Krystian Zimerman's shocking Disney Hall debut

Poland's Krystian Zimerman, widely regarded as one of the finest pianists in the world, created a furor Sunday night in his debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall when he announced this would be his last performance in America because of the nation's military policies overseas.

Before playing the final work on his recital, Karol Szymanowski’s "Variations on a Polish Folk Theme," Zimerman sat silently at the piano for a moment, almost began to play, but then turned to the audience. In a quiet but angry voice that did not project well, he indicated that he could no longer play in a country whose military wants to control the whole world. 

“Get your hands off of my country,” he said.  He also made reference to the U.S. military detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  

About 30 or 40 people 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.  Zimerman responded by saying that America has far finer things to export than the military, and he thanked those who support democracy.

For the first half of the recital, Zimerman had played a Bach Partita and Beethoven’s last piano sonata, Opus 111, with firm determination.  After intermission he made a last minute substitution, exchanging late Brahms works for a 1953 sonata by Polish composer Grazyna Bacewicz.  The Szymanowski variations, which closed the program, was played with an astonishing ferocity that brought nothing but tumultuous cheers.  There was no encore.

The pianist was not available after the concert for further comment.

Zimerman has had problems in the United States in recent years.  He travels with his own Steinway piano, which he has altered himself.  But shortly after 9/11, the instrument was confiscated at JFK Airport when he landed in New York to give a recital at Carnegie Hall.  Thinking the glue smelled funny, the TSA decided to take no chances and destroyed the instrument.  Since then he has shipped his pianos in parts, which he reassembles by hand after he lands.  He also drives the truck himself when he carries his instrument from city to city over land, as he did after playing a recital in Berkeley on Friday.

MONDAY UPDATE: Review: Krystian Zimerman's controversial appearance at Disney Hall 

TUESDAY UPDATE: What led to Krystian Zimerman's surprising comments, walkouts

-- Mark Swed

Photo: Krystian Zimerman in 2005. Credit: Kasslara.

Comments

[Stefan]

I think Robert Lunte missed the point. made quite a few times by several commentators and that is that Mr. Zimmerman's career is not greatly funded by an American audience or industry. Not everything owes its existence to the almighty American dollar, and America is not the creator of all things.
I thank Tom for lightening things up. Good humor is good.

[Chauduyphanvu]

Don't take the situation such that serious, friends. He has his own reasons to make such declaration - and we might be surprised. However, we might not want to react by saying such things like you did to him, why aren't you respecting him? Don't blame anyone if you have things to support your says. He doesn't like the USA, therefore he's not performing here anymore. He's not arrogant.

[Jack-Jan]

Let me tell you something Mr. Zimerman. You came to
God's Country to play and get paid for it. Just concentrate
on that and do not make stupid, communist style comments.
Has anyone out there asked you a question about military?
I did not. If it was not for the great President Reagan and the
American supported Solidarity movement, I would
be still living in Poland under the Evil's Empire rules,
that is shut up or else....
I love this Country, the United States of America dearly!
You are not welcome here if you are anti-American.
Just go and play somewhere else for pennies because that
what you are worth. You ashamed me as I came from
Poland to serve these United States the best I can.
The US Military is the sole guarantor of our freedom, they are
real HEROES and I am so proud the Polish troops are also
supporting Americans in this war on terrorism.

[jay]

The mind of a pianist is different. Music has and always will be a great part of his country's soul. If he is going to use his passion and talent to send forth a wake-up call, there's no reason to hate him for it. Unless most of you are enough of a complete ass to assert that American policy and the country itself is without fault, realize his message is not without implications and don't take it like a hypocrite. He's implying a simple pacifist view and your chins and noses go straight up.
Unfortunately, slander almost always follows the best use of freedom of speech.
You're a bunch of maladaptive idiots.
Profit stealing? Everyone cares about money. Hypocrisy much?
I also doubt any of you have heard his music. The piano - that's all he needs for his art. Getting it destroyed is pretty much losing his pride and joy. If any of you are musicians, you'll perfectly understand what I'm saying.
When we start losing such moving and influential (believe me on that one) figures like Zimerman, we're losing inspiration, and we're losing our identity as an open country.
And you'd be surprised how much of the world will listen to him.

[jay]

And please come back. For our musicians. And for the ones who will listen not only to your music but to your words as well.

[the Pole]

I know that truth hurts and its not easy to hear critic from foreigner but nothing can explain such a ignorance!Do u really think that whole world exist only becouse of mercy and great help from mighty USA?Thats so sad..In Europe people barely care about your politics.Poland didnt have ANY help from anybody during releasing from comunism and its only thanks to Poles that its a free country today.Only US contribution about comunism in Poland was that in Yalta when they gave Central Europe like a present to Stalin.Yeah we should be so thankful..Where was USA when Germans were killing 6 milion of Poles and Polish Jews?
You are saying that he is taking your money..First of all Krystian have a long tradition of spending his earnings and a lot more than that for charity around the world.He really is not dependant of concerts in US couse he have a lot of audience here in Europe.Yes he is a guest when he is going to USA but he have a right like anyone else to say what he disagree with.He is not criticizing society but the government policy.

[PJohn]

USA,The Land of Promise became The Land "We Cannot afford Criticism"
and yes Krystian Zimerman has a point when he says "America has far finer things to export than the military".

[dl]

How Rude and Unprofessional. I don't care how talented he is. His job was to perform as people payed good money to hear a concert. If he felt that way he should not have accepted the invitation, but since he did he should have conducted himself professionaly and not said a word but played as he was hired to do.

[dt]

People attend to hear beautiful music and have a good evening. They don't come to be insulted. Shame on him. He's crazy. There are more appropriate places to air your politics.

[david]

You, commenters, are missing the point. This is not a topic of freedom of speech, or disagreement with his opinion. This is a concert where he's a guest. His anger toward US policy manifested into an anger for his american audience. It wasn't even a comment or criticism of US policy. It was specifically directed at his audience. To Zimerman, the audience and US policy were one and the same. That's why people were so angry. He chose to berate polite people who simply wanted to have an evening of enjoyment (many whom probably agreed with him).

There are appropriate arenas for these outbursts. A classical piano recital is not one of them. I'm surprised that so many people don't understand that.

[emol]

Cher]ers to Zimerman

[Joker]

I am sorry that you will not be in our nation for some time maestro, it is us who are more likely to suffer. I do applaud your courage at speaking your convictions to the audience and I hope that you can hold to your convictions in the future. Mr. Zimmerman, I as an American salute you and your stance, because what you did was more American than any of those who booed or threatened you for what you said or believed.

[violarific]

I don't blame him to be quite honest...and I find it insane that they destroyed his instrument because "the glue smelled funny." I would die if my viola was destroyed because "it smelled funny."

[c g bowers]

I expect Zimerman to be back. He recently commented at a music festival in Italy that his "disappointments in American politics were mostly confined toward the behaviour and beliefs of the previous administration". If there is no other reason for liking Obama, perhaps the fact that artists and intellectuals around the world are now willing to give America a second look is reason enough...

[Mary Reale]

If the TSA destroyed my precious double bass, I'd have trouble with the USA, too. We should all question any national system so powerful it destroys piano in the name of National Security. Outrageous!

[Jim]

He's right, of course. Bravo for living by one's principles!

[Paul]

When someone mentions this ''American military saves the world''slogan, it only proves how brainwashed (or, in the name of political correctness' thought showered) this individual is. Nothing is wrong, we are the best - move along! This is absurd and people are dying - right now - because of this absurd mindset so prevalent in the U.S. But - I guess - since so many Americans view the rest of the world as subhuman (despite sharing the same genetic makeup), then it matters not who dies because they are not human. Welcome Nazi ideology recycled as ''freedom, capitalism and democracy.'' Now go, join Obama Youth and attack every immigrant in the U.S. - be it legal or illegal. After all, they are life unworthy of living. I wonder if this is what American constitution is about. Let's ask the Founding Fathers - maybe they know.

[The Facts]

CBP was the agency that destroyed the instrument, you see they do "imports" and TSA does "Export"

[teaching myself piano]

I never realized he brought his own piano with him. The TSA destroying his piano is truly an outrage! Leaving politics aside for the moment I'll just say that Zimerman is one of my favorite interpreters of Chopin's music. I have always been especially fond of his interpretation of his 4 ballades.

[kyril Kansky]

neuroburger...

You have no freedoms.. He hates you because you are moneygrubbing
world thieves...