“I believe that the most truth is to simply seek out music every day. The most important thing to me is to believe and follow what is in my heart.”
Pianist Lim Yun-chan has emerged as a rising star on the world classical stage after winning the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. In a written interview with domestic media ahead of the release of the new album, he asked what musical achievement means to him, saying, “It’s just finding music every day.”
In the world of classical music, where numerous great masters and interpretations have accumulated over its long history, Lim Yun-chan has been evaluated for shedding new light on works from her own perspective on each stage and album. The live album of the Carnegie Hall performance of Bach Goldberg Variations (April 25, 2025) presented this time is also an extension of that move. He said, “I think it is one of the greatest honors as a pianist to release the Goldberg Variations on an album and as a live performance at Carnegie Hall.”
Pianist Lim Yun-chan released a live album of Bach’s Goldberg Variations performed at Carnegie Hall on the 6th. offered by Deca
Lim Yun-chan recalled that since he first encountered this work through Glenn Gould’s album at the age of eight, he was deeply impressed by its grandeur and beauty, and this song has always been in his heart.
The Goldberg Variations, considered the ‘canon of classical music,’ is a work that already has many famous performers, including Glenn Gould. Lim Yun-chan explained, “It is a journey of a person’s life written through music,” and “It is the most humane song, full of playfulness and humor, and at the same time, it is a song that brings out each and every emotion from deep in the heart.” He emphasized, “I listened to all the performers’ versions. However, in the process of studying the piece deeply and finding my own music, I ultimately came to believe only in the Goldberg Variations that were in my heart.”
Im Yun-chan’s live performance of the Goldberg Variations, which became the fourth album released exclusively under Decca Classics on the 6th, sold more than 5,000 copies in Korea alone and became a gold album upon release. Major foreign media reviews are full of praise. Britain’s The Times said, “Lim Yun-chan’s young and confident attitude conveys Bach’s music in a different way and further expands the wonder that a great Goldberg performance should convey.” Hi-Fi Choice said, “His near-perfect playing is intelligent, delicate, and full of subtle details and personality. It is truly amazing that this young performer has found his own distinct voice within the music without being greatly influenced by existing interpretations.”
Pianist Lim Yun-chan released a live album of Bach’s Goldberg Variations performed at Carnegie Hall on the 6th. offered by Deca
In Korea, critic Lee Sang-kwon said, “Rather than following Gould’s clarity, this is an interpretation that combines cool order and passionate lyricism in the same breath.” He added, “Some traditionalists may voice opposition to this interpretation. But paradoxically, such controversy itself will serve as evidence that Lim Yun-chan has broadened the horizons of this work.”
Lim Yun-chan’s unrivaled artistic activities are expected to continue actively this year. He recently performed Schumann’s Piano Concerto on a domestic stage. When asked about the repertoire he would like to challenge in the future, he replied, “There is so much it would be difficult to write about it all.” “There are too many, but I remember the songs I played in my dream a few days ago. These include Schoenberg’s ‘Three Piano Pieces,’ Bach’s ‘Partita No. 6,’ and Beethoven’s ‘Diabelli Variations,’ which I played in the second part.”
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