music - & the fact that he's getting into the music (& not just playing for technical brilliance) adds to my enjoyment of watching him play...
Ahhh, Chopin! This young man is clearly a prodigy who would have impressed even the master himself. (I have read that Chopin was a strict teacher with little patience for slow or clumsy students) The sheer magnificence of these breathtaking performances is certainly among the most moving and spiritually uplifting I have ever had the pleasure to hear. Bravo to the wonderful Yundi Li!
I have been watching the current 18th Chopin Competition Stage One performances. Today is day two. Brings back memories of this historic performance. So glad the competition is on track despite the COVID issues. I still have tickets for Yundi’s Sonata Tour for 2020 which were postponed. I pray his performances will resume in 2022. I cannot wait to see him play sonatas from Schubert , Rachmaninov and Chopin. All is not ruined. Meanwhile, I can enjoy all his CDs. His latest one is a treasure. He is both soloist and conductor playing Chopin’s two piano concertos with the Warsaw Philharmonic. The Yundi in this masterful performance is now a true matured master. No doubts whatsoever.
Lea Meine, where is Yundi’s 2020Sonata Tour take place? He might not be able to perform in China, sure he still can perform outside of China . No one condemned him for what he did, only in China . I heard that all his preferments are postponed to 2022.. can you please enlighten me as where and when is it postponing to? Is it possible to still obtain tickets? Thanks 🙏
I love Yundi! Have been listening to him since I was at studying piano at music school. His Chopin is amazing. I still play today and have recently written a homage to Chopin. Please have a listen if you have the time - I would love to hear your thoughts!
Such a phenomenal performance!! What an amazing pianist and human being to be able to achieve the almost unimaginable in his journey through the competition. He will be a legendary winner alongside the few others who have made such critical acclaim in this prestigious competition
Everything about him is built for Chopin: his touch, his interpretation, his techniques... He has this poetic sound to his playing that even when he plays Mozart, I hear Chopin, lol.
