It's working OK now. Why? I don't know.

If you have a slow internet connection, these are the classic symptoms.

try to reboot your computer, which was what i did and everything is fine after that.

I loved Beus' English Suite. I don't remember seeing a couple of the ornaments he used in the CPE Bach book, though.

I had never heard Beus play before, but I can see why he is the favorite of some. I've only heard a few performances of the Spanish Rhapsody(Kissen in his NYC recital debut for one) and I thought Beus' was phenomenal. I have never heard the Spanish Rhapsody sound like such a great piece of music, which I guess it can with such supervituosity combined with musicality. What has sounded to me before like mostly a display piece came across as a masterpiece.

I don't know if it was the camera angle on the close ups, but Beus seemed to have enormous hands. He also seemed to play with great joy... something like watching Katsaris.

I was following the IMSLP score and the ending of the Rhapsody Beus played was different. Was it his own ending or someone else's ending or...?

That was a weird performance by Beus...the parts I was sure I was going to love (the Barber Fugue and Spanish Rhapsody) seemed a bit too rushed, while those I were worried about (the Bach suite, the opening of the Barber) were brilliant.

Kudritskaya was amazing once she got past her nerves at the opening of the Chopin. I especially liked the unity she brought to the 2nd and last movements of the Chopin, and how she brought out the melodies in Ondine and the Funeral March.

What was the last piece on Kunz's program? The listing on the web page seems completely wrong for his prelim recital.

That was Ran Dank, and the last piece was Reminisces de Norma. Kunz isn't on until tonight.

The tally so far today for Van Cliburn preliminary round piano choices: (out of 3 pianos: Cliburn Foundation's New York Steinway D, Cliburn Foundation's Hamburg Steinway D, and another NY D sent in by Steinway).

1- Natacha Kudritskaya: Cliburn Foundation's NY Steinway
2- Stephen Beus: Cliburn Foundation's Hamburg
3- Ran Dank: Cliburn Foundation's NY Steinway
4- Chetan Tierra: the other NY Steinway

I'm listening to Chetan Tierra right now on the webcast, and must say I really like this particular NY Steinway. It sounds like a mix between the classic NY Steinway and classic Hamburg sound-- clear and slightly bright like a Hamburg in the upper registers, but still with that New York warmth and richness in the bass. (It's also distinct in that it's ebony polish like the Hamburg instead of satin.)

How do you get the info about piano selection?
I am listening to Tierra now. I caught dank's Norma and enjoyed it a great deal.

I've watched all of the webcasts and Steve Cummings, the announcer, always says beforehand which piano the performer is using.

Standing ovation for Chetan Tierra! Great Ginastera1
Thanks EMR.

Just tuned in for the first time and saw Tierra's performance (missed all others so far). Very good quality of the webcast (both audio and video). I enjoyed his performance (though given it's 3:30am local time here any fine details certainly slipped my attention). The Paganini book 1 was fun to watch, very clean but at the same time very energetic. The finale of the Ginastera looks like some nasty octave stuff (very well done as well)
P.S. The background videos on the performers are also quite good.

Agreed. I caught most of it. The Ginastera was exciting!

Are there programs available anywhere?

click on the contestant from 'Competitors' page, you'd see what he's playing in each round.

i never heard or knew Chetan Tierra, but i have to say that his Paganini variations was very good.

Thanks you signa! That's a big help for those times where I miss the opening announcement.

I'm enjoying Spencer Meyer's recital now. His Beethoven Op. 78 was great, and I loved his Chopin Op. 60. He's playing some Debussy Bk. II Preludes now. Looking forward to his Vine sonata.

Getting kinks out. Should be fine by tomorrow. Mozilla works where IE doesn't.

Has anyone figured out how to watch these on Jaunty (Ubuntu 9.04) ? I tried installing Mono moonlight, but it doesn't seem to work!

Wow! I couldn't resist to watch one more performance, of Spencer Myer. Nice choice to start with Beethoven op. 78. More introspective, unusual maybe given for people of this age, very interesting in any case. But the Carl Vine 1st sonata showed an entirely different side of this pianist. What a great piece...I'll have to listen to this again, for sure.

for some reason Myers's Beethoven op.78 didn't impress me at all, but his Debussey and Vine sonata did.

love this Russian guy's Scarlatti now, so beautiful!

I was just wondering if others think the same. It's absolutely gorgeous!!! So much cahracter, so many nuances in touch, and incredible differentiation in dynamics. These are things I can really only judge in comparison, because I never know what's lost in these streamings. I wanted to go to bed, but this guy's playing keeps me awake at 5am

Actually, Kunz's Scarlatti (particularly the way he handled the ornaments in the second sonata, K197), really rubbed me the wrong way. I'm getting a similarly frustrated feeling from the Chaconne he's playing now, which just feels overplayed in so many places.

Spencer Myer's tone was so warm and inviting ... (so different than the impression I got from the qualify round) ... Bravo!

I think his tone tonight set him apart.

I enjoyed all of tonight's performances greatly. Particularly Myer and Kunz.

The Scarlatti and Haydn of Kunz were straight from heaven, IMO. The Scarlatti sound (and also his hand style) reminded me a lot of Horowitz (but not as a mere style copy)... In the strange interview afterwards he said he was not happy, but I think this can at most be with the Chaconne, where I (sometimes) had an uneasy feeling that he didn't feel fully at home and was also a bit insecure. It's also quite tough to say some meaningful sentences immediately after an intense recital. Despite this, his intensively emotional playing style was my clear favorite, and touched me most, among the last group of three that I watched.

I was very impressed with all of the players today, including Kunz (despite my comments above). Every one of them had at least one performance I greatly enjoyed, and I wouldn't mind hearing any of them in the next round.

Still, my favorite so far is Kudritskaya. I'm remind of a quote from Carl Tait last year about Ying Feng: "In short, Feng is a thoughtful and sensitive pianist who just happens to prefer extroverted pieces." The perspective and thoughtfulness she brought to Ravel's Gaspard mades me really want to hear more from her.

He said he ended up not liking the piano as well. Funny you mention his Scarlatti was kind of reminiscent of H., because I thought the very same thing!

Has anyone been able to listen to the recorded recitals from earlier in the day?

i felt the same as you about his Scarlatti and Haydn, the tone he produced was just terrific. the funny thing is that i thought of Horowitz's Scarlatti sound as well, that liquid or mercury like sound, but not exactly as it in Kunz's. at a moment or 2 i felt his uneasiness when he's playing K197, which might be the reason he mentioned the piano.

i like his Bach-Siloti's as well, great tone!

No, I was trying to find them too, but in the archives they only seem to have the 2005 recitals and earlier. Maybe it takes a while to put it up... So if anyone finds out how to listen to recorded 2009 recitals, please let us know.

Btw, all recitals will ultimately be available on CD, for buying or "rented" downloading via Napster & co -- I have listened to lots of 2005 performances the latter way. For fans of raw uncut live performances these CDs are a little treasure trove.