Dr Chistopher Shih, grand prizewinner, plays Brahms variations on an Original Theme, Op 21 No. 1 during the final round of the 4th Boston International Piano Competition for Exceptional Amateurs
Wonderful. Even if Dr. Shih calls himself 'amateur' his playing betrays his great talent and the fact that he is a superb concert pianist by all standards. He breathes life in this beautifully rarely played piece, that I have the pleasure of hearing for the first time.
Thank you ramar. I'm only aware of a few commercially available recordings of this piece: Backhaus, Katchen, David Buechner (now Sara Davis Buechner), and Max Levinson. I will tell you that Max Levinson's CD (available on the N2K Label), which also includes Schumann's Papillons, Schoenberg, and Kirchner, is one of the best piano CDs I have ever listened to in my life. I highly recommend it.
I just got finished being wowed by his Granados entry in the Cliburn Amateur You-Tube competition, and thought I'd see how he handles one of my favorite pieces here. I played it 20 years ago and was pretty pleased with my own performance then. But not any more. This is amazing Brahms. In addition to many other musical qualities, this piece deomnstrates a msstery of polyphony -- that wonderful way Brahms can keep three voices going at the same time and make all of them audible and charming.
My family doctor in Toronto participated in the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow while he was doing clerkship in his 4th year of medical school. O_o...
Wow I'm surprised this is an amateur. Exquisite sound quality and very refined interpretation. Bravo. I don't know where an MD finds the time for this.
Absolutely GORGEOUS in every sense of the word.
Magnificent piano sound. Commanding technique. Profound understanding and great personal warmth.
Pischnaholic 2 years ago
Fabulous ! I too just viewed your VC competition vid. Just curious, where did you shoot this ? It looks like the same place as the Granados one.
dmcII 3 years ago
Wonderful. Even if Dr. Shih calls himself 'amateur' his playing betrays his great talent and the fact that he is a superb concert pianist by all standards. He breathes life in this beautifully rarely played piece, that I have the pleasure of hearing for the first time.
stephenTGV 3 years ago 2
Thank you ramar. I'm only aware of a few commercially available recordings of this piece: Backhaus, Katchen, David Buechner (now Sara Davis Buechner), and Max Levinson. I will tell you that Max Levinson's CD (available on the N2K Label), which also includes Schumann's Papillons, Schoenberg, and Kirchner, is one of the best piano CDs I have ever listened to in my life. I highly recommend it.
endoscoper 3 years ago
I just got finished being wowed by his Granados entry in the Cliburn Amateur You-Tube competition, and thought I'd see how he handles one of my favorite pieces here. I played it 20 years ago and was pretty pleased with my own performance then. But not any more. This is amazing Brahms. In addition to many other musical qualities, this piece deomnstrates a msstery of polyphony -- that wonderful way Brahms can keep three voices going at the same time and make all of them audible and charming.
ramar205 3 years ago
Wow. Dr.Shih you did excellent. So very proud of you.
T. Pugh
terrieshiloh 3 years ago
My family doctor in Toronto participated in the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow while he was doing clerkship in his 4th year of medical school. O_o...
jcyl141104 4 years ago
Wow I'm surprised this is an amateur. Exquisite sound quality and very refined interpretation. Bravo. I don't know where an MD finds the time for this.
formenlehre 4 years ago 2