This recording is epic enough to open up the first listening post for our blog! This is Yundi Li’s performance at the International Chopin Competition–a very high-stakes piano competition; one of the most prestigious competitions in the world of music. At 18 years of age, Yundi is the youngest person to win the competition as of now (he is now 29).

Listening to this is not only inspirational, but they also have video of him playing to go along with it too! It is breathtaking to see how his hands deftly dance over the key tops and how they seem to summon such lyrical, even-toned playing on what is–at the end of the day–a percussive instrument.

I have provided the timestamps for when each piece approximately begins, and a link to the score so you may print it out and follow along or try to play it yourself! ALSO: the second video that is linked is a fixed-camera view of Only Yundi’s hands. Great stuff if you’re intent on focusing on his hand technique!

2:06 – Frédéric Chopin; Scherzo No. 2 Op. 31, in B-flat minor [score]

Frédéric Chopin; Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-flat major, Op. 22 [score]
11:56 – mvmt 1: Andante Spianato;
16:28 – mvmt 2: Polonaise

Frédéric Chopin; Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 [score]:
28:47 – movement I: Allegro maestoso;
49:15 – movement II: Romance, Larghetto;
59:07 – movement III: Rondo, Vivace