About the win

Adam Harasiewicz won the fifth edition in 1955, controversially finishing ahead of Vladimir Ashkenazy, who took second prize. His complete Chopin recordings became a benchmark of the LP era.

Key facts

• Winner of the 1955 edition, ahead of Vladimir Ashkenazy.
• Recorded a complete Chopin cycle for Philips that remains widely admired.
• Built a long international concert career and settled in Switzerland.
• One of the leading Polish Chopin interpreters of the post-war generation.