Royal Conservatory of Music: Seong-Jin Cho. Franz Liszt: “Les jeux d’eaux à la Villa d’Este” from Années de pèlerinage, S. 163; Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, op. 28 (“Pastoral”); Béla Bartók: Out of Doors, Sz. 81, BB 89; Fryderyk Chopin: 14 Waltzes. November 29, 2025, Koerner Hall.
South Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho became an international sensation when he won First Prize at the 2015 Chopin International Competition, the same year two Canadians also landed in the winning circle, with Charles-Richard Hamelin taking Second Prize and Tony Yike Yang placing fifth.
Almost exactly 10 years after that fateful win, Cho was back at Koerner Hall for the third time for a solo recital, and again sold out the house months before his appearance. At age 31, he still has the handsome, boyish charm of a K-pop star.
First Half: Liszt, Beethoven, Bartók
The first half of the program began with an understated treatment of “Les jeux d’eaux a la Villa d’Este” by Franz Liszt that evoked the serenity of the Tivoli gardens. The gentle trickles to gushing spouts of the water fountains were played with shimmering lightness and crystalline clarity.
The theme of nature continued with Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, aptly nicknamed the “Pastoral.” The first movement Allegro opened with a sense of calm contemplation, which continued into the lyrical Andante.”] In the Scherzo, there was rhythmic syncopation with a touch of whimsy. The cheerful and dance-like final Rondo was filled with sweeping cascades.
Cho makes you listen with his introspective and measured playing that does not require excessive flourishes.
If Beethoven was the calm, Béla Bartók was the ensuing storm. Bartók’s Out of Doors is a set of five pieces of contrasting moods and colours. Cho launched into “With Drums and Pipes” with pounding and jarring rhythms that shook us from our seats. It segued into a quiet and mysterious “Barcarolla,” which was followed by a dissonant “Musettes” that echoed bagpipes and other folk instruments.
Perhaps the most interesting was The Night’s Music, one of Bartók’s most famous atmospheric pieces. Here, Cho captured the haunting soundscapes of insect chirps and bird calls with a repeating motif that almost gave goosebumps every time. Then, without warning, he took us on a frenetic journey into the wild with the presto “The Chase,” the fastest rhythm he played all evening and which raced to an abrupt, fiery finish.
Second Half: Chopin
Returning to Cho’s Chopin roots, the second half was a marathon of 14 of the composer’s 19 waltzes, many of which were familiar all-time favourites. These waltzes particularly showed Cho’s immense musicality and mastery of tonal colours.
It was obvious that he is naturally at ease with Chopin, with every piece flowing like a conversation with an old friend. The slower, melancholic waltzes in minor keys were elegant and sensuous, with delicate interplay between the right and left hand melodies. The vibrant character of the major-keyed waltzes was achieved without exaggerated gestures.
Cho draws one in with his nuanced approach and judicious use of rubatos, making even the familiar pieces sound fresh. The Waltz in A flat Major, op. 42 stood out as one of his most captivating performances of the evening. His nimble fingers danced effortlessly with an exquisite crispness and lightness of touch in the allegro sections. Finishing with the spirited and majestic Waltz in E flat major, Op. 18, Cho again mesmerized with his agility and clear articulations.
Encore
After rounds of thunderous applause and loud cheers from the very enthusiastic crowd, Cho sat down to play an intimate encore. His choice of Robert Schumann’s Träumerei, played with gracefulness and lyrical simplicity, again showed the less is more artist he is.
Although it was disappointing that he did not play another encore, and I had yearned to hear him play something stylistically different, like a jazzy piece, this Träumerei left us in an idyllic reverie for the rest of the night.
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