The first album in the series, released on CD and LP, features a selection of live performances by Maurizio Pollini from the 1960 competition.
Pollini, then 18, took both audiences and judges by storm. The jury chairman, legendary pianist Arthur Rubinstein, was famously quoted as saying: "That boy can play the piano better than any of us."
Pollini's Warsaw win propelled him into a nearly seven-decade international career. He died on March 23, 2024.
Maurizio Pollini. Photo: PAP/EPA/BRITTA PEDERSEN
In the liner notes, music critic Jan Popis describes Pollini’s performances as "sophisticated, exceptionally mature, captivating with their depth and clarity," adding that today they "shine with a brilliance perhaps even greater than when they were created."
The inaugural Warsaw Chopin Competition, held in January 1927, was modest in scope, attracting 26 pianists from eight countries.
In the decades since, it has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious musical events. Many of its winners—including Pollini, Martha Argerich, Garrick Ohlsson, Krystian Zimerman, Rafał Blechacz, Seong-Jin Cho, Bruce Liu and Eric Lu—have gone on to achieve global recognition.
Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman wins the 9th Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Oct. 28, 1975. Photo: PAP/Jan Morek
The live recording series is set to be completed in 2027, coinciding with the competition's centenary. The next Chopin Piano Competition, the 20th to date, is scheduled for 2030.
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