Krystian Zimerman

For Krystian Zimerman, music is the art of organizing emotions at the right time. Whether he is playing works by Beethoven or Chopin, Schubert or Szymanowski, the Polish pianist's interpretations reveal countless nuances of expression and the clarity of his musical storytelling. That Zimerman is considered one of the greatest artists of our time is due in no small part to the freshness and originality of his performances, which are deeply personal and meticulously prepared down to the last detail. Sometimes he studies a work for decades, exploring every aspect and its meaning before introducing it into his recital programs or playing it in the recording studio. His approach is part of a living process of creative development, in which self-criticism, intense reflection, and intuition play a significant role. "The final touch – that which makes art – comes in the concert hall," he notes. Zimerman's first recording for Deutsche Grammophon, a Chopin recital, was released in 1977. His discography as an exclusive artist for the yellow label includes many milestones in recording history, among them Beethoven's and Brahms's Piano Concertos with the Vienna Philharmonic and Bernstein; Grieg's and Schumann's Concertos with the Berlin Philharmonic and Karajan; Debussy's Préludes; and the two Chopin Concertos with the Polish Festival Orchestra, a hand-picked ensemble of young Polish musicians that Zimerman founded in 1999 to mark the 150th anniversary of Chopin's death. Krystian Zimerman has made two recordings of Lutosławski's Piano Concerto, which was written for and dedicated to him. The first, released by DG in 1992, was conducted by the composer. In 2015, a live recording with the Berlin Philharmonic and Rattle was released. His other recordings include chamber works by Grażyna Bacewicz (2011), Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic (2006), and Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Boulez (2005). Zimerman's first solo album in more than 25 years, a recording of Schubert's late Piano Sonatas D 959 and D 960, was released in September 2017. This was followed by a tribute to his friend Leonard Bernstein for his 100th birthday: a live recording of Bernstein's Symphony No. 2 "The Age of Anxiety" with the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle, which appeared in August 2018. In December 2020, under the difficult circumstances of the pandemic, the pianist again collaborated with Rattle to record all of Beethoven's piano concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven's 250th birthday. The live performances at LSO St Luke's were streamed on DG Stage and received widespread acclaim. Concerto No. 1 was digitally released on December 17, 2020, the anniversary of Beethoven's baptism. The full album was released in all formats in July 2021 and received enthusiastic reviews ("... so close to perfection that I doubt I will ever hear a better performance. Krystian Zimerman... gets better with age" – BBC Music Magazine). With his next album, Karol Szymanowski: Piano Works, Zimerman paid tribute to his compatriot on his 140th birthday. Released in September 2022, it features a range of very different solo works: from some of the early Préludes Op. 1 and the Variations on a Polish Theme Op. 10 to Masks Op. 34 and four of the Mazurkas Op. 50. The Guardian judged it: "a wonderful album from a truly extraordinary artist." It earned the pianist his seventh Gramophone Award. Zimerman dedicates his love for chamber music on his latest album, released in April 2025. Together with Maria Nowak (violin), Katarzyna Budnik (viola), and Yuya Okamoto (cello), he performs Brahms's Piano Quartets Nos. 2 and 3. The Financial Times praised Zimerman and his colleagues for their "lucid" interpretations: "The clarity of their thinking is a delight throughout." In January 2025, Zimerman performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with the LSO and Sir Simon Rattle at the Philharmonie Paris ("The dynamic and chromatic range of Krystian Zimerman's piano playing seems boundless" – ConcertoNet). This summer, he will give recitals at the Tonhalle Zurich, the Lucerne Concert Hall, and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam (June 15, 20, and 22). Krystian Zimerman was born in Zabrze, southern Poland, in 1956, into a musical family. As a toddler, he became familiar with chamber music performances through the many musicians who visited his parents. At the age of five, he received his first piano lessons from his father, who was also a pianist, and later studied privately and at the Katowice Conservatory with Andrzej Jasiński. His breakthrough came when he won first prize at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1975. The 18-year-old was the youngest winner in the history of the prestigious competition, and he knew he still needed time to fully develop his artistic skills. In 1976, the legendary Artur Rubinstein invited him to work with him in Paris. This period of close collaboration with one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century brought him new artistic and psychological insights, as did his work with Claudio Arrau, Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. Since then, Krystian Zimerman has performed with many leading international musicians. He has played chamber music with Gidon Kremer, Kyung-Wha Chung, and Yehudi Menuhin, among others, and has worked with conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink, Herbert von Karajan, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, André Previn, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Simon Rattle, and Stanisław Skrowaczewski. Krystian Zimerman's artistic work is inextricably linked to his knowledge of the mechanics and construction of his instrument. In his youth, he acquired craftsmanship skills as a piano builder and technician, which he has since perfected in close collaboration with Steinway & Sons in Hamburg. In September 2022, Zimerman was awarded the Praemium Imperiale for Music. Established in 1989, the awards are presented annually by the Japan Art Association under the patronage of His Imperial Highness Prince Hitachi. They are among the most important accolades for artists in the categories of painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and theater/film. 4/2025