Holy cow. He's long been one of my absolute favorite pianists, especially with Chopin. His version of the Ballade #1 in Gm is my benchmark for not just that particular piece, but pretty much piano playing in general. For some reason I pulled it into my rotation over the weekend and I've probably listened to it 5 times so far.

How come we don't hear much about him? I understand he's no longer performing much due to his issues with some US policies. Our loss.

If you haven't, give a listen to his recordings. A good starting point, in my opinion is the DG Chopin Ballades, probably from the 1990s?

He is my Brooklyn piano teacher’s favorite pianist. I saw him in Carnegie maybe 15 years ago.

His Chopin Ballades are my benchmark recordings too. Also listen to his Schubert Impromptus.

I think one impediment to his fame is his perfectionism limits his output. That was true even before the incident in the US with his piano and his declaration that he wouldn’t come here anymore.

Wow, I've never even heard of him! Will have to go searching around.

quote:

That was true even before the incident in the US with his piano and his declaration that he wouldn’t come here anymore.

Sounds (melo)dramatic! What happened to the piano?

Remember that video of the pianist who started a concert but the pedal wasn't working (IIRC), they took the piano below the stage, while she playing as it was lowered down, and then she played as it was brought back up again.

I'm guessing Zimerman is not someone who would do something like that??

His Steinway was destroyed by US customs officials at JFK. Right after 9/11, I think. He took it personally. I think a few years later he said he wouldn't play in the US until Bush left office and early in the Obama years said he wouldn't come at all.

quote:

Originally posted by jon-nyc:
His Steinway was destroyed by US customs officials at JFK. Right after 9/11, I think. He took it personally.

Oh my, that must have been horrible.

quote:

I think a few years later he said he wouldn't play in the US until Bush left office and early in the Obama years said he wouldn't come at all.

So during the Trump years, did he, like, refuse to allow his videos to even be accessed from US-based computers??

Here's a backgrounder on his disdain for the US and US policies. He is a wonderful pianist.

quote:

Originally posted by ShiroKuro:
Wow, I've never even heard of him! Will have to go searching around.

quote:

That was true even before the incident in the US with his piano and his declaration that he wouldn’t come here anymore.

Sounds (melo)dramatic! What happened to the piano?

Remember that video of the pianist who started a concert but the pedal wasn't working (IIRC), they took the piano below the stage, while she playing as it was lowered down, and then she played as it was brought back up again.

I'm guessing Zimerman is not someone who would do something like that??

Not really in the same league, but a few years ago we watched Natasha Paremski playing Schoenfield's Four Parables, which is a pretty raucous piece for the most part. At any rate, the first parable starts slowly and then the piano joins after a looong time (perhaps a few minutes) with a big bang. So she starts in, starts playing, and then stands up during a pianistic lull and starts poking around in the piano. She casually hauls out a tuning hammer from inside, holds it up, and places it on the floor next to the lyre. The audience is laughing hysterically. Needless to say, they started over.

The tuner must've been mortified.

quote:

Not really in the same league, but a few years ago we watched Natasha Paremski playing Schoenfield's Four Parables, which is a pretty raucous piece for the most part. At any rate, the first parable starts slowly and then the piano joins after a looong time (perhaps a few minutes) with a big bang. So she starts in, starts playing, and then stands up during a pianistic lull and starts poking around in the piano. She casually hauls out a tuning hammer from inside, holds it up, and places it on the floor next to the lyre. The audience is laughing hysterically. Needless to say, they started over.

The tuner must've been mortified.

That's hysterical!!!!!!!!!

Natasha is a young Russian pianist (now in the USA) that I highly recommend. She's absolutely fearless and plays the big pieces without batting an eye.

She returned a few years later to play Prokofiev's 2nd piano concerto. She's really good in concert.