Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Zimermans Piano Destroyed...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/cul...king-walt-disney-concert-hall-debut.html

This makes me so sad. I wasn't even aware this had happened.

He went to the wrong place. He should have come to Canada instead!

I suppose he should have stuck to playing the piano, rather than emulating those actors who feel their political views are as popular as their movies.

It's amazing how many people take the freedom of speech America grants, and then uses it to trash it. Biting the hand that feeds - especially for a touring foreign pianist who is making money off of America.

Oh well. I just would have been annoyed at missing out on Brahms and having to listen to Grazyna Bacewicz instead ha!

that story was posted a while ago.

Hmm.... I bet he had a lot of refunds to give!

What an interesting story. The piano bit was quite harsh, but the whole way he acted did seem quite unprofessional.

And some Americans still don't understand why that happens...and think it's everyone else's fault.

People go to Zimmerman's concerts because they want to, not because they're doing him a favour. Biting the hand that feeds it?

I think this story would have elicited a VERY different response if it had been an American pianist refusing to go to some foreign country because their customs agents destroyed his piano and that same foreign country (not a US ally) had large army bases in New York and California.

Regarding freedom of speech: the United States did not grant Mr Zimerman anything, it only recognized a right he already has because he is alive.

It is not a favour to be allowed to play in the United States, it is a business deal. Zimerman has concluded that the deal is not worth it for him because of various kinds of high costs of doing business there. This "hand that fed him" was holding a knife, as far as he was concerned.

Interesting that the OP focuses on that part of the story ("piano destroyed"), because there's another major part also. Of course it's possible that the more recent thing arose in part from what was done to his piano after 9/11, although maybe that's being too analytic.

I hadn't heard any of these things, and it's all interesting. I'll refrain from taking a stand on any of it, because that's not what I'm here for (which of course is also a main possible objection to what he did at the concert), but I don't mind others doing it and I'll be interested to see the views.

Same thing happened to Jack Gibbons a couple times, and here's a blog by him talking about it: http://jackgibbons.blogspot.com/2010/03/zimermans-anti-american-tirade.html

I don't think Gibbons and Zimerman will be doing many two piano concerts together in the near future.

I don't really think a concert is a good time for discussing one's political views. In fact, someone as famous in the classical music world as Zimerman might have been able to convince more people of his views in an essay or interview.

I also find it strange that customs could think the smell of glue in Zimerman's piano was so suspicious that it merited destruction of the piano.

Thanks OSK for giving the link to Gibbons' blog. I didn't know he had one.

Well, since he comes from Poland he probably has more personal family history with a bordering country that took up residence in his native land. Some guests come uninvited and just don't know when to leave.

When the US decides to visit a county without an invitation we always seem to think that it's OK even if our stay turns out to be completely bogus.

You're welcome, pl (may I just abbreviate your name to that? Most just call me OSK or Soda anyway). I enjoy reading his blog posts.

A history of being conquered by other countries is no excuse, especially for a person with such an international career and exposure to so many cultures and countries.

Besides, his own country has invited the US presence. A US presence was never forced on Poland.



I agree. Unfortunately outbursts like this happen when a person is unable to make sense of emotions they're having; either they don't have support and should see a therapist or, frankly, they're just not smart enough to make sense of everything they're experiencing and do the rational thing.

It's borderline mental illness. Gibbons compares it to anti-Semitism, which is not far off. Recently some people have been referring, I think correctly, to anti-Semitism as a kind of illness.

I wouldn't say anti-semitism is an illness, it's more of just an indulgence in the wrong choice, brought on by a vareity of reasons. It's normal; people do the same thing all the time but not necessary against a specific group of people (ie Jews). Maybe they do it to gain some sense of power? which is a normal human reaction to counter their insecurity.
Not that i'm a psychologist or anything, just my opinion.

I may have digressed, in which case i apologise!! Sorry.

"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."

OK, between that activity and various weird comments in interviews ("Today's recording techniques are too good"), not to mention the political outbursts at concerts, I think he's just plain nuts. I now feel better than ever for selling one of his out of print CDs (Brahms' Sonatas) on Amazon for $75!!

Zimmerman makes money by touring - probably a lot more money than his recordings bring him. It's usually the same for any musician, whether they are classical, rock, or pop - albums just increase public awareness for the inevitable tours. They are usually willing to let the record company make the larger amount of money on the albums, knowing that they'll be making more on their tours.

So, yes - you are biting the hand that feeds when you throw a temper tantrum on stage and declare your disdain for the people who are paying you money. It's disrespectful to the audience, the venue which is hosting you, and to the country that permits you to legally perform and earn money in that country. There's no such thing as a natural-right to enter another country and then earn money - it's usually granted through a legal process involving much paper work, and it's not considered a 'right'. The same applies to freedom of speech - it's a legal right granted through the process of law, not something nature has bestowed on people. It's entirely up to the whim of whoever is in power, whether that right is granted or not.


Anyways, the point I was making is that it's silly to bite the hand that feeds. I hope that clarified things... He'll just have to make up for the lost revenue by focusing on non-American venues, obviously. It's just a shame when musicians enter into politics. Do what you do best, concert pianists: play the piano and leave the politics alone. It's annoying when composers start tackling politics, not to mention musicians getting in on the act....

^^ make that 'it's annoying when ANYBODY starts tackling politics....it's an ugly zone.

It may or may not be an excuse, depending on what we mean by that, but it's a reason.