The caveats to my comments are that I'm not a musician -- I had one semester of studying an instrument and can't read music -- and that I've heard way more Chopin as accompaniment to Jerome Robbins ballets (Dances at a Gathering, Other Dances, In the Night, ETA: The Concert), than in concert, and those performances -- many by the brilliant Jerry Zimmerman at NYCB -- were adjusted in tempo and rhythm for dance. Plus I can't say that Chopin is my favorite composer.
I listened to the second sessions from May 2 and 3. (I need to watch the ones with the pianists you're all talking about.) All of the pianists had really great moments, and some, like Deng, were especially good at certain types of playing, like the slow, melodic parts, and there were a couple of pianists that made me want to hear their Debussy. Most of them though, didn't do a lot to show how they got from those softer moments to the bangy bits, aside from Chopin sez: Let's Get Loud. If I were a musician, I'd likely understand the musical structure, but I need the Talk to Me Like I'm in First Grade approach, and some of them did.
From May 3 I thought that Peida Du showed exactly how he got from A to B. I felt a lot of his playing was almost conversational, and the two things together showed an inner life that was striking. On a superficial level, his album covers would practically style themselves.
From May 2, I thought Burki especially showed the distinct inner voices and layers of the sound. I found XueHong Chen's playing fascinating: it was like he decided to play in a range that was a lot less extreme and to find details within that range. He also had a playful quality in his approach. I wonder what he'd be like as a teacher.
Hyo Lee has a strong voice that carried across his playing. I may have been too weary at the end of four hours to appreciate him fully.
Cen looks to be a young teenager. I assume she'll make the cut in October, and I'm guessing five months more of growth for her will be huge, however good she is now. Plus I love the lack of
in her face.
I was
over the sounds that some of the pianists got out of the Yamaha.
I love the young woman who is doing the introductions. Her voice and cadence make Polish sound so melodic, unlike the Guy Voices on the sponsorship short commercials at the end. And she wore a tiara headband one night! Note to Cooper: wear one. Note to Candotti: plaid headband does not go with black lace. Get thee a black or tiara headband, but yay for wearing one and not pushing wisps out of your eyes.
that no one has played my favorite Nocturne. Except it's a Prelude, not a Nocturne, and it's not on the Prelude list until round two of the actual Competition, where it is allowed among many solo pieces.