The Chopin Podcast

Join Garrick Ohlsson and Ben Laude for a 12-part deep dive into the music of Chopin. Episode 1 coming October 2nd! Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. In this preview episode, Ben introduces his partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Music featured in this episode: Chopin: Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9 No. 1 – Garrick Ohlsson, home recording (July 2024) Chopin: Mazurka in B-flat minor, Op. 24 No. 4 – Garrick Ohlsson, live in Warsaw (2017) Chopin: Sonata No. 2, Op. 35, I. Grave, doppio movimento – Avery Gagliano, live in Miami (2020) and Warsaw (2021) Chopin: Prelude in B-flat minor, Op. 28 No. 16 – Eric Lu, live in Warsaw (2015) Chopin: Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 42 – Garrick Ohlsson, live in Warsaw (brief clip) Chopin: Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 42 – test recording, Josef Hofmann (1935)

In Episode 1, host Ben Laude invites pianist Garrick Ohlsson to lead a tour of Chopin's miniature miracles, the 24 Preludes, Op. 28; biographer Alan Walker tells the story of Chopin's death-defying efforts to compose the Preludes; and music critic Jed Distler looks at some of the greatest recordings of the Preludes over the past century. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.

In Episode 2, pianist Garrick Ohlsson explores what makes Chopin's Nocturnes so seductive to our ears; silver medalist of the 1975 Chopin Comeptition in Warsaw, Dina Yoffe, revisits a performance of a Nocturne she gave at the competition; Irish pianist John O’Conor discusses the Nocturnes of John Field that inspired Chopin; Garrick returns to share examples of the innovative techniques found in the Nocturnes that Chopin appropriated from Bel Canto opera; plus, music critic Jed Distler recommends some very special recordings of Chopin’s Nocturnes from the past century. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Tickets to the final rounds of the National Chopin Competition are now available: https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533416?performanceId=11533416 https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533420?performanceId=11533420 Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. Created and hosted by Ben Laude. Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.

In Episode 3, pianist Garrick Ohlsson explores the most tender, heroic, and even sadistic passages of Chopin’s Four Ballades at the keyboard ; gold medalist of the 2020 National Chopin Competition, Avery Gagliano, reacts to her performances of the 1st and 3rd Ballades from both Miami and Warsaw ; Chopin Biographer Alan Walker returns to the show to tell the story of Chopin’s Fourth Ballade; and finally, music critic Jed Distler recommends some very special recordings of Chopin’s Ballades from the past century. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Tickets to the final rounds of the National Chopin Competition are now available: https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533416?performanceId=11533416 https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533420?performanceId=11533420 Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. Created and hosted by Ben Laude. Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.

In Episode 4, pianist Garrick Ohlsson explores Beethovenian brilliance of Chopin’s Four Scherzos; silver medalist and top prize-winner of the 1990 International Chopin Competition Kevin Kenner reacts to his own performance of the Third Scherzo from Warsaw; 2015 National Chopin Competition medalist and proflic music educator Josh Wright breaks down signature passages from each Scherzo; and finally, music critic Jed Distler recommends some very special recordings of Chopin’s Scherzos from the past century. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Tickets to the final rounds of the National Chopin Competition are now available: https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533416?performanceId=11533416 https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533420?performanceId=11533420 Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. Created and hosted by Ben Laude. Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.

Episode 5 is the first of two episodes dedicated to Chopin's Etudes. This episode itself is divided into two big parts featuring Garrick Ohlsson, who will zigzag through the 24 Etudes based on the repertoire requirements set by the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. The episode closes with music critic Jed Distler’s recommendations for outstanding recordings of Etudes over the past century. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Tickets to the final rounds of the National Chopin Competition are now available: https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533416?performanceId=11533416 https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533420?performanceId=11533420 Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. Created and hosted by Ben Laude. Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.

Episode 6 is the second in a two-pack of episodes on Chopin's Etudes. In this episode, we will profile three pianists who have dared to walk the intricate tight-ropes of Chopin's Etudes in public: first, gold medalist of the 2010 US National Chopin Competition Claire Huangci will join us to react to her own first-round Etude performance from Warsaw that same year; then we welcome back 1975 International Chopin Competition silver medalist Dina Yoffe, who will share some provocative insights on the Etudes, drawing on her experience performing all 24 of them programmed in the same concert; and lastly, a look at the influences behind 2024 Gramophone Young Artist Award Winner Yunchan Lim’s acclaimed debut album of the Chopin Etudes for Decca. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Reserve your seats for earlier rounds and purchase your tickets to the final round of the National Chopin Competition: https://www.chopin.org/2025-competition-schedule Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. Created and hosted by Ben Laude.

Episode 7 is a special investigation into the newly-discovered Waltz in A minor, attributed to Chopin. As the manuscript’s chain of ownership continues to be researched and more work is being done to verify the work’s authorship, we’re joined by three of the world’s leading Chopin scholars to share their expert insights on the long-lost Waltz. Beginning from a position of skepticism, Chopin biographer Alan Walker will pose five open questions about the music itself – confronting some of the unusual aspects of the score that would need to be explained before making any stronger claims that this is Chopin’s original composition. We will then turn to two scholars who will each offer explanations for those oddities and provide insights on the considerations and methods that go into the research on the printed sources for Chopin’s works more generally: first, Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge, John Rink, who was consulted during Morgan Library’s authentication process of the manuscript; then, the man at the center of that process, music historian and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Jeffrey Kallberg, who was among the experts commissioned by the Morgan to examine the document. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Reserve your seats for earlier rounds and purchase your tickets to the final round of the National Chopin Competition: https://www.chopin.org/2025-competition-schedule Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. Created and hosted by Ben Laude.

In Episode 8, pianist Garrick Ohlsson explores the wonders inside Chopin Four Impromptus; we welcome back Cambridge Professor of Music John Rink to introduce us to Chopin the improviser; and we’ll be joined by two classical-pianists and improvisers: 1995 International Chopin Competition bronze medalist and celebrated improviser Gabriela Montero, and Professor of Improvisation at the State University of Music & the Performing Arts in Stuttgart, Noam Sivan. Finally, music critic Jed Distler will recommend some very special recordings of Chopin’s Impromptus from the past century. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org. Reserve your seats for earlier rounds and purchase your tickets to the final round of the National Chopin Competition: https://www.chopin.org/2025-competition-schedule Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com. Created and hosted by Ben Laude.