【純音閣】
西頓網遊蹤跡
下麵載了他當年剛得肖邦大獎後(1976)的演奏.至少得聽聽他的第二樂章.在齊大師手下的肖邦,是一個沒有嬌做,稍許憂愁又有陽光的19歲的鋼琴詩人. 音樂演奏是情緒啟示和刻畫, 齊大師在年輕時就很直覺的能展示.
我以前說過,李雲迪一直是刻意學他. 各位看官自個兒判斷.
ZT:
What led to Krystian Zimerman's surprising comments, walkouts
Polishpianist Krystian Zimerman, who is widely admired for his virtuosicperformances and who famously tours with his own custom-alteredSteinway, created a furor at Disney Hall on Sunday night when hestopped his recital to announce that this would be his last Americanappearance -- in protest of the nation's military policies overseas.
Ina low voice that could not be heard throughout the auditorium,Zimerman, universally considered among the world's finest pianists,made reference to Guantanamo Bay and U.S. military policies towardPoland. "Get your hands off my country," he said.
Then he turned to the piano and played Szymanowski's "Variations ona Polish Folk Theme" with such passion and intensity that the stunnedaudience gave him multiple ovations.
Earlier, about 30 or 40 people in the audience had walked out after Zimerman's declaration, some shouting obscenities.
"Yes,"the pianist, known in Poland as "King Krystian the Glorious," answered,"some people, when they hear the word military, start marching."
Zimermanthen said that America has far finer exports than its military -- andhe thanked those who supported democracy. He left the stage withoutfurther comment and was unavailable Monday.
His manager, MaryPat Buerkle, told the Associated Press on Monday that Zimerman hastalked for the last couple of years about not coming back to the UnitedStates "for a while. . . . I don't think it's appropriate to say it'sall political."
Zimerman has had problems in the United Statesin recent years, but many in the classical music world thought theywere logistical.
Just a week ago, before an appearance in Seattle, Zimerman expressedfrustration about the hassle and expense of touring the U.S. with hispiano.
Shortly after Sept. 11, his instrument was confiscated at JFKAirport when he landed in New York to give a recital at Carnegie Hall.Thinking the glue smelled funny, the Transportation SecurityAdministration decided to take no chances and destroyed the piano.Since then he has shipped his pianos in parts, which he reassembles byhand after he lands. To get from city to city within the U.S., he hiresa driver to take the shell of the piano, and he drives another car thatholds the precious custom-designed keys and hammers.
Lately, he'd seemed pleased with the direction the United States hastaken. During a performance Friday at Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall, hedelighted his Bay Area audience by making sly reference to his approvalof Barack Obama in the White House.
But by the time he drove his piano to Los Angeles, Zimerman's moodappeared to have darkened. His remarks, which some in the audiencecharacterized as angry, were the talk of Los Angeles' classical musicworld and its small Polish community Monday.
Deborah Borda, president of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, said thatwhile some patrons were taken aback by Zimerman's comments,she did notbelieve it would affect attendance or fundraising.
"It was very clear he was speaking for himself," she said. "Weobviously can't censor. We believe in freedom of expression. We don'tuse a hook to drag people off the stage."
In a spirited range of comments on Culture Monster,many praised Zimerman and others said the stage was no place fordivisive political speech. "Go Zimerman, and take the Dixie Chicks withyou," said one post, referring to the country music group that in 2003created a ruckus when a member said they were ashamed President Bushwas from Texas.
Others noted that though classical music culture in the UnitedStates is among the least overtly political of enclaves, Poland has along tradition of mixing the political and the musical. Composer andpianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski was Poland's third prime minister and isrevered in Poland the way the Founding Fathers are here.
"There is a tradition of Polish pianists being in the middle ofpolitical events," said Marek Zebrowski, director of the Polish MusicCenter at USC.
Though Poland gets comparatively little attention in the U.S.,American policy recently has been a hot-button issue in Poland. Poleswere upset about allegations that the CIA held suspected Al Qaedamilitants in secret prisons in Poland. A Polish newspaper mockinglyreferred to the country as "the 51st state." Also controversial was aBush administration proposal to put missile defense facilities there.
Sumi Hahn, a Seattle journalist who interviewed Zimerman earlierthis month, said she was not surprised to hear of his outburst. Shesaid he told her that he had "very mixed feelings now about America."
In the past five years," she quoted him as saying, "somethinghappened here that changed the world: a war based on lies. . . . Somuch damage was done worldwide ... and Americans are so unaware."
Onthe other hand, Robert Cole, director of Cal Performances in Berkeley,said he was surprised to hear of Zimerman's L.A. comments -- especiallybecause of the lightness that characterized his performance inBerkeley.
Just before playing a Bach partita, Zimerman toldhis audience it was important to consider the political purpose of apiece of music. Bach, he told his audience, "had made a decision to puthis piece in a minor key rather than a major one." Perhaps, he said,according to audience members who were there, he did that because therewas a leader Bach didn't like.
Zimerman made an approving reference to Obama and then played thepiece, but ended it in a joyful C major instead of amelancholy C minor.
"The audience loved it," said Christina Kellogg, director ofpublic relations at Cal Performances. "His playing was brilliant andthey broke into huge applause, and he was clearly pleased that theaudience was completely with him."
Cole said he had breakfastwith the pianist last week at a music-themed cafe across the streetfrom the campus. Zimerman spoke mainly of how exhausting it was totravel with a Steinway.
"I'm sorry he's not coming back," Cole said. "He reminds me of Don Quixote. He's on a quest for perfection."
Coleadded that, from a public relations perspective, it's too bad Zimermanhadn't offered his comments about Bach to Los Angeles and saved hisfiery political rhetoric for Berkeley.
"I think he maybe picked the wrong place," he said. "It would have been less of an uproar here."
--Jessica Garrison and Diane Haithman with Mark Swed contributing.
