After last night’s auditions, Ingolf Wunder of Austria has emerged as the clear favourite for the top prize at the International Chopin Compeition in Warsaw, say music critics. The jury’s verdict will be known later tonight.

His performance of the E minor Concerto was hailed by most critics as truly outstanding.

Tomasz Cyz wrote in the competition’s daily gazette, the Chopin Express: “Wunder was the only pianist in the final who interacted with the orchestra: he led a dialogue, called on them to answer, pushed them up against the wall. And that unearthly piano of his, which quietened any flat note. You play the way your opponent lets you. Well then, play! Now we had piano, then rubato and accelerando. We’re flowing, flowing! Romance. The Larghetto sounded nostalgic, sweet and bitter for a change. And the finale – Rondo. Vivace. Now you play to my dance. And if you don’t, the New York Philharmonic will, soon enough. Have I gone too far?”

The critic was refering to one of the awards for the winner – two concerts with the New York Philharmonic, the first of which will take place in Warsaw next week.

In an interview for the news.pl,  John Allison, chief music critic of the Sunday Telegraph and a contributor to the Chopin Express, said: ‘Wunder has got everything one wants to hear in a Chopin player. His is a very patrician, aristocratic kind of sound. He’s got an absolutely beautiful sense of tone and huge musical imagination, coupled with incredible virtuosity.’

The jury verdict is expected in the late evening hours tonight. The winner will receive the Gold Medall and 30, 000 euros in cash.

Two French pianists, Helene Tysman and Francois Dumont, and Lukas Geniusas representing Lithuania will be the last pianists to appear before the Warsaw audience in the finals of the International Chopin Competition today.

Tysman will perform the F minor Concerto and the remaining two pianists – the E minor Concerto, with the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Antoni Wit. (mk/pg)