Krystian Zimerman

KRYSTIAN ZIMERMAN - PIANO

 

MONDAY APRIL 5, 2004  Time: 20.45 - le Muse THEATRE OF Ancona

 

PROGRAmme

Chopin: 4 Mazurche op. 24

Chopin: Sonata in si bemolle minore op. 35

Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales

Godowski: Suite JAVA

Nel Kraton, Il vulcano Bromo, Gamelan,

I giardini di Buitenzorg, Nelle strade della vecchia Batavia

 

 

 

 

At six years of age Krystian Zimerman was surprised to discover that pianos were not found in ever home. Until then he had thought that playing the piano was just as important as eating, drinking and sleeping. At that age he had already made his debut on Polish television, playing two of his own compositions.

 

Following his very first lessons with his father, Krystian Zimerman attended the Katowice Academy of Music, where he studied with Andrzej Jasinski, who was eventually to become his only teacher. Two months after completing his education he won the prestigious Chopin Competition at the age of eighteen (1975). Although he had already played extensively in Poland and abroad and had won numerous other competitions, his Chopin victory launched Zimerman into the whirlwind life of an international concert pianist.

 

He considers the most significant moment in his life to be when he met and began studying with the great musician Arthur Rubinstein, who also became one of his greatest friends. Another important turning point in his training was his concert and recording studio work with conductors such as Bernstein, Giulini and Karajan. Similarly, the Piano Concerto dedicated to him by Lutoslawski and performed by Zimerman in a world premiere in 1989 was also one of his greatest achievements.

 

His repertoire ranges from solo piano performances to orchestral concerts and chamber music. Zimerman deliberately avoids any one particular composer or style, instead he seeks out all kinds of musical experiences from Bach to Lutoslawski. He has no desire to be labelled as a Beethoven specialist, despite Beethoven being one of his main interests, and works intensely on widening his knowledge of other composers. Preparatory work can take years. Zimerman’s method consists of studying numerous different pieces at the same time. All the pieces develop at different rates and are subsequently ready for performance at different times. Having "lived" with a piece like Brahms’ Piano Concerto no. 2 or Liszt’s Sonata in B minor for around 10 years, Zimerman is able to achieve the desired results in his performances. This way of working is characteristic of Zimerman’s way of thinking insofar as he prefers to make long term plans in all areas of his life.

 

Zimerman performs no more than 50 concerts a year and makes no more than two/three albums for DGG, with whom he has an exclusive contract. Many of these recordings have won prestigious awards, including the Gramophone Award, the Grand Prix du Disque, the Edison, the Diapason d'Or and a Grammy nomination.

 

Despite winning numerous competitions at the beginning of his career, Zimerman is still firmly against the idea of competitions serving as a musical selection process and turns down any invitation to be on judging panels.

 

Besides the piano, Zimerman has a number of other interests ranging from playing the organ to electronics and psychology. He is married with two children: Claudia and Ricki.

 

Info: Associazione Amici della Musica "Guido Michelli" - tel. +39.071.206694