Celebrated pianist shares lifelong connection to Ravel's music, reflects on 10 years since Chopin win
With 'Ravel: Complete Piano Works,' Cho embarks on three-hour recital

Celebrated pianist Cho Seong-jin vividly recalls his first encounter with French composer Maurice Ravel, even though it was nearly 20 years ago.
“I was in the fifth grade in elementary school when I first learned Ravel’s music. I performed ‘Alborada Del Gracioso’ ('The Jester's Aubade') at a recital at Kumho Art Hall. Prior to that my repertoire focused on Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and Liszt. Ravel’s music felt like an entirely different world and seemed more difficult — partly because, back then, I thought more notes meant more difficulty,” the Berlin-based pianist shared in an online interview Monday.
In middle school and already an aspiring virtuoso, Cho fondly remembers practicing “Scarbo,” the third movement in Ravel's "Gaspard De La Nuit," in a rehearsal room with friends.
“It was either Ravel’s ‘Scarbo’ or Balakirev’s ‘Islamey,’ especially for boys. And I would always choose ‘Scarbo,’” the 30-year-old recalled, referring to two movements generally considered to be among the most technically challenging to perform.

Fast-forward to 2024, the winner of the 17th International Chopin Piano Competition in 2015 has undertaken an ambitious project to record the complete solo piano works of Ravel. This marked the pianist’s first time recording a composer’s entire piano repertoire, and serves as a tribute to the 150th anniversary of the French artist who has inspired Cho for nearly two decades.
Cho’s "Ravel: Complete Piano Works" came out on Friday in a two-CD set, while a second album, featuring two piano concertos, is scheduled for release on Feb. 21. A deluxe edition containing all the tracks will be released April 11. The piano concertos were recorded with conductor Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
With this latest album, Cho aimed to demystify the French composer for audiences.
“For those unfamiliar with classical music or impressionism, Debussy and Ravel can often be confusing. With this album, I wanted to highlight the clear distinctions between them,” he explained.
Cho recorded an album of Claude Debussy, another French composer, in 2017 also under Deutsche Gramophone.
“I think Debussy, compared to Ravel, has a much freer and perhaps more romantic quality,” Cho said. "On the other hand, Ravel seems more poetic than Debussy and much more of a perfectionist. He seemed to have a very clear idea of what he wanted. His music is meticulously crafted, and it feels like he tried to compose piano pieces with an orchestral sensibility. I kept those aspects in mind while recording."
“He had an extraordinary ability to recognize which instrument would best suit a particular melody, and he applied that understanding so effortlessly," Cho noted.
“One of my favorite works is 'Le Tombeau de Couperin' ('The Tomb of Couperin'), especially the second movement, a fugue. While studying and performing it, I was amazed by how Ravel adapted the fugue form in his unique style. It’s truly remarkable,” he said.
Interpreting Ravel’s works, Cho deliberately avoided adding personal interpretation.
“Ravel is known for his strict stance against performers' free interpretation, so I focused on faithfully following the instructions in his scores,” he noted.

Asked about the past decade since he won the 17th International Chopin Piano Competition in 2015 , the pianist said, “Although it is not easy to evaluate my music or even myself, I tried to meet diverse people and seek inspiration, and consistently do my best.”
“So, moving forward, I plan to continue as I have, driven by my love for music, which is why I became a pianist in the first place. That passion hasn’t changed. I want to learn more repertoire, meet diverse people and continue growing as a musician,” the Berliner Philharmoniker's artist-in-residence for the 2024-25 season expounded.
His commitment to growth is evident in both his latest album ― his seventh studio album with Deutsche Grammophon ― and his upcoming recital tour, which takes place in the US in February and March, followed by performances in Europe in April and May, before concluding in Korea in June and July.
The recital is expected to be a lengthy one, spanning three hours.
“It took three hours with two intermissions. So, by the time I played the final piece, I was mentally exhausted. But after it was over, I felt incredibly fulfilled. Sharing Ravel's musical world with the audience, and also immersing myself in that world for 2 1/2 hours before coming back out gave me a deep sense of satisfaction,” he explained.
"In the end, the feeling of fulfillment far outweighed the fatigue."
