Dear Jonathan, this is deeply impressive. Masterful and profoundly expressive throughtout. So inspired to hear you for the first time and look forward to more great achievement from you. Seymour Bernstein

Ringing, balanced tone, rhythmic and stylistic mastery, with full emotional involvement. This is what Brahms demands, and what Mr. Fournel delivers. Thank you.

The cello soloist in the third movement is Olsi Leka, who is a professor at the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp, a member of various chamber groups, and an in-demand soloist. Maestro Leka has won several competitions . The oboe soloist is Dimitri Baeteman, who has been with the orchestra since 1994 and has been principal oboist with them since joining.

Finally a real musician who wins the first prize. We - the audience - don't long for race horses but artists. Bartok said it very well.

La facilité incroyable du soliste ajoute au profil expressif par rapport a la tradition sans le permuter en pièce de virtuosité. Peut être c‘est la direction a suivre épanouissant le contenu majestueux de l‘oeuvre en toute sa dignité.

Congratulations Jonathan Fournel 💐

I have seen this live last summer. Since then, I every now and then repeat this recording. I have never seen a laureate playing in a final who was able to bring an orchestra to a next level, in stead of vice versa. This is an amazing performance with the most delicate legierissimos interspersed with expressive and breathing fortissimos. First place was so well deserved!

This is one of the most beautiful, poetic and architecturally coherent performances I have heard in a long time. Mr Fournel's piano tone is exquisitely controlled, and the energetic moments are nothing short of breathtaking. But it is the unfolding drama which is so impressive. The orchestra and pianist interact so expressively. It's like turning the pages of a great novel, in all its intimacy, poignancy and sense of longing which in musical terms is what this, Brahms' very great work is. Thank you so much, Jonathan Fournel, you do Brahms proud. What an inspiration!

I've never seen a performer expressing Brahms piano music so well

Wow, just wow

Holy moley, this is one of very, very best Brahm's No. 2's I've ever heard, and I've heard a lot of them. This pianist is an extraordinary talent. He has a blazing future.

C'est une magnifique interprétation, par un excellent pianiste plein de talents ! Et un très bon orchestre aussi. Merci et bravo !

Jonathan is a poet

A.truly amazing performance...I was totally wowed !!! Thank you, Jonathan...best of luck in your future career !!!

Well I'm a fan. What mastery! What sensitivity! A beautiful storyteller. Bravo.

This was amazing. I particularly loved the 3rd movement. I didn't know it was possible to get so much emotion out of a piano. Truly lovely

24:57 is my favorite part. That unification of the strings and the deep piano bass is simply fantastic!

MÜZİK RUHUN GIDASIDIR. La musique est la nourriture de l'âme.

Fantastic rendition - wonderful pianist

absolument magnifique. ou a t il chercer son. un don aussi absolut , merci , le n'arrête. de l'écouter , déjà que. j'aimais brahms , mais. là. il le sidère ; lorsdela s de le soirée. dew finalles, j'aviais.prentit , qu'il aurait le. premeier prix , il a compris l'ame de brahms , je suis eblouie par son. talent. de pianiste et. de la. facon dont il parvient à. nous la. transmattre.

Félicitations à ce magnifique pianiste!

This performance has everything: passion, poetry and first and foremost, blood. Every note, every expression coming directly from the heart. Shame Jonathan Fournel didn't enjoy a full audience, or rather, shame on them :o) What an achievement: Bravo!

Wonderful. The right one won this time.

Muy Bueno ,,..

페달을 이렇게 잘 이용하는 연주자는 처음본다 브람스의 본질과 가장 가까운 연주... 최고👍👍

Le meilleur 🎹🎼❤️

MARAVILLOSO GRAXIEEE..MUY PROFUNDO SENTIR Y PENSAR Y..MISTICA..DIVINO BRAHMS..Y VOS DAIS VUESTRA ALMA Y VITALIS TERRENIS .BRAVO !!!!¡¡

Je ne connais pas très bien Brahms. Je l ai découvert grâce à cette interprétation. Ce concerto est merveilleux, et votre implication, mr Fournel, est tellement perceptible. C est une musique fantastique, également très bien servie par cet orchestre. Je n ai pas encore écouté toutes les versions de cette oeuvre grandiose sur KZfaq, mais celle ci gardera toujours une place, très importante, elle me touche, physiquement. Merci

Bravo, bravissimo!!

Wonderful🙏🏽

Très impressionnant. Bravo pour cette Performance

L’Adagio dal 2° di Brahms è un incontenibile, bellissimo abisso di nostalgia

I love his music ^_^

beautiful!!!

A real Brahms performance.!

divine

Grossartig! Especially the last two movements. Thanks for posting!

👏👏👏👏👏from🗾

Brilliant!!! Bravo!

Jonathan, you are magnificent. at the begining i did not expect you are able to play this colosal concerto. but i was totally mistaken.

magnifique , j'amais;déja;bramhs , :mais quelle imprtation, l,on;; sent,;qu,il; exptrime;; tout; le; romantisme allemand, j'ai; suivi, le concour: et. dé les premieres ,j,ai;;su. quec'était lui ;qui;:allaitt,gagner.;merci monsieur,:pour;cette; :l,q

Beautiful😂😅😊

NICE

Nice ♥️♥️

🌹👏

Above average clarinet solo in 3rd movt

Why are some of them wearing masks and others are not?

I've attended over 30 performances of the Brahms 2nd over the last 65 years, and the 2 that stand out most vividly in my mind were Sviatoslav Richter (1960) & Lorin Hollander (1983), both of which were extraordinarily overwhelming near perfect. I find Jonathan Fournel's performance to be decent, but not even close to as good as the best I've heard. I detected a few missed notes, and there is a lacking of clarity in a number of places. In any case, I compliment him on his win, and I wish him a long and successful career.

Fantastic performance but it looks so ridiculous looking at all those people with masks on. Of course everyone except the brass, woodwinds and the pianist. Covid strikes again.

Unimpressive dynamics.