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Experts?

Not sure if the "experts" was meant sarcastically... but besides that, the newspaper critics were also there live, so have a major advantage in that sense.

It was not meant sarcastically. We have some serious pianists here who have played some of these pieces with orchestras and been in significant competitions.

I doubt that's true of the reviewer. And as for us all having ears, well... The tone of the review was even more ex cathedra than the most unreserved posters here, and that guy gets paid to do this. One would hope for a certain level of professional qualification, or barring that, a bit of humility.

This is worth noting, and I'm not being sarcastic either.

Is there a possibility of the gold medal not being awarded according to the rules?

I really can't nominate any competitor for it at the moment.

I am not being sarcastic (am I ever? ), but can any of the 'experts' who are expert pianists in this forum play as well as Dmitri Alexeev (in Rachmaninov and Medtner) or Michel Béroff (in Messiaen, Debussy, Prokofiev and Liszt), Minoru Nojima (Liszt, Ravel), Joseph Kalichstein or Menahem Pressler?

Unless I'm very much mistaken, they're all members of the Cliburn jury.......

Let's all get things into perspective.

Who are participating in this thread??? (and I'm not referring to amateur competitions)

What parts of Kholodenko's Prokofiev were you unhappy with?

Kholodenko's playing style is very interesting. His hunched position may not be ideal from a posture perspective, but he is nearly the most relaxed pianist I have ever seen. There were parts of the Prok 3 where his arm movements looked like he was playing the bongo drums or something. It is fascinating what control and tone can be generated from such relaxed motion.

Speaking of perspective - the discussion was about newspaper critics, not the jury.

First of all, I usually only listen to the audio and don't watch the video.
My main objection is, his not playing along with the orchestra. (IMO) he played as if he was practicing it alone. He did not pay any attention to when to stay back and when to come forward. There seemed almost only one option for him, to come forward.

The jury has already been hung, drawn and quartered by one or two people for letting someone who cannot be named into the finals who can't even play an easy concerto as well as one or two experts in this forum.....

That's what I was referring to.

Which "easy" concerto are you referring to????

When it is at SWSNBN standards, it is no big deal.

Here is a dentist playing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiUUrvbkFts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcsPRICl1Y4

My comments were in reference to the newspaper reviewer, not the judges. I'd wager his C.V. looks even worse in comparison to those you named. Perhaps not, but someone show us that, pray.

BTW, I've never criticized the judges. If you have a problem with someone who did, please feel free to reply to his or her post.

The concerto that cannot be named (TCTCBN) .

It states in the rules that a gold medal must always be awarded.

I think it is valid to differ with the critic's view. After all, that is what this thread is all about; to express our opinions. We all analyze what is presented to us and agree, or counter, using our own judgments, background, and experience. This critic's opinion should carry no more weight than any other's opinion.

Simply consider the source, make your own assessment, and move on. It's really no big deal.

Well, then, I hope Rana is awarded. At least she is better of the worsts.

Wow, uh, remind me to quit because I can't play easy concerti like Rach 3, Prok 2, Prok 3, and all of the classical concerti presented so far....

Here ya go:

Wayne Lee Gay

"Wayne Lee Gay has covered classical music, dance, and related fields in the north Texas region for almost three decades; he holds degrees in music history and musicology from Baylor University and the University of Iowa. He recently completed the PhD in creative writing at the University of North Texas, and teaches in the English department at UNT. He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 1990, and has received multiple first place winner from both the Dallas Press Club (Katie) and Texas Associated Press Managing Editors" Association for arts criticism."