Is Yunchan Lim’s Rachmaninoff 3rd Concerto the greatest ever? 임윤찬 (ft. Cliburn jurors)

Having played in the orchestra for this performance, I can say that all your observations were spot on. I'm especially pleased someone else noticed those three accented Ds in the third movement. The orchestra was absolutely exhausted by this point but his leadership invigorated everyone, and more importantly, the orchestra felt we could trust him. Many of us have played Rach 3 numerous times, including previously in the competition, and in most cases the orchestra played cautiously, letting the soloist do their thing somewhat detached from the orchestra. Not so with Yunchan. In the final statement of the second theme in the finale, the orchestra collectively breathed a sigh of relief as we knew we could play passionately, exuberantly and trust in Yunchan to lead us to the finish. Sadly, at least half of the delightful nuances in that performance were lost in the audio of the livestream. He was extremely sensitive to the orchestra, but never compromised his musical vision-- a perfectly balanced chamber musician. Every other musician I spoke to felt that we had just been part of history. Despite being exhausted after two weeks of endless piano concerto repertoire, there was an incredible energy in the air that I have never felt before in a performance. Several of my colleagues and I immediately listened back to the livestream upon returning home, just to relive that special moment. I'm glad Bavouzet used the word "nobility"; despite all the fireworks and rocket-fueled tempi, the orchestra knew that it wasn't about him, or about any of us-- it was a dedication to the music. Historic.

I am a pianist myself and a very critical listener and I have to say that I had tears in my eyes only 3 times in my whole life while hearing a concert. Yunchan Lim's performance was one of them. His piano playing has no age, it is bigger than life. I wish him to be lucky and healty in his life and can inspire the world for a long time.

As a conductor, listening to Yunchan Lim's performance, I couldn't help but think that the young master had studied the score just as well as maestro Olsop. There are some rhythmically complex exchanges between orchestra and pianist where it is very easy to fall out of sync, and we had heard the orchestra struggling to stay together with other soloists this year. But Yunchan's playing was so clear and gave the orchestra such strong direction, that the orchestra joined him even in the most troubling exchanges, even those places where Yunchan blazed ahead in a ferocious tempo. I will even go so far as to say that it sounded like a completely different orchestra than the one we heard previously the same evening. Even the orchestral parts without soloist sounded more exciting than before. And I think we can attribute this elevated orchestra to Yunchan's exceptionally convincing, consistent and charismatic playing, as Ben Laude thoroughly examined in this video.

I am a retired professional concert violist, also teacher, composer, a cathedral choirmaster specializing in men and boy choirs, playing also violin, organ, piano, harpsichord and a bass singer. YOU have exactly nailed everything about this performance except one thing - Yunchan is a truly spirit filled creature - almost as if he is a monastic master, a hermit of the sublime and the celestial universe. THIS is what makes him so great - his profound and simple godlike humility! I cried through his whole performance.

What strikes me the most in Yunchan’s performance is that he assigned a role and character for each note to make a big drama combined. So listeners can clearly sense the storyline, the highs and lows, and the entire picture. It feels like watching a movie rather than listening to a piece of music. You can sense a variety of feelings coming at you while listening to this one piece of music. He knows exactly what a music performer’s role is and successfully embodies it himself.
I’ve watched quite a lot of Rach 3 performances but there was nothing like Yunchan’s that made me tear up at last!

Can't agree with you more. He possesses - or is possessed by - things most pianists, not only teenagers, lack. He didn't want to win or outdo others, he just burned with the pure passion to be the music

For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I FELT the MAGIC of this performance from the very FIRST note. Every nuance mentioned here was in tune with MY impressions. Honestly, it felt as if I was hearing the RACH 3, for the very first time. To say it was life-changing for me, would be a monumental understatement. YUNCHAN LIM absolutely sealed a place into my heart, mind and soul with this performance. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I was there, and part of what made this so incredible in person was the contrast we had just heard. The first competitor also played Rach 3 and it was mediocre, then we got a bit of a palate cleanse by the second competitor, and I was almost wondering if I should leave since I just heard Rach 3, but I decided to stay, which was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
You’re not lying about the orchestras enjoyment. I ran into one of them in the parking garage stairs, and he said they were stunned

20세기에는 호로비츠에게, 21세기에는 임윤찬에게 라흐3은 헌정되었을 것입니다.
사자처럼 포효하는 호로비츠를 저는 좋아했었는데 그런 기대에 대한 반전이었고 혁신이었습니다.
임윤찬은 피아노 그 자체이며 듣지 못했던 다채로운 스토리텔링을, 서정성과 열정으로 절제된 심오한 독창적인 아름다움을 들려주고 상상케 했습니다. 임윤찬은 시인이자 마법사며 그는 그만의 타이밍과 음색으로 우리를 초월적인 신세계로 이끌고 미지에 대한 영감을 불어 넣어줍니다.
그리고 겸손하게도, 올곧이 음악에 대한 순순한 사랑으로 새롭게 라흐마니노프에 대한 경의를 표하도록 만듭니다.
이 모든 것이 경이롭고 기적같습니다. 브라보 임윤찬!!!

This video by Ben Laude is truly incredible. I watched Yunchan's performance live and can honestly say I was changed as a human. He's the greatest pianist I've ever seen, period. And not just because of technique, speed or power. I was changed because of his humanity, his ability to transcend the instrument, the music, and connect to something much higher, it almost stopped my heart from beating. I saw God in his playing. Horowitz, Sokolov, et al., you can love them, marvel at them etc,, but you don't see God there. Yunchan has something you just don't see often. The only other time I've seen this is with the Russian flutist, Denis Bouriakov. Bouriakov is not only the greatest living flutist, but he is the greatest flutist to ever live, and his sound can bring a grown man down to his knees trembling in tears, he is the GOAT of the flute. As I watched the Cliburn, I predicted that Yunchan was going to win the Grand Prize from early on, there was no comparison, it was not even close. People will say, 'Well, he's young, let's wait and see….' That only applies to normal musicians. Yunchan is no normal musician. Like Bouriakov, they are one in two hundred years to come along. He is the future of the piano. Lim is the GOAT, this R3 performance is the GOAT of all of them. Yunchan Lim is God's gift to us. P.S. Everybody needs to go back and listen to his Transcendental Etudes, it was shocking.

Hey Ben. 87-year-old here, who was on DC university piano faculty. For 31 years and was ushering in my youth at Constitution Hall long before there was a Kennedy Center. I heard them all, and so many friends had spoken of Yunchan’’s performance. I was hesitant to watch, knowing the hyperbole that exists in our field, and I even watched the first two minutes of your tone base and yawned “oh my. Yet another“. I finally became convinced that I should watch, and this is what I wrote to so many colleagues, including my former students are in, including one piano chair of big Michigan University. So thank you for this which I finally finished and find such truth it. “pinnacle of musical experience for me ever”

After posting these comments a couple of days ago, I realized I forgot a couple of additional observations.
One is that he plays not only with a great sense of confidence, but with the sense of authority in both the
Rachmaninoff and Liszt that I have experienced with Serkin / Beethoven, Rubenstein / Chopin, and De Larrocha / Albeniz.
The other quality I have been thinking about through countless listenings, is that he brings a sense of intimacy to this grand work, almost as though it is a piece of chamber music, a quartet for piano, strings, woodwinds and brass. There is intention and clarity behind every note and phrase, achieved through remarkable efficiency of means.
I am a 76 year old architect (still working) and a life-long piano junkie. My first concert at 16 was hearing Rudolf Serkin in Chicago. When I had the opportunity to meet him a year later, my knees were quivering. Having lived in New York (Carnegie Hall) and Boston (Symphony Hall), I heard many of the great pianists of the 20th century. Serkin, countless times, Horowitz 3 times, Rubenstein several times, Pollini, Kissin, Brendel, and many others, sometimes scoring stage seats. I once attended a Debussy masterclass (as an observer!) given by Richard Goode. One comment that remained in my memory was that even in fog, there are details.
I have never been drawn to Liszt or Rachmaninoff as being too bombastic with empty virtuosity. But in Lim's performances, he was able to clear the fog of SO MANY NOTES with clear direction and intention with a keen observation of detail. Like many others, I have listened to his competition performances over and over. As well, I have also listened to his earlier performances starting with the ABEGG Variations (age 9), the Mephisto Waltz (age 13) and glorious Bach. I am constantly searching for his performance schedule and look forward to many years of watching his astonishing trajectory.
I will also add that the analysis was so coherent and detailed, masterfully edited, I join the many commenters who hope for a similar treatment of the Transcendental Etudes.
And having heard Ben Laude's performances and master class appearances, I will say the selfless treatment of Lim shows a welcome generosity of spirit. And given the seriousness of the subject, the interjections of humor were most welcome. The slo-mo of LIm's hair is all that needed to be said about a component of his stage presence that is almost as powerful as his unlocking the mysteries of incredibly dense scores.
Thank you and your guests so much for your thoughtful presentation.

Im very fastidious . And horowitz‘s piano style has really spoiled me for new pianists whom names are not Cziffra, Tatum or Argerich or even Rachmaninoff. But this guy was so fucking amazing. Incant believe it. His Liszt was energetic, his mozart was smooth and his Rachmaninoff was out of this universe. I’m am really excited about his future and a little bit jealous of his skills xD

Thank you for this incredibly passionate review of Yunchan's Rach. 3. He is indeed one of the most exceptional, talented pianist of this century. I had the privilege to get to know him on a more personal level during the Cliburn. When I told him that his voicing was incredible he said: I love counterpoint, I love Bach. He has a deep understanding of the inner voices, melodies, color, harmonic textures , clarity, tone painting, climax, in any of the pieces he played. He is interested and have taken harpsichord lessons so he can play Rameau, Couperin, Bach in the original instrument. I am glad you mention his teacher Minsoo Sohn because he admires him deeply. He said that Mr. Sohn keeps telling him to listen for the inner voices of a piece. When you get to that level of interpretation you can see the intimacy he has with the piano. Yunchan was so happy to be able to practice until way into the night because he can not do that in his small apartment in Korea. He can only play until 9 PM.
He told my husband that he really wants to play Brahms piano concerto #2, to him that is an emotional challenge as he loves Brahms. So let us wait for more incredible piano playing and Brahms with Yunshan!

Retired violin teacher here who has had the joy of playing in orchestras accompanying pianists, I unabashedly admit I have a hard time following Rachmaninov. I stumbled upon this Cliburn. Listened to a bunch. Then this came on. I finally heard all the voices! All the notes. I cried. So amazing. Thank you for explaining how Yichang achieved this. I shall now listen to Horowitz and do a little comparison. I am just so delighted that there is Yunchan Lim in the world.

I'm sure that the interpretation of Rach3 will be devided before and after Lim's performance.

Yunchan did something incredible here -- what we witnessed was the birth of the super-pianist Russell Sherman talked about in his book "Piano Pieces." And I know personally, as I've played this concerto almost 30 times since I was a young teenager (including a clip here on youtube). I told Elizabeth Roe, commentator of the Cliburn, it was as if Argerich and Horowitz had a baby and were tiger parents who left Yunchan in a room only with this concerto and the collective recordings of it. But Yunchan was selective in what influenced him, and I counted at least 10 times he did something completely original I'd never heard before in this piece and these deviations increased in pace as the arc of the concerto reached the climax. Classical music needs this innovation and authenticity. I can only hope that Yunchan will keep innovating in all his interpretations and I would love to see him arrange too. It seems he has it all in him, the old soul, the fire, the storytelling, technique to burn. I could not contain myself after his performance.

I saw quite a lot of pianists playing Rach 3. Nobody made me cry except yunchan lim. I felt that he seemed to throw himself into the music and burn him.

Anton Nel, one of the jurors of the VC Competition this year and Professor of Piano and Chamber music at the University of Texas at Austin, left the following message on his SNS : "It has been such a thrill to watch him go from strength to strength during the competition, playing such diverse and demanding music with seeming ease and insight for someone WAY beyond his years. Instead I was celebrating the extremely rare talent of a person with a blend of stunning technical facility and musical insight I didn't think could be possible at the age of 18.
I feel privileged to have heard this, and of course delighted that Yunchan ended up with the gold medal. I'm awed and humbled by this person and his talent -- BRAVO."

A year later... I am still listening to this performance....says all.

"Now Rach 3 belongs to Yunchan" - that is so true! This performance brought me to tears and I was standing and applauding at the end! Thank you for this insightful commentary - and definitely, this is the Rach 3 GOAT!

This was indeed a legendary performance. We will never hear the same again. To be able to play Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto is one thing, but to play Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto, LIKE THIS, at the age of 18, is on another level. I know some people may disagree with me because they think technique isn’t so important, but Lim’s technique is truly incomparable, especially at such a young age. And of course, his musical maturity beats people twice his age. Congratulations.

I've watched his whole performance like 70 times, its incredible..

I attended Yunchan’s NYP debut last week… it blew everyone out of their minds.. I was laughing when it ended because I couldn’t believe what I had just seen and heard.. The cadenza he played was a mix of the original and ossia, which now people started to call “Lim’s version” 😂

I was in the audience for this “once in a lifetime” performance, and since then have listened to it over and over again. Your wonderful analysis clarifies why I will undoubtedly continue to listen to it long into the future. Such magnificent beauty!

Before your video came out, I was already comparing Yunchan’s performance with Horowitz, Yuja Wang, and several others and kept coming back to Yunchan in awe of such spectacular articulation, line, and things that no other pianist including Horowitz had done. This performance has changed me to be more in love with Rach 3, and it now truly belongs to Yunchan for many years to come. Thank you for validating what I have been sensing for these past weeks!

absolutely the best ever..there was never ever the sound of the warhorse , he made music, the whole performance was music, not just the correct notes., HE WAS BREATHING MUSIC, BRINGING HEAVEN DOWN TO EARTH..the best ever, bravo bravo.!!!

After several times watching i must agree that this performance is absolutely epic .this rachmaninoff 3 performance is like no other one. I witnissed alsop în 2016 at the queen Elizabeth competition. She conducted also rach 3 played by Lucas vondracek. He was amazing. But yunchan lim is something else.He takes my breath away. Absolutely amazing. I think he îs The GOAT. absolutely.

Rachmaninoff has never been one of my favorites, and it's because there are so many notes and so much passion that it becomes a bit too much for me. I wasn't familiar at all with the 3rd piano concerto. I listened to the competition because I'm nursing a broken foot and didn't have anything else to do. But I was absolutely blown away by this performance and have listened to it multiple times. You have given me the language and discernment to understand why it affected me so. Yunchan Lim gives the definition, the pulse and drive that makes sense of what has always been just plain too overwhelming. Thank you for this discussion and of course, thank you to the Cliburn competition and most of all to Yunchan, the orchestra and conductor for this monumental performance.

You're not wrong. It is indeed the greatest of all time! I've been waiting for over 40 years for someone to take it to the next step, surpassing even Horowitz, and Yunchan Lim has finally done it. I'm so glad that I've lived long enough to hear him arrive.....Bravo!

To be honest, I’ve listening to ten or more versions of this concertos, but I won’t anymore, this version is absolutely the greatest I’ve ever heard in my entire life, and because of Yunchan Lim, the rach 3 concerto has now become my favorite concerto

I've been listening to classical music for 37 years and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 is one of my favorites and I've never heard a performance like Yunchan Lim before. Yunchan Lim is clearly the best pianist.

I sometimes ask myself, "if I could send ONE representative back in time to the composer to honor their work, as well as showing off our own generation of pianists, who would it be?" For Rachmaninoff, I would proudly send Yunchan Lim to play Rach 3.

I bet it wont be the only GOAT performance of his life.
To me he is the Michelangelo of the piano, and he can become the Beethoven of pianists in a few years.

나는 최근 10년간 매일 운전을 하면서 뉴욕의 유명한 피아니스트가 연주한 이 곡의 CD를 듣고 있다. 그런데 윤찬이 연주한 이 곡은 전혀 같은 곡이라고는 믿어지지않을 정도로 감정이 솟구치며, 모든 음들이 또렷하게 귀에 들려오며, 그 모든 음들이 제 역할을 하며 전체를 위해 유기적으로 움직이는 것을 느꼈다. 또렷하고 명료하며 설득적이고 서사적이다. 마치 위대하고 아름다운 명품의 도자기를 빚는 장인이 그릇을 만들어 가는 혼신의 힘을 느낀다. 애정이 넘치고 듣는 이로하여금 함께 여정에 동참할 수 있도록 공적인 퍼포먼스를 지향한다. 이는 분명 그의 피아노 연주는 단순히 플레이하는 일방적인 산책이 아니라, 듣는이와 함께 걸어가며 생각하는 깊은 강의 흐름이자 여행이라고 생각한다.

He's amazing, his transcendental etudes were the best I've ever seen too, and he's only 18, I don't know how that's possible.

A few excerpts from Lim's Korean interviews:
"We cannot see the 'real' things with our eyes. Music is invisible, not seen by eyes.. I think it is one of the few real things in this world.. and it's the reason I will keep pursuing music for the rest of my life."
(Before the final) "I do not care whether I win or not, I will just try my best to seek and deliver the heritage/legacy of the great musicians of the past to this age."
He said his purpose of playing the piano is to express the pain deep inside us and to heal people, again with music. "Music (played by me) can't deceive people so I always try to have a genuinely compassionate and understanding heart toward human beings and the world."
He often deliberately cuts himself from modern things or social media to fully interact with the original composer and his intent, and be immersed in the music itself. He said there's a magma-like singing inside him but to perfectly express that beauty of the song he needs to struggle for a long time, study and think a lot, and practice overnight, to go beyond the skills to the realm of pure art..
He also said that though he lives in this century, his mind is living in 19th with the great minds of that time. He is inspired by lots of old literature and everyday incidents. For example, he read the Divine Comedy of Dante countless times and searched lots of foreign documentaries to play a piece of Liszt.

I don't have the long perspective to decide if it's the greatest performance of Rach 3 ever but Yunchan's artistry made the concerto completely understandable for me, every part served the whole. I was moved to tears and my heart soared as I listened and watched his beautiful hands. His performance was glorious and passionate and intelligent. I watched his other performances during the Cliburn competition which are on youtube, and in each I felt he accesses each composer with great appreciation and empathy. I respect the great soul of this young man--and appreciate his teacher, Minsoo Sohn, his mentor since age 11.

(from the recent interview with Lim in International Piano Magazine)
Amid all the clamour, the only person who seems to think there was nothing special about it is Lim himself, ' I don't think my Rachmaninov is outstanding', he says, 'but I'm glad many people like it. All I can think of is that my sincerity is connected.'
'Rather than being confident, I just wanted to play my music sincerely. Flowers bloom if you express your sincerity even in nervous and desolate moments.'
'It is all to do with a true heart,' he says, 'If I'm thinking about how to live in a world where I don't know when I'm going to die, I'm playing with all my heart and soul.'

"Music is one of the few real things in the world, that’s why humans need it."
Quote by Lim when he was only 16. can you imagine how this young pianist has matured soul?

囊中之錐
Talent will show itself.
The 18-year-old boy's skills are excellent.
Fools only look at phenomenal techniques and talk rubbish about being unimpressed.
Did you feel the music with your eyes, not your heart?
Many audiences in the contest cried because they were moved by his performance.
Yunchan is trying to contain the message that the composer wants and wants to say.
He is a genius pianist who pushes himself away completely and becomes one.

And he's only 18, can't wait to see what comes next

I agree completely. I am a weekend warrior pianist who got through half of the 1st movement of the Rach 3. As expected, I completely demolished the beauty of this piece. But when I heard MR Lim’s performance, I about fell over. Unbelievable voicing, no rushing, controlled… I was blown away! Perfection.

It's been over 3 weeks and I still get lost every time I see this performance and I fall into a deep sea of ​​emotions. He became the event horizon of a black hole called 'Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3'. After passing through Yunchan Lim, there is no way to get out of that black hole again.😱

You are NOT gushing AT ALL. This is a video all Yunchan’s fans have been waiting for.

As a music lover, It would be cliché to say that the true genius of a performance is when it transcends the knowledge and skills of a listener and evokes the deepest emotions intended (or sometimes unintended) by the author of the piece. Personally in this case, curiosity truly turned into astonishment, even without the thorough understanding of the piece's intricacies, being completely overwhelmed by Yunchan's performance. I'm just happy that the respected experts affirm my astonishment.

Definitely he is the GOAT of this concerto

When I first heard his Rach 3 performance, it almost sounded like a different piece. If Rachmaninoff could react, he'd think, 'It's better than how I thought this concerto could be played.'

That performance (if we can even call it that) went beyond piano playing, beyond storytelling, beyond poetry. He tore a hole through the atmosphere with his playing and revealed an alien world of pure thrill. He captained us into something transcendent.

Great analysis! Yes, Yunchan has the moxie to play the way he wants to play and all who listen are the beneficiaries of having a life-changing experience enter our hearts and souls! I also laughed out loud several times during the performance thinking, "He seriously didn't just do that, did he?...only Horowitz takes those chances!" And Horowitz was often criticized by the snobs but the rest of us understand that Horowitz's playing benefits your soul. In addition, Yuchan's interaction and rapport with the orchestra are heartwarming and yet amusing. Again, I had to laugh out loud when he looks at the orchestra as if to say, "Your turn--then fasten your seatbelts because I'm about to go again!" Then he gets back to playing like it's no big deal. Yuchan's musical and physical passion at the piano is so much fun to watch! Another book could be written about the exceptional musical and technical effect of each measure of this entire concerto Yuchan plays. You do a great job of touching on many of the highlights! Indeed, Yunchan is a once-in-a-generation pianist, and he's only 18?!?!

I think he did it perfect. He focused a lot of time of study in phrasing, not wasting one note. Everything counted. He had masterful pedaling. This piece is extremely passionate, yet he kept a leash on it when he had to and let the dog loose when he needed to. Seemed to be in complete control of good sound and speed. The End was glorious, truly sounded like the piano and orchestra were ascending to heaven towards glory. The one thing that truly differentiates this concert of Rach 3 from others is the level of intimacy of the piano with the orchestra. They where truly married. In harmony. There where times I wished he went all out at the beginning, making it sound more passionate. But he saved it for when it was truly needed. This guy is extremely measured. He plans every single phrase.

Of all your findings, my favorite is that you pointed out that Yunchan plays in the "shadow", voicing the left hand at the shift into C minor. Really cool playing and cool discovery.

Yunchans body language is my favorite out of the top Rach 3 concert performances. His performance, both visually, stylistically, and musically, was truly magical.

I just remember listening and suddenly crying and could hardly breathe. I’m like, he’s 18, he can’t possibly know these things! God decided to anoint him with abilities beyond his years and I hope for years to come.

I’m just a casual classical music listener but his playing sounded super captivating as if I were listening to some sort of a mainstream #1 billboard’s hit. It was easy to follow and interesting the whole time. Unbelievable!!

The moment when he turns to the orchestra - that look! I just can't decide if it's "Here we go, bring it on.," "Are you with me? Cause this is about to get very, very real," or (one of my favorite movie quotes ever) "Are you not entertained?!"
Straight-up chills. Kid has ice in his veins. As soon as Alsop turns to conduct the cutoff, you can read it on her face - this thing is over, and it's something unbelievably special.

Omg this is the best review I've seen in this yt world. What an amazing analysis! Such a joy to hear from a real professional why it was so different. Pls do it again with his Transcendental Etudes!

임윤찬 피아니스트가 한 가장 고무적인 일은 클래식에 대해 알지 못하는 사람들을 클래식의 세계로 인도했다는 것입니다. 이것은 임윤찬 피아니스트가 가장 원하는 일이었어요. 음악과의 소통 외에 연주자가 할 일이 더 있습니까. 임윤찬 피아니스트는 사람의 마음을 움직입니다.

GOAT? I'm no piano expert, but I have never wept at the finale of a concerto - he moved me to tears. Every performance throughout the competition was so moving, transfixing. The Beethoven Bagatelles, the Faux Follet, the Scriabin, Chopin, and of course, his beloved Mozart - this young man channels, his spirit expressing the soul of the composer. Bravo!!! (Shouting!)

I was raised listening to Horowitz in the 60s-70s. I’ve never heard anything like this performance by this young man. It was transcendental.

Lim demonstrate on his performance that you don’t have to be a veteran in life to truly and deeply feel the pain, happiness and all the other emotions that build a person until he is able to connect with almost everyone and everything around him. I am the same, I felt the emotions like an old soul from a very young age. Depending on how much depth a soul can contain, someone can truly feel the essence of an experience even much more than the one that have been through it, because many people are passing trough experiences learning nothing or their mind and soul are so small in understanding, that they don’t even notice that what happen is important or needs much more attention to offer. He is an old soul, someone that can truly dissect emotions and bring out the best of them. I am very interested in his future and see what he will become and I hope his talent flourish even more!

Yunchan said this in an interview with Korean reporters after winning the gold medal "I don't really care about my career, I want to be in a wilderness playing piano for the rest of my life but I have to make money to sustain that type of lifestyle". After watching his monumental performance, I believe everything he said in that interview. It wasn't some type of hyperbole to show off his passion for music, Yunchan actually entered the competition so he can play piano as much as he wants. Crazy

Ben, I would like to thank you for this video. It not only helped me fall in love with classical music again but to discover such a humble , special young pianist whose artistry inspires me to want to go back to playing again. Your analysis, your guests/jurors’ insights (from the Cliburn), even your humor all fall into place perfectly. (I also found couple of videos on Liszt Transcendental Etudes …thank you for making them available. Wondering if there are others. Appreciate all the hard work that went into them). I haven’t had a chance yet to see Yunchan play live but hoping to see him next year at Carnegie Hall. Thank you.

I am not a follower or one that is enchanted with such music.'UGH', you might say.I'm an ordinary guy with no real classical bent.This young man speaks to me like no other ever has and this video analysis has helped me to see the magnificence of this performance, beyond simply the emotional effect it had on me.Now that I think is incredible.

Without question, the most emotionally charged and powerful Rach 3 I’ve ever heard.
I want to go to his concerts!

Yes, from the outset, I said "this is different", I'm so grateful for the technical advocacy here, I'm a listener, amateur, but this sounds to me the GOAT. What do I know? What do we all know .... Your exposition, with the two jurors (jurors for heaven's sake), tells me, I'm right, move over everyone. And his Beethoven 3 and Mozart 22, plus those Transcendental Studies, they too were wonderful .... and all at 18. Also very cute.

I don't have the words to describe how literally overwhelmed I was by this performance. I don't believe I am being hyperbolic when I say that this is one of the greatest performances of this remarkable concerto, and will go down in history as such. And I have to admit that I too burst into tears of joy at the end.

Talented, tasteful, tender, and FIERCE!! Plus he keeps a solid pulse in lock with the orchestra. It’s quite a thing to be just 18 and to have delivered a performance of the Rach 3rd that elicits the sincerest praise from critics and judges who have heard this work performed many, many times by world renowned pianists. It would seem he is gifted with an innate understanding of musicality, an intense desire to apply it, and had the good fortune to be instructed by a teacher who was himself a world class performer on the concert stage.

임윤찬 "어떤 비난과 찬사에도 흔들림이 없어야 한다." 는 릴케의 말을 인용함. "나는 평생을 두고 이를 경계할 것입니다."
임윤찬이 피아노만 잘치나요.
이 아이의 철학은 이미 우리처럼
평범한 사람을 뛰어넘는데.
18살의 현자는 81세 같은 현명함을 이미 가지고 있어요.

Also a pianist here and all too familiar with this concerto in every note AND YET in his performance I heard melodic material in the left hand I didn't know existed, meaning I never heard them in their own context before to stand out in such a well and balanced manner. And for this and so many other reasons YES, for me this IS THE GOAT for Rach 3.

Absolutely GOAT

I am a rock musician who loves listening to classical music. I can't read a note of music, I am totally uneducated and play completely by ear. That's why I particularly appreciated your marvelous "blow by blow" critique through this entire journey. I was both entralled, entertained, educated, and moved to tears with this teen's playing, and can hardly believe I'm even using that description given the absolute maturity of his musicality. With a performer this young, it's difficult to even imagine what he'll be able acheive as he matures in intellect and experience. I am blown away.

Dear "tonebase Piano" ,Your analysis of Lim's concerto was the best analysis of any music or any arts in all of my readings. This may not prove that I represent a well read and informed on arts critiques, but what you did with the performance evaluation with incredible music knowledge was fantastic, very intriguing, enjoyable, and thrilling to hear such appreciation for wonders of music, especially piano on the grandest level. Thanks.

Always have loved that Horowitz had the moxy to add or adjust what he felt was needed. Lim's willingness to do that at such a young age, but with a respectful consideration of the greater work doesn't come across as arrogant, nor impetuous; rather, it is a tip of the hat from a young master to those who have preceded him. A breathtaking performance, and likely the GOAT.

I can only say that Yunchan Lim makes me remember that Music is the shortest way to the heart

Must agree Yunchan Lim’s performance is GOAT to the Nth degree! Just heard him live at Ravinia with Marin Alsop and CSO. Every single audience was in awe. It was glorious, mesmerizing, sublime, transcendent! Historical moment but timeless!

I don't know whether he is best or not but i am just crying every time I watch his playing.

Beautiful analysis of beautiful performance. Not once did he bully the piano or the music. There was no ugly bombastic performance, but sensitivity and passion.

In the pre-World War I years of Europe, amidst the social and political upheavals of the time, Crimean-Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff's genius did not initially receive the full recognition it deserved in New York, even up until the war's end in 1919. I believe it took pianist Yunchan Lim to truly convey the message Rachmaninoff embedded within his music - a message to humanity that transcended years.
For too long, brilliant pianists focused on the Rach 3's technical virtuosity, overlooking its soul and deeper meaning. Yunchan, however, provided the key to unlocking the world of inner turmoil Rachmaninoff experienced during his composition. He masterfully revealed how beauty the life and world can be and how easily consumed by the darkness of human ambitions that pave the way conflict and devastation.
Yunchan's fingertips brought to life the composer's longing and profound remembrance of his homeland, the war frenzy that gripped the people, and the ultimate societal devastation. With his performance, Rachmaninoff's emotions became tangible, visible, and palpable.
It was a privilege and a joy to witness a young genius and his masterful interpretation of a legendary compposition by another genius. From the depths of our hearts, we extend our gratitude: first to Yunchan Lim (- May Allah always protect him from the evil eye 🧿--) and his family, then to the Korean Society and the State that nurture such talent, a timeless legend for the world stage, and finally to the Cliburn Competition for inspiring and motivating young talents to enrich human civilization.
We eagerly await and hope that we will find the opportunity to witness Yunchan Lim's artistry Türkiye in our lifetime. 🎶

Yunchan was breathtaking in his NY Philharmonic debut last night. The Rach 3 was incredible.
The audience, the orchestra and conductor James Gaffigan went bonkers. He chose the Ossia Cadenza for this occasion. Standing ovation!

Rachmaninoff would be proud of this performance. Unbelievable...

I saw it "live" on tv and thought it was magic from the first note, but your commentary along with the judges is WONDERFUL and helped me understand WHY it was magic so thank you so much for doing this. It teaches me things and was exciting to watch. Absolutely brilliant commentary.!!Thank you thank you thank you!!

the best Rach 3 ever!! It brought me to tears.

What I'm curious about is that I want to see his music as well as listen to it.
I have no choice but to keep clicking on KRplus.

Yunchan really does know to see the full picture. The entire context is so well understood and beautifully delivered that every single note and phrase is given a reason and comes alive. Everything makes perfect sense and you feel like you are hearing the original composer himself telling you the story.

I know nothing about this music, except that when I listen to this performance I feel like I can take on the entire world with a smile on my face and passion in my heart.

Yunchan’s teacher, Prof. Minsoo Son, says he encouraged Yunchan to enter this competition because he wanted to show the world how Yunchan, at age of 18, plays the piano.

Miraculously, I will be in the Medoc area at the same time that Yunchan will be there for a concert, so I am very very hopeful that I will be able to see him. An absolutely fantastic pianist who has grown my passion for the piano greatly.

The best analysis of Rach 3rd by Yunchan Lim.

In September 2023, I came across Yunchan Lim on KRplus and was shocked. Suddenly, I was transported back to 30 years ago, when I was a poor but passionate graduate student who visited music halls every week to listen to concertos, symphonies, and chamber music. Isn't it really great to be able to rekindle the passion of people who have forgotten the classical musik? Tone Base's video also convinced me. Thank you for your great review of his Rach 3.

Yes! Over q year later, I can honestly say this Rach 3 is the GOAT!

Without the training, without the knowledge but after searching for Cliburn, Horowitz and others, the most enjoyable is Yunchan’s is a favorite by far!

This young old man is the GOAT

I was in tears at the end - breathtaking. Martha Argerich has been my favorite for decades, but I think I found a new player.

His performance made me cry tears of joy...

His performance was so original. The best version of Rachmaninoff no.3 I've ever listened so far!

You were able to justify and academically point out what most of us just viscerally felt. Your fascinating analysis just proved that without detailed knowledge of the score we all instinctively heard what he was doing and that we all were in the presence of greatness and to savage Liz Roe's comments, we all collectively knew that here was something divinely inspired. Yes, Yunchan Lim is one of, if not the greatest pianist I have ever heard.

So glad you guys could convey all of the moments which made Yunchan's performance legendary so well. Mrs. McDermott was spot on. And I loved her comment at the end hahaha :) The video was great, Ben! Thank you.

I just heard his performance of Rach. 3 with Boston Symphony a few days ago and I was struck by his utter mastery of the long line with no haphazard affectation by measure or phrase. Near the end of the performance I found myself getting up from my chair and walking about my home beating time with my arm and at the end I had the sensation of the whole piece residing inside my soul at once.

This is not a Pianist but a Humanistic Poet. His profound understanding of phrasing, articulation, atmosphere, structure, colors are all channelled through the most subtle music rhetorics together with an epic generosity.
With the outmost humility and dignity he gently takes the orchestra and the public to a voyage into a cosmic Zone where time is moving in perfect waves of contrasts arriving to an enlightened climax.
In the end one is not only in awe of this genious but of life itself. And this happens very rarely. He is not a "born star" but a new Sun that enlightens our own stars.
You nailed every detail and made a monumental video for the love of music lovers. The perfect polyphony between the music and your comments is brilliant and is art by itself. Thank you!