Chasing the Perfect Tchaikovsky: Van Cliburn and the Magic of Archives

One of my 2025 highlights was seeing Khatia Buniatishvili play Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at the Verbier Festival in summer. I already loved the piece, but I was so inspired by the performance that I have been listening to countless versions since on a mission to find my favorite. One that stood out was Van Cliburn’s 1962 rendition with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kirill Kondrashin. Let me tell you what makes this one so special…

First, the work itself is a masterpiece; it’s rare to find classical melodies that are so easy to remember — I could sing them by heart and I often have them playing on a loop in my head for days on end! They are bafflingly modern and infinitely romantic. Equally satisfying is the natural dialogue between the piano and orchestra, whose parts intertwine seamlessly.

Next, as a history buff, I was struck by the historical significance of this concert. For context: it’s 1962 and Van Cliburn is in the middle of his tour in the USSR where he is extremely popular, four years after his legendary performance of this exact concerto that won him the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition. The music itself is superb, but what I find truly remarkable is that I’m able to sit here and watch this concert in 2026! I love the idea that in 100 years from now, people will still be able to watch Van Cliburn, as well as the performances of those who have followed in his footsteps. Just as we now read excerpts from chronicles singing the praises of Liszt or Clara Schumann, we’ll still have access to the invaluable, vibrant format of video. The exact medium will inevitably have changed over the course of 100 years, but I think we’ll still be able to dip into the archives and admire, for example, Yuja Wang, “the piano virtuoso of the first half of the 21st century.” We’ll be internet archeologists and, in the same way that we regularly now discover manuscripts by Bach, Chopin, or Mozart, we will come across video clips of current artists on social media, forgotten moments that will fascinate future generations.

Lastly, the grainy image and slightly muffled sound quality of this recording add a touch of endearing nostalgia that I find particularly touching. Join me in rediscovering a piano legend in his prime in this truly remarkable concert — one of the most historically important recordings in our catalogue!