CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor

Frederich CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11

2000 Chopin International Piano Competition final round

Warsaw, Poland
Yundi Li, Piano

Interpreted spledidly by Yundi Li, the 2000 winner of this most prestigious piano competiion.

Chopin's first piano concerto is obviously an early work. However, it already shows the composer's elegant thematic work and superb technical mastery of the instrument.

Chopin is a poet of the piano. The orchestra means less to him than it did even to Schumann. He only used this for accompaniment of his piano concertos.

1st Movement: Allegro Maestoso

Part 1

Part 2

The composer did not elaborate on the grand orchestral introduction in the first movement, the themes of which are all introduced, strangely enough, in the same key. All further developments were left for the soloist. The soloist repeats the energetic motif followed by a plaintive idea. A subsidiary theme, an extremely melodious one, dissolves in brilliant figurations in great profusion: this is my favorite part in the entire concerto.

2nd movement: Larghetto

*Click here*

The middle movement is quintessenial Chopin: a nocturne full of coloristic effects and dissolving sounds we so love about his music. The conclusion of this romanza is so tender and delicate, like a ray of light finding its way through a crack on the wall, as arabeques and variations round the theme in the orchestra.

3rd movement: Allegro

*click here*

The finale is a typical rondo in the French fashion: graceful and charming. Leaping octaves brings this extraordinary movement to a spectacular close. It affords the soloist a perfect opportunity for bravura display.