Johannes Brahms Frederick Chopin Claude Debussy - Krystian Zimerman Great Pianists of the Twentieth Century Vol 100 (16 tracks) +Album Reviews

A Fine Introduction to a Great Pianist

David A. Kemp | Plano, TX USA | 08/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You could make a strong case that of the pianists born since 1950 and coming to prominence in the last quarter of the twentieth century, Krystian Zimerman is the most distinguished. Born in Poland in 1956, he studied at Katowice Conservatory and won first prize at the 1975 Warsaw Chopin Competition, the youngest of all the contestants. Since then he has gone on to enjoy a major international career, although I believe his career has been primarily centered in Europe. For a pianist of his eminence over the last quarter-century, his recorded output is surprisingly modest, bespeaking his meticulous preparation and his reluctance to record until he feels he can make a definitive statement. (His "big," red-blooded Chopin is a revelation, and I have long wished that he would record more of it; so far we have been offered only a tantalizingly small portion.)

Everything in this generous (total timing 2.20:48) two-CD selection from Zimerman's limited discography is well chosen and shows him in peak form. His versatility, his big technique, his handsome tone, his dynamic range (listen to the buildup to the stunning first climax in the Chopin ballade), his clarity, his characteristic intensity are all on display here. He is a DG recording artist, and the recordings here range from 1981 to 1991; inevitably, given six different venues, the sound is somewhat variable, but it is never less than quite good. Indeed the two magnificent Chopin performances (recorded in 1987) feature the best piano sound I have heard from DG. These and the seven Debussy preludes are my favorites of the selections included here.

The only sour note for me is the silly liner notes, by one Peter Cosse: 4 ½ pages, in small print, of verbose, vacuous, highfalutin gush, from which the reader takes away nothing more than a general sense that the writer admires Zimerman's pianism. A waste of time and space. Come on, Philips; you can do better than this.

But the notes are a minor annoyance, easily ignored. This is a fine introduction to a superb modern pianist, and can be confidently recommended to anyone who enjoys great pianism."

Absolutely Stunning!

David A. Kemp | 10/22/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Zimerman has carefully selected some of his finest recordings for use in this album, and the result is a program of remarkable finish and vitality. Despite the level of perfection, the recordings sound remarkably in the moment; it is as if Zimerman invents the music on the spot! Zimerman's range of color and emotion, coupled with absolute command in every respect, are inspiration for a lifetime. The Brahms Concerto #2 with Bernstein and the Vienna PO is a must-have."

Worth it for the Brahms Concerto alone

David A. Kemp | 03/16/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This release is part of the massive Philips "Great Pianists of the Century" series, and it restores to the catalog Zimerman's live recording of the Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto, with Bernstein conducting the Vienna Philharmonic. Zimerman brings the perfect combination of technical brilliance and emotional involvement to this challenging masterpiece. He's also widely praised for his Chopin and Debussy, and this set shows why. A wonderful selection of performances by one of our greatest pianists. Outstanding sound throughout; if you like this, get his recording of the Grieg and Schumann concertos with von Karajan on DG."

The most lyrical and cool piano playing like autumn breeze

bh57@chollian.co.kr | Seoul, Korea(South) | 09/17/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Krystian Zimerman is the pianist who can express the most refined iyricism and the most powerful thunder at the same time. With his playing, we can easily be moved into the 'real' world of genuine musician. In Brahms's E flat major piano concerto, we can see to what extent he revelates the composer's musical ideas. He is just Perfect! His Chopin is not a fragile, weak melody any more. It has got the internal strength beneath the texture. The pity is that the D minor concerto of the same composer and same performer is not in this CD. It's even much better. We can easily forget in these days what music can do for the human life, but Zimerman wonderfully makes you to think of it in new and deeper terms."

An excellent disc........Zimermann plays to perfection

bh57@chollian.co.kr | 03/31/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although this disc mainly centers around the romantic style and offers no Baroque, Zimermann plays what is on the disc superbly. The Brahms scherzo is a lively piece (as scherzo "joke", in Italian) might suggest, and Zimermann plays this piece with a fiery technique, with the ability to change between dramatic to soft and tender. Brahms' Second piano concerto kicks off with a lively first movement, demanding fierce playing from the pianist; Zimermann plays flawlessly, his phrasing to die for, beautifully restrained in places and dramatically loud in others. The slow movement again shows him as a complete pianist with a perennial ability to change mood. He interprets the part perfectly, whilst Bernstein offers an equally dramatic orchestral accompanent. Chopin is perhaps one of Zimermanns favoured composers, and in the 4th ballade, Zimermann plays with true passion and feeling. The Liszt "Totentatz" gives Zimermann the oppurtunity to show up his technique to the full, demanding a very able pianist, this piece is one of the most fiery and dramatic ever written by Liszt. There are rarely slow phases in the fifteen or so minutes it lasts, so it is hard not to turn it in to a rather unvaried affair. Zimermann succeeds, the orchestra backing off to allow him to take centre stage. He plays to near perfection, with fantastic variation in a piece which seems not so varied on the surface. After such a fiery display of magnificent playing to produce such a blood-stirring performance, we hear a selection from Debussy's preludes (book one). This is indeed a juxtaposition, for they offer tenderness after such strong music from Liszt. Zimermann's playing again shows him as a complete musician, capable of playing many different ways. He offers much to the Debussy, his interpretation intriguing and original, whilst his playing is consistently good. Overall this is a very satisfactory disc, offering many different aspects of Zimermann, the fiery genius-like playing of the Liszt, the jokey performance shown in his Brahms, the ability to change from one mood to another with dramatic skill in the Brahms piano concerto, and a fine understanding of the music in Debussy preludes."

Search - Johannes Brahms, Frederick Chopin, Claude Debussy :: Krystian Zimerman: Great Pianists of the Twentieth Century, Vol. 100

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