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Description
Album Introduction
The 16th Van Cliburn Competition, where ‘Yoonchan Lim,’ a ‘prodigy,’ turns into a ‘hero’!
Track: Live from the Cliburn – Liszt’s Transcendental Études
The 2022 Van Cliburn Competition in the United States saw Yoonchan Lim (b.2004) participate as a ‘prodigy,’ eventually evolving into a ‘hero’ in music history. Even after the competition, the historical moments continue to garner attention, having been preserved in the records. This album features a live recording of Liszt’s Transcendental Études S139, performed at the semi-finals stage of the competition (June 10, 2022 / TEXAS Fort Worth Bass Performance Hall). The image of this 18-year-old boy is not that of a contestant in the competition, but of a pianist into whom Liszt’s spirit has descended, making him a consummate pianist. This album has become a ‘monument’ left by a teenager in piano history, perfectly reinterpreted and revived. The perceptive insight that pierces the drama contained in each of the 12 pieces, the intense power and delicate intricacy of the keystrokes, the flawless tempo control, and the expressiveness of the piano’s heat all continue to create moving moments even after the record has stopped playing. This album is a testament to Yoonchan Lim’s radiant performances and his brilliant beginnings.
After Yoonchan Lim’s victory in the 2022 Van Cliburn Competition, none of the uploaded performance videos on YouTube have a dull moment. Especially, the entire process of the competition was a time and sequence in which the young ‘genius’ rose as a ‘hero’ in classical music history. Even after the end of the competition, Lim’s performance videos did not lose their popularity. Lim’s syndrome, to an unprecedented extent, continues online and in performances.
The semi-finals, held just before the finals, have also become a daily topic. On June 10, 2022, at the semi-final stage of the Van Cliburn Competition held at the TEXAS Fort Worth Bass Performance Hall, the 18-year-old Yoonchan Lim, who performed Liszt’s Transcendental Études S139, looked more like a pianist who had the spirit of Liszt descend on him, rather than just a contestant awaiting the competition’s final round. Yoonchan Lim’s semi-final performance was a mesmerizing moment, a time when all spectators declared, “Yoonchan Lim is the winner of this competition!”
“The piano, which at first glance looks like a black box, is an infinite instrument. With the piano, you can explore the universe, hear the groans of the earth, and listen to the letters of love that an elderly man reads out from his youth. It becomes the song that nature sings. You can also feel a profound sense of loneliness. All human life and the greatness of nature are contained in the piano. And I am grateful to be an entity that can feel all these things through the piano.” (From an interview with Yoonchan Lim in the ‘Audience’ Monthly, May 2023 issue)
This album serves as both a ‘process record’ of Yoonchan Lim’s challenge at the competition, and a ‘monument’ left by a teenage prodigy in classical music history. If you have seen Yoonchan Lim’s ‘figure’ in the competition’s live video, the high-quality recorded album allows you to sense the ‘breath’ and ‘resonance’ of his performance, unseen in the video. It is an album encapsulating the bright ‘beginning’ of Yoonchan Lim.
- An opportunity to own a live recording album of Yoonchan Lim’s glorious moments!
- Yoonchan Lim breathes ‘life’ into Liszt, and we listen with bated breath
- Meet Liszt’s ‘Transcendental Technique’ and Yoonchan Lim’s ‘Absolute Technique’
- The moment a teenage ‘prodigy’ becomes a ‘hero’ in music history!
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![Yunchan Lim - List: Transcendental Techniques Etude [Van Cliburn Competition Live Recording] - EmpressKorea](https://empresskorea.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Yunchan_Lim_-_List_Transcendental_Techniques_Etude_Van_Cliburn_Competition_Live_Recording_-_EmpressKorea-339365-130x130.jpg)
Lucia Panagiotopoulos from Thessaloniki, Greece (verified owner) –
Στην αρχή, ήμουν διστακτική να ακούσω το νέο άλμπουμ του Γιούντσχαν Λιμ. Τον γνώριζα ως παιδί-θαύμα, αλλά είχα τις επιφυλάξεις μου σχετικά με την κλασική μουσική από έναν τόσο νεαρό καλλιτέχνη. Ωστόσο, καθώς ηχογραφούσα τα Études του Λιστ στην τελετή απονομής Van Cliburn τον Ιούνιο της προηγούμενης χρονιάς στο ΦορθΓουόρθ ενός ομιλού νότια τόπου που κουβαλούσε μαγικές στιγμές μέχρι εκείνες των πρωτόγονων αγίων κατασκευαστών μηνυμάτων λάβου μέσα μας… Θέατρα όπως είναι όλοι όσοι πρέπει απλώς ζω για τη βαρύτητα μιας όλης έννοιας κάνοντάς φάνηκες πίσω ξανά αυτή τους δημιουργίες… Η συναρπαστική δύναμη και ερμηνεία σχεδόν συγκίνησαν κάθε θεατή προσοχής γεγονός πραγματικά θρυλικό αξίας – συνέκριναν ώρες κραταίνω μόρια τέχνης ζώντας ευχή έχοντας άλλες ήδη δηλαδή.
Matteo from Madrid, Spain –
Elena, you’re seriously missing out if you haven’t listened to Yoonchan Lim’s take on Liszt’s Transcendental Études. I stumbled upon his live recording from the Van Cliburn Competition while chilling at a café in Madrid and it was like my soul went on a journey! The kid has this fire that really captures Liszt’s spirit, especially with all those complex passages. Honestly, he plays like someone who’s experienced way more than just their eighteen years—total next-level stuff! Trust me; you’ve got to add this gem to your playlist!
Esperanza Navarro from Madrid, Spagna (verified owner) –
Con l’esecuzione straordinaria delle Études trascendentali di Liszt, Yoonchan Lim non solo sfida i confini della musica classica contemporanea ma li ridisegna. Ogni nota pulsava con energia giovanile e un’affermazione artistica che avvolgeva il pubblico in un abbraccio sonoro imperdibile.
Oliver Channing from Chicago, USA –
Amidst the soft light of Chicago’s skyline, Yoonchan Lim breathes life into Liszt’s magic. It felt like stepping into a transcendent moment where music becomes an intimate dialogue with one’s soul—a gripping experience at Bass Hall that lingers in my heart.
Genevieve D’Amour from Montreal, Canada –
Attending the Van Cliburn Competition was akin to witnessing a cosmic convergence of talent and artistry. Yoonchan Lim, despite his tender age, electrified Fort Worth with Liszt’s daunting Transcendental Études—transmuting complexity into poetic fluidity. In the hushed halls of Bass Performance Hall, as melodies unfolded like blooming flowers under Texas sunlight, it became evident that each keystroke did not just convey notes but carved emotional pathways connecting every listener’s heart in genuine wonderment. The immersive resonance made time suspend; youth stepped aside for raw mastery yet unencumbered by expectation—a historical moment delivered live.
Ariadne Corbett from Lisbon, Portugal –
Listening to Yoonchan Lim’s masterful rendition of Liszt’s Transcendental Études evokes an otherworldly sensation. Each note blooms with ethereal elegance, celebrating the symbiotic dance between virtuosity and emotional depth.
Rafael Jurgensen from Madrid, Spain –
الأداء الذي قدمه يونشان ليم في هذه المنافسة يبدو وكأنه لمسة سماوية من العالم الموسيقي. أصابع ملأتها مشاعر عظيمة وحكايات تصنع التاريخ.
Haruto Takahashi from Sapporo, Japan (verified owner) –
Hey! So, I finally got to listen to Yoonchan Lim’s live recording of the Liszt Transcendental Études. Honestly, it’s like he doesn’t just play the piano; he channels these epic vibes that wrap around you like a warm hug on a chilly night in wintertime Sapporo. You can literally feel the history and emotion resonating from his fingers as they dance across the keys—it’s quite magical! It almost makes me wanna throw my own shoes out and head straight for Fort Worth just to witness something so beautiful in person!
Isabelle from Paris, France –
Yoonchan Lim’s interpretation of Liszt is nothing short of breathtaking. His passion shines through every note, and it’s a thrill to listen to such talent live.