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I think the jury got it right this time. I was worried Kantorow wasn't going to win, so I am very happy with this.

I think they were right on the money overall. Would've liked seeing Broberg higher, though doing the Rach Pag is certainly a bit risky in a high-caliber competition like this. Note that the Rach Pag performances got 3rd and 4th prizes, respectively.

...though...also remember that Trifonov won with a somewhat lightweight choice, the Chopin 1st. His teacher Babayan discouraged him from doing Rach 3, which he wanted. Turned out quite ok for him in the end.

Agree completely. A lot of people were rooting for Kenny, but look at it this way - he got a top prize in the most difficult competition imaginable. If his final round wasn't up to the level of his solo stuff, I don't think it detracts from his overall package.

It's really great for Kantorow - the first French winner in the history of the competition and his finals program clearly stood out from the rest of the competitors. Lowenthal told me once that too many competitors playing the same pieces in a competition likely cancel each other out, and I think that applied here. His teacher must be over the moon with two top prize winners in the past two cycles.

It's nice to see the dark horse win. He played remarkably! As I said, not my thing but one immediately hears poetry in his playing and I think an artist with that sort of charisma/magnetism is very much in demand today. I'll be following his career with great interest.

I think I've finally warmed to Broberg. His voicings remind me of Katsaris and Horowitz and the like. Yet, where with Katsaris accepting the mannerisms is the price of entry into his art and, of course, with horowitz the entire narrative and character of the piece reforms around him whether one likes it or not, Broberg has this way of doing what one might consider distracting with another pianist in a way that, for me at least, doesn't at all disrupt or distract or detract from the musical narrative and it makes for an exciting rediscovery of whatever he's playing. Hope I hear him in a hall near me.

I would have rearranged things a tad, but I'm basically happy. I think conductors will continue to like working with Kenny.

I'm surprised that the jury "got" Fujita--what he's all about and after, pianistically.

It was high-qualilty playing, a high-quality jury, and a terrible announcer. 😁

Haha @ Broberg exaggeratedly mouthing "Rachmaninoff?" to the conductor and then grinning before his performance!

Oh, THAT'S what that was.

I think Kantorow will be one of the greatest stars of his generation. Congratulations to him.

Hilarious moment!!!

That's unfair advantage in my opinion. Is that allowed?

Criticizing the piano result, Norman Lebrecht, to coin a phrase, is full of mud:

https://slippedisc.com/2019/06/breaking-tchaikovsky-piano-winner-is-french-but-the-result-is-cheesy/

I wouldn't expect anything different from that bitchy gossip columnist.

His grapes are sour, lol.

I've never understood the obsession some people have with Malofeev tbh. His appassionata was more than enough to send him out of the competition.

The only reasons to read SD are to find out which obscure musician died recently (maybe I'll show up on there...), when someone cancels, Yuja Wang outfit updates, obscure conductor appointments, Gergiev bashing, and complaining about rigged competitions. It's the Drudge Report of classical music (and no offense to Drudge, who has a higher standard of reporting than SD). I think Sokolov refused a critic's award because it had previously been given to Lebrecht.

Anyway, thanks to all of you for a fun megathread on this competition. See you next year for Chopin 2020...

I've been following him as well as other Russian prodigies for some time. I too was disappointed with how he performed here. He has extraordinary talent and technique but needs to develop more musically. He had the best technique but was way out of his league musically speaking. Fujita was way way ahead of him and only 3 years older.

P.S.

Grand Prix: Alexandre Kantorow

Audience Prize: Mao Fujita

Pianists rule!!!

Both Galas are available to view on demand - and there were many changes from 1st to 2nd Gala so both are well worth watching.

Gala #1, in Moscow:
https://tch16.medici.tv/en/replay/#filter?round=winners-gala-moscow

Gala #2, in St. Petersburg:
https://tch16.medici.tv/en/replay/#filter?slug=winners-gala-saint-petersburg

In my opinion, Kantorow deserved the Gold and the Grand Prix.. an exceptional pianist in every round. That Brahms 2 today, mvt. 3 (at the Gala) was magnificent and moving.

Indeed:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classi...d-previously-been-won-by-norman-lebrecht

http://orpheuscomplex.blogspot.com/2015/09/lebrecht-sokolovand-sokolovs-wife.html?m=1

Wow, that's great. Puts Kantorow in that Trifonov firmament! I'm pleased for Fujita, as well.

American cellist Zlatomir Fung won gold, the second since Nathaniel Rosen in the 70s. That's a really big deal in the US string world.