Review: Krystian Zimerman's controversial appearance at Disney Hall

In 1978, an unknown, soft-spoken, 21-year-old Polish pianist appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for its newly appointed music director, Carlo Maria Giulini,  in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.  The performances of Chopin’s two piano concertos were recorded by Deutsche Grammophon.  Krystian Zimerman’s eloquence went far beyond his years, and a major career was launched.

In the '80s, Zimerman became Leonard Bernstein’s favorite pianist, the conductor’s choice to record the Beethoven and Brahms piano concertos.  In 1992, the summer before Esa-Pekka Salonen became music director of the L.A. Philharmonic, he selected Zimerman to perform with the orchestra at the Salzburg Festival.

And now, Sunday, making his Disney Hall debut in a recital sponsored by the Philharmonic, Zimerman, who has become arguably the greatest pianist of his generation, made the surprise and shocking announcement from the stage that in protest to America's military policies overseas and particularly in Poland, he would no longer perform in the United States. 

“Get your hands off my country,” he said, soft-spoken but seething.  He accused the U.S. military of wanting “to control the whole world,” and made a reference to the U.S. military detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Approximately three dozen in the audience walked out, some shouting obscenities.  “Yes,” he answered, “some people when they hear the word military start marching.”

Others remained but booed or yelled for him to shut up and play the piano.  But many more cheered.  He responded by saying that America has far finer things to export than the military, and he thanked those who support democracy.

Zimerman (who doesn't allow photos taken of his performances) had been in a seemingly curious mood all evening.  Normally, the most exacting of pianists, he dispatched with strange impatience Bach’s Partita No. 2 and Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 32, Opus 111, in the first half the program.  He quickly walked to the piano and instead of allowing the audience to quiet and the mood to be just right, he launched into each piece, not even waiting for latecomers to be seated before beginning Beethoven’s most visionary sonata.

A program change from Brahms’ late piano pieces, Opus 119, to the Piano Sonata No. 2 by Grazyna Bacewicz, announced over the loudspeakers after intermission, was the evening’s next surprise.  It was premiered in 1953 and is a strikingly modernist, moody and nationalist sonata for Soviet Poland.  Again Zimerman went straight to the piano and immediately attacked the percussive first movement.  The performance was riveting.

Before playing the final work on his recital, Karol Szymanowski’s "Variations on a Polish Folk Theme," Zimerman more typically sat meditatively on his bench for a moment.  Twice he leaned toward the keys and almost began to play, but then turned to the audience saying he hadn’t planned to speak but decided he could not keep silent.

Zimerman is a magnificent obsessive.  He travels with his own Steinway, is his own piano technician, and even his own truck driver.  He typically spends half a year devising a concert program and will do anything to achieve the sound he desires.  Three years ago at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, he substituted Gershwin for Chopin because the Transportation Security Administration had held up his piano at the airport and he didn’t have time to practice to adjust it properly.  An earlier piano was destroyed by Homeland Security at JFK airport because officials were suspicious that its glue could be an explosive in disguise.

All along, Szymanowski’s Variations had seemed an unusually lightweight end  to a program that contained far-reaching Bach, Beethoven and (originally) Brahms.  An early work by the only internationally famous Polish composer of the early 20th century, the pleasingly Chopinesque Variations were written in 1904 when the composer was 22 and demonstrate none of the erotic mysticism of his mid-career compositions or the folk-inspired nationalism that made him known as the Polish Bartók.

Yet to hear Zimerman play anything in Disney was amazing.  His Bach was richly nuanced and beautiful although pushed in the final Capriccio.  The trills in his Beethoven had a bell-like shimmer that sounded like a newly discovered acoustic phenomenon.

But in the Szymanowski, Zimerman’s meticulous tone, so luminous in the Introduction and theme, ultimately took second place to idealistic patriotic zeal.  It’s a good thing that he can look after his own pianos, because this one will probably want some doctoring after the treatment he gave it.  There was no encore.  Pianist, audience and piano were all spent.  The cheers were deafening.

I hope Zimerman reconsiders his U.S. embargo.  He has, of course, angered some Americans.  But our country is precisely the place where politics are not outlawed from the concert hall.  And I can’t imagine a more compelling case to be made for Polish solidarity than his incomparable performance of these variations.  

-- Mark Swed 

Earlier: Krystian Zimerman's shocking Disney Hall debut

Photo: Krystian Zimerman in 2005. Credit: Kasslara.

 

Comments

[Michal]

The review is very objective for European standards. Had it happened in Europe and with Zimerman's criticism being about, say, the French foreign policy, he would have been demolished both by the reviewer and in the discussion forum. In the States it's a bit different, probably because Americans seem rather free of "patriotic" insecurities. That results in cool-headedness and self-distance and I like that. As to what Zimerman did, it was plain silly.

[brian boru]

Mr Zimerman can say or do what he pleases when he has been invited to
get on that stage, just as Robin Williams or anyone else. The problem here is that he is foreign and foreigners opinions of US policy are always dismissed, by the stupid(which are many).
Destroying his piano by customs was a petty political statement by the state department, basically spanking him for his progressive views.
You see people if you don't tow the popular line of thought uncle sam is spiteful and he will retaliate such.
Don't you think it's about time for people in the US to realize that the billions of people in this world who think we are nothing but big bullies might be right even in matters of culture!

[SteveB]

"An earlier piano was destroyed by Homeland Security at JFK airport because officials were suspicious that its glue could be an explosive in disguise."

What have we become?

[Andy C]

The Polish newspapers must not have yet reported that we've had an election.

[Scott]

Adios you whiny has been. You sound like a real jerk and this country will be better off without your visits. Some of the pseudo-intellectuals on this comment board ought to follow him out of the country. You are a bunch of pandering dolts...

[T. J. Cassidy]

What's Polish for "yadda, yadda, yadda"?

[Coldtype]

"The Polish newspapers must not have yet reported that we've had an election"
-Andy C.

... in which nothing changed to any substantiative degree in US foreign or domestic policy. Bravo Mr. Zimmerman!

[zal]

It is always enlightening and clarifying to read the patriotic posts of blind Americans. It proves beyond a doubt the evil that lurks amongst Americans. They are only motivated by greed and power. Shame on you.

[Joe Padilla]

I love the level of discourse evinced here.
(1) Drama-queen hyperbolic appeals to the "sanctity of the Temple of the Muse" (2) Demands that the performer "shut up and play, 'cause you take our money and America saved Poland," as if any of that negates the right to free speech
(3) Ad hominem attacks on the performer as a "has-been" [!!!], etc., which --beyond being a fallacy-- looks ever-so-classy and wise.
(4) Knee-jerk exhortations to "go back to your own country and take these liberal scum who defend you!!" -- in the best fascist tradition of "America, love it or leave it." as if there exists no right to stay and improve it by free speech (which the audience is also free to ignore and never purchase tickets again to deal with, lest they get the vapours) -- all because a man stated his opinion briefly before playing.

[Jean Gerard]

No doubt the artist was objecting to the insistent plans of the United States to keep 10 missile "defense" sites in his country for firing long-range on Iran. This is part of U.S. plans to "defend" our country at the expense of others. Would you be happy to see Poland and Iran wiped out in an "exchange" of missiles while we escaped? I believe the artst understands that these missile sites invite war; they do nothing to prevent it. Put yourself in his shoes, and you will understand, too.

[Jackie]

Mr. Horneman,

How did you make the connection between Mr. Zimerman's speech and anti-Semitism? Please explain. Your comments are hateful and irrelevant.

"Nothing have changed since 1940! " - Your ignorance deserves pity.

[Jarek K]

Dear Mr. Zimerman,
The beauty of this country is that we have a freedom of speech, which until about 10 years ago in Poland was not enjoying to the fullest. Like you, many of our native artists confuse their fame and prominence with a presumption that audience cares about their political views. News flash: audience only desires to hear you/them perform. I understand that you may be upset because your piano was destroyed by border control. I would be surprised if the US government did not buy you nice replacement, when they realized it was a bonehead move. I would also urge you to please review Polish history. Poland has been stuck in the vise between two powerful nations hungry for power and expansion for more than 1000 years now. While the danger from west has diminished now, the resurgence of Russia (old Soviet KGB machine) should worry all. If it does not, please review Polish history. It has only been 90 years since Poland freed itself from almost two centuries under the foreign rule: Russia, Austria and Prussia who partitioned Poland because it got too weak as result of experimenting with democracy in 17-18 th centuries. By the way, 1918 freedom was won due to the collapse of Polish neighbors after WWI and President Wilson’s commitment to restore Polish statehood. It has only been 10 years when Poland freed itself from communist rule. No, in spite of Solidarity and peaceful revolution, Poles did not do it by themselves. It was US policy under President Reagan that broke USSR economically during the arms race. When the Soviet system collapsed, Poles took that opportunity to replace unnatural to Poland political system. Poland has nothing to fear from USA, but should fear its natural enemies on its immediate borders, currently those from the East. Unfortunately, in spite of the NATO alliance, Poland should not be comfortable either. Remember 1939 when neither England nor France lifted a finger to assist Poland when it was brutally attacked from the West and then East by Polish neighbors.
So please Mr. Zimerman, please play and enamor audience with your talent, but leave your politics in Poland. Should you want your political views to be heard, please run for office.
Dear Bloggers,Many of you expressed appreciation for Mr. Zimerman political speech. I understand how you feel, but I bet that none of you were ever fearful for your life because of foreign aggression or overpowering government that threw people in jail for their free speech. It is very comfortable to speak and espouse ideas without having anything too loose. I understand, that is a beauty of democracy. At the end, I just want to listen to great piano.

[jack gabel]

For those intent on criticizing Krystian Zimerman for his presumed readiness to "...criticize everything American, except his paycheck," you should be educated to the fact that he's probably better paid just about anywhere in Europe, including Russia.

e.g. The City of Berlin enjoys an arts and culture budget 10 times that of the entire National Endowment for the Arts of the nation whose military budget is verging on exceeding that of the rest of the world combined.

Point in fact, we live in perhaps the most philistine nation of all time. I collaborate with Mexican artists who are better supported than most American artists I know. America doesn't need artists. It only needs celebrities.

So the lot of you philistine bleeding sods who can't stand a little criticism, take yours and insert it alongside your heads, where the sun don't shine.

[hmmm-confused]

Mr. Zimerman has lived in Switzerland for over two decades.

[Stefan]

They destroyed his piano at the airport because the glue smelled different!!! How idiotic. Actually that is very symbolic of how Poles are mistreated at our embassies, consulates and borders when citizens of countries who are constantly criticizing us do not even need a visa to come here even though their citizens committed the 911 hijackings. Meanwhile, Poland delivered severe blows to communism to the benefit of the world, including the US. Poland also supported us in the war on terrorism by sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, taking our prisoners and agreeing to have our missiles placed on their territory thereby jeopaordising their well being by p***ing off muslim extremists, Putin and Old Europe. Zimmerman must have come to the realisation that the US does not respect friends - only enemies and critics.
We Americans may have only ourselves to blame for Mr. Zimmerman's statements

[Christine]

I went to the concert in Seattle I wasn't all that blown away by the Scymanowski though the rest of his program was amazing.

Maybe Zimerman made his comments before this piece to deflect any criticism of his total lack of perfection in the concert, as well as get more fame and attention. Maybe he's just a total spoiled primadonna.

My opinion of him is tarnished. Perhaps he's not the greatest pianist, certainly his character doesn't come up to the level of his art.

[veneda]

Krystian Zimerman is one of if not the greatest pianist ever. Listening to him playing is an extraordinary experience. He is maybe the last living true artist, that is, that has gift from heaven, but also perfect craft of piano playing. Of course it all matters for people of distinction, who are able to appreciate high art. How many of that kind of people we have in America? Let’s faces it, this country is dominated by vulgarians who would do everything possible not to recognizes such a subtle talent as Krystian Zimerman. Consciously or not, they will destroy his piano, just in case, for the biggest fear vulgarians have is culture. No wonder that Krystian Zimerman goes nuts on the tours in this country; no wonder that he does not want to perform here anymore. For the artists of his class, it is better to perform in Europe, China, Latin America and Russia – regardless of politics people in those countries still know how to appreciate the great artist.

[Mosiek Czerwinski]

Listen, Mr. Zimerman does not have to come from Western Europe (I believe he lives in Switzerland) to have a negative opinion about US. Art brings out emotions and this was the case. He got ticked off by America interferring with world (and Polish) affairs, playing the role of the global cop. So what? Is it better for Miss USA to express her moronic opinions about the world politics? Or maybe it is Angelina Jolie? Hm. Perhaps, Larry King? Or dr. Phil? How about Sinead O'Connor. Give me a break, he did what others do and we do not even wink - used his status to convey the message. Bravo.

[Laurence Dankel]

As someone who was in attendance, and not merely reading about it from an amused distance, I was deeply offended by the rudeness of this man, and only regret that I did not join in the obscene rejoinders. One expects this kind of inappropriate commentary from, say, Barbra Steisand, but for someone of his artistic stature to use a one-way forum to create contention where people had come together for the solace and unity of art is arrogant, and moreover, cowardly, since he does not have to subject his opinions to the give-and-take of more appropriate forums, merely shove them down our throats like a principal at a high school assembly. I can only hope that his next finger-wagging lecture/recital takes place in the Swat Valley.

[Stefan]

To Mr. Herneman,
Your anti-polish bias is sickening and obviously stems from ignorance and hate. I can't figure out how you managed to inject accusations of anti-zionism and antisemitism into this subject matter. Ever heard of Irena Sendler, Irena Gut, Zegota, Henry Slawik, Jan and Antonina Zabinski, etc?.
Wasn't Mr. Zimmerman an apprentice of Bernstein? Isn't he himself Jewish? Just because he is a Polish patriot he is anti-semitic?