IV International Chopin Piano Competition

The IV International Chopin Piano Competition (Polish: IV Międzynarodowy Konkurs Pianistyczny im. Fryderyka Chopina) was held from 15 September to 15 October 1949 in Warsaw. The first competition after World War II, it was held in connection with the centenary of Chopin's death. Polish pianist Halina Czerny-Stefańska and Soviet pianist Bella Davidovich shared first place. Due to the wartime destruction of the National Philharmonic, the auditions were held at the Roma Theatre on Nowogrodzka Street.

The Fourth International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition
Date15 September – 15 October 1949 (1949-09-15 – 1949-10-15)
VenueRoma Theatre, Warsaw
Hosted byPolish Ministry of Culture and Art
Winner
  • Halina Czerny-Stefańska
  • Bella Davidovich
← 3rd ·
Chopin Competition
· 5th →

Awards

Halina Czerny-Stefańska (1959) and Bella Davidovich (1966)

The competition consisted of two elimination stages and a final with 18 pianists. For the first time, competitors performed a piano concerto in its entirety in the final, as opposed to just two movements.

The following prizes were awarded:

Prize Winner
1st 1,000,000zł Halina Czerny-Stefańska Poland
1,000,000zł Bella Davidovich Soviet Union
2nd 800,000zł Barbara Hesse-Bukowska Poland
3rd 600,000zł Waldemar Maciszewski Poland
4th 550,000zł Georgy Muravlov (pl) Soviet Union
5th 500,000zł Władysław Kędra Poland
6th 450,000zł Ryszard Bakst Poland
7th 400,000zł Yevgeny Malinin Soviet Union
8th 350,000zł Zbigniew Szymonowicz (pl) Poland
9th 300,000zł Tamara Gusiewa Soviet Union
10th 250,000zł Victor Merzhanov Soviet Union
11th 200,000zł Regina Smendzianka Poland
12th 150,000zł Tadeusz Żmudziński Poland
HM 50,000zł Tony Vine Adnet Brazil
50,000zł Oriano de Almeida (pt) Brazil
50,000zł Carlos Rivero Mexico
50,000zł Ludmila Sosina Soviet Union
50,000zł Imre Szendrei Hungary

One special prize was awarded:

Special prize Winner
Best Performance of Mazurkas Halina Czerny-Stefańska Poland

Jury

The jury consisted of:

  • Godfrid Boon
  • Emile Bosquet (nl)
  • Lucette Descaves (substitute)
  • Sem Dresden
  • Zbigniew Drzewiecki (chairman)
  • Jan Ekier
  • Blas Galindo Dimas
  • Lélia Gousseau (substitute)
  • Arthur Hedley (vice-chairman)
  • Hernádi Lajos (hu)
  • Franz Josef Hirt
  • Jan Hoffman
  • Roman Jasiński (pl)
  • Marcelina Kimonti-Jacynowa (substitute)
  • Lazare Lévy
  • Marguerite Long (vice-chairwoman, after 1 October)
  • Joseph Marx
  • Frantisek Maxian (vice-chairman)
  • Alfred Mendelssohn
  • Dimitar Nenov
  • Lev Oborin (vice-chairman) ( I)
  • Pavel Serebryakov
  • Stanisław Szpinalski ( I)
  • Henryk Sztompka (pl)
  • Magda Tagliaferro (vice-chairwoman)
  • Margerita Trombini-Kazuro (pl)
  • Bolesław Woytowicz
  • Carlo Zecchi
  • Jerzy Żurawlew

During the first two rounds, blind auditions were held, with participants competing anonymously under numbers they had drawn, as the jury listened behind wooden shutters. This format was not repeated again in subsequent editions of the competition.

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