Lion Oborin, black socks and Chinese

At the first Chopin Competition in 1927, the first prize was won by Russian pianist Lew Oborin. He received PLN 5,000, but was equally pleased that he could buy black socks in Warsaw (the essential component of the piano costume), which was not available in the USSR. At the time 26 candidates from European countries participated in the competition – mainly from Poland and Russia, and 1 3rd of the candidates were judaic (today Jews no longer play piano – and it is simply a pity). Poles and Russians besides dominated the following competitions.
Russia has a large piano tradition and always the musicians there were among the world's leading musicians. These excellent, delicate artists lived in a terrible world. Music remained for them a form of escape to the place where they found Good, Beauty, fact – values completely absent in the surrounding reality and increasingly little crucial in ours today.
The first 2 pianists from Japan already appeared at the 3rd competition in 1938, but alternatively as ethnographic curiosity. However, in 1955, 2 Asian participants were already winners – Fou Ts'Ong won the 3rd prize, as well as the award for ...best mazurka performance. The first Asian pianist won the Chopin Competition in 1980. It was the current juror – Vietnamese Dang Thai Son. His political situation (the Vietnam War) undoubtedly helped him to win the prize. In 2015, Korean Seong Jim Cho triumphed, and 4 of the 6 awards were awarded to Asian pianists. In the erstwhile competition in 2021, most of the participants were Asian musicians, although frequently representing another countries. present it is even hard to talk about "most", or "dominating" Asian pianists – alternatively it is an exclusive. And black socks are already easy available all over the world.
Europe is now committing mass suicide (supported discreetly by active visionaries), the Western civilization is coming in before our eyes, but it can be comforted that the treasures of European civilization will be stored in far-off Asia. Chopin's music is understandable to all races and nations, and Asian pianists play it phenomenally. It is besides worth mentioning that Chopin is by far the most popular composer in Asia.
So erstwhile the last Poles melt in the magic of barbarism, their culture has the chance to last the spells in Chopin's immortal works.