Chopin Competition 2021: 13 Pianists play Ballade n°1, op. 23 (Sawada, Shindo, García, Chen++)

{Check comments for a few notes on each performance!}

This year's Chopin Competition was a revelation for me. It was the first one I really payed attention to (obviously, since I was 10 during the last one). Following it so closely wasn't something I planned to do at all, but I ended up getting caught in the general excitement, and don't regret it a single bit.
And no matter what one might think of the legendary quintennial, one thing we have to give it credit for is highlighting many young rising performers by giving them access to the big stage - and, by the pretty restrained programme choice, to allow them to pour their heart and soul into interpreting the same piece in many very different ways.

Often considered as his first great masterpiece for solo piano, the Polish composer's Ballade n°1 - written already many opuses in - acted as a gateway, along with six previously published Nocturnes, to new grounds of music rather foreign to the public in Paris at the time. Known for both having concertpiece traits and a deeply introspective character - one of the features making it so special - It remains one of the most studied pieces by both amateur and concert pianists, and its range is such that it often intrigues and appeals to people who aren't used to classical music at all (I was surprised to find it among quite a few of my friends' playlists, right next to Billie Eilish and Pink Floyd).

It also belongs to the category of music that lingers with you for a long, long time, and somehow gains a deeper meaning every time you listen to it, every year you age on. Some masterpieces are just like that, I guess.

In all cases, here are some cool interpretations of the piece, all taken from this year's edition, along with a few very subjective comments. I was actually surprised not to see more pianists perform this piece, actually - much less than the other Ballades, the Fantaisie, the Barcarolle... I don't know, maybe it's just too mainstream. ;)

0:00 Hyounglok Choi (South Korea, b. 1993, Stage 2, performance time: 10'05)
10:12 Mateusz Krzyżowski (Poland, b. 1999, Stage 3, performance time: 9'30)
19:46 Miyu Shindo (Japan, b. 2002, Stage 3, performance time: 10'01)
29:57 Sohgo Sawada (Japan, b. 1998, Stage 2, performance time: 9'18)
39:25 Jinhyung Park (South Korea, b. 1996, Stage 1, performance time: 9'43)
49:16 Xuehong Chen (China, b. 1999, Stage 2, performance time: 9'45)
59:09 Martín García García (Spain, b. 1996, Finals - 3rd Prize and Best Concerto Award, performance time: 9'12)
1:08:35 Avery Gagliano (United States, b. 2001, Stage 3, performance time: 9'38)
1:18:15 Arsenii Mun (Russia, b. 1999, Stage 2, performance time: 8'42)
1:26:58 Shunshun Tie (China, b. 2000, Stage 1, performance time: 9'50)
1:36:53 Chao Wang (China, b. 1990, Stage 1, performance time: 9'51)
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