RIP Maurizio Pollini

[Mandryka]

[brewski]

One of my favorite concerts by him, in 1999 at Carnegie Hall, reviewed by Paul Griffiths here.

Schoenberg: 3 Piano Pieces, Op. 11
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier"
Stockhausen: Klavierstück X
Beethoven: Bagatelle in E-flat Major, Op. 126, No. 3
Beethoven: Bagatelle in B Minor, Op. 126, No. 4

-Bruce

[T. D.]

One of my favorite concerts by him, in 1999 at Carnegie Hall, reviewed by Paul Griffiths here.

Schoenberg: 3 Piano Pieces, Op. 11
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier"
Stockhausen: Klavierstück X
Beethoven: Bagatelle in E-flat Major, Op. 126, No. 3
Beethoven: Bagatelle in B Minor, Op. 126, No. 4

-Bruce

RIP.
Bruce, wasn't there a Carnegie Hall recital around that time in which Pollini slapped a (female) page-turner at some point? There was some media coverage (mentioned in a newspaper review, at least) and iirc it involved one of Stockhausen's Klavierstücke.

[brewski]

RIP.
Bruce, wasn't there a Carnegie Hall recital around that time in which Pollini slapped a (female) page-turner at some point? There was some media coverage (mentioned in a newspaper review, at least) and iirc it involved one of Stockhausen's Klavierstücke.

Yes, I had forgotten about that (wasn't there to witness) but just found a reference to it here. That must have been quite something!

-Bruce

[Todd]

Two titans of the piano gone in just over a week.  A crummy March.

RIP Mr Pollini.

[T. D.]

Yes, I had forgotten about that (wasn't there to witness) but just found a reference to it here. That must have been quite something!

-Bruce

Thanks. That article places the recital in 1999, which is about when I thought it happened (I was then living in the metro area and read all the reviews). More NYC nostalgia: I used to regularly read that concertonet site, but don't have the fondest memories of correspondent F. Kirschnit.

[pjme]

Requiescat in pace.

And in Schoenbergs Concerto / Luzern/Boulez - audio only.
https://youtu.be/-ldaYW6r9bU?si=Q3mQjEUVK_t4ws4x

[Florestan]

Wait, wait, wait! Pollini has died???

Sadly, yes, he has.

May God rest him in peace.

One of my favorite pianists, especially in Chopin and Schumann.

[brewski]

Requiescat in pace.

And in Schoenbergs Concerto - audio only.
https://youtu.be/-ldaYW6r9bU?si=Q3mQjEUVK_t4ws4x

Thank you for this. His recording of the Bartók with Abbado and Chicago was my introduction to the piece—and to the pianist.

-Bruce

[(poco) Sforzando]

One of my favorite concerts by him, in 1999 at Carnegie Hall, reviewed by Paul Griffiths here.

Schoenberg: 3 Piano Pieces, Op. 11
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier"
Stockhausen: Klavierstück X
Beethoven: Bagatelle in E-flat Major, Op. 126, No. 3
Beethoven: Bagatelle in B Minor, Op. 126, No. 4

-Bruce

I was there too!

[brewski]

I was there too!

It really was a spectacular recital!

-Bruce

[Iota]

This came as very sad news, and a bit of a shock. I saw MP perform a number of times in recital and concerto performances in the 1980s, in London's RFH (where he almost seemed to be a resident pianist for a while!), a glittering Emperor Concerto with Abbado sticks in the memory. I also remember seeing him perform the WTC Book I, and a long-forgotten memory which this announcement today actually dislodged, was that I saw it with a friend who was a concert pianist and a fan of Pollini, but who was bitterly disappointed at the end because he'd used pedal, and it's true Bach and pedal seemed significantly more taboo than it is nowadays.
I was pretty much in awe of Pollini and had great respect for him, he seemed to bestride the piano scene, though I never got completely carried away by his playing. I warmed to him perhaps more as a person (without ever having met him), he offered up his extraordinary talent and playing standards with a kind of shyness and self-effacing involvement in the music, as well as exuding great integrity, that greatly appeals to me still today.

RIP

[(poco) Sforzando]

It really was a spectacular recital!

-Bruce

Certainly was! I know I also heard his Diabellis live, and found them altogether too sober in comparison to Rosen (whom I also heard live towards the end of his life). Pollini's DG Chopin Etudes are considered the gold standard, but I recently acquired (but have not yet listened to) his earlier version on Testament, which some say is even finer.

[Florestan]

Pollini's DG Chopin Etudes are considered the gold standard, but I recently acquired (but have not yet listened to) his earlier version on Testament, which some say is even finer.

I am one of those. 

[ultralinear]

This came as very sad news, and a bit of a shock. I saw MP perform a number of times in recital and concerto performances in the 1980s, in London's RFH (where he almost seemed to be a resident pianist for a while!), a glittering Emperor Concerto with Abbado sticks in the memory. I also remember seeing him perform the WTC Book I, and a long-forgotten memory which this announcement today actually dislodged, was that I saw it with a friend who was a concert pianist and a fan of Pollini, but who was bitterly disappointed at the end because he'd used pedal, and it's true Bach and pedal seemed significantly more taboo than it is nowadays.
I was pretty much in awe of Pollini and had great respect for him, he seemed to bestride the piano scene, though I never got completely carried away by his playing. I warmed to him perhaps more as a person (without ever having met him), he offered up his extraordinary talent and playing standards with a kind of shyness and self-effacing involvement in the music, as well as exuding great integrity, that greatly appeals to me still today.

RIP

+1 to all this.

At one time he used to be here quite a lot - my failing memory wants me to believe that one year he did 5 nights in a row, all different programs - if not on consecutive days then certainly across a short span of time.

My only contact was speaking briefly at the CD signings after each concert.  One year - I think it was an all-Chopin recital - just to be contrary I handed him my copy of his Schoenberg LP to sign:



Which seemed to pique his interest, so I took the opportunity to ask gently if there was any chance of him giving us any of these on a future occasion.  And guess what:  the very next year, the program included the op.11 and op.19 Klavierstücke.  Now I'm not saying this was entirely my doing - though obviously I tell everyone it was - but I do like to think I may have just nudged him slightly towards something he may already have been considering.  Certainly it would have been around this time that I read an interview where he said London was one of the few places he could play Schoenberg to an appreciative audience.

RIP indeed.

[ritter]

A sad day!

Cross-posted from the WAYL2N thread...

Maurizio Pollini in memoriam...



These recordings of Beethoven's PCs No. 3 & No. 4 (and the one of No. 5 which @Todd posted above) were my introductions to these works, and remain the gold standard for me. Somehow, the young Pollini and the venerable elder Karl Böhm were a perfect pairing, producing miraculous result.

I saw Pollini only twice. Once in New York doing the Schoenberg Piano Concerto with the Bostonians under Ozawa (who coincidentally died last month), and later in recital in Caracas in the lat 80s (a all-Chopin programme IIRC).

But many of his recordings are in my collection, and he is one of my pianistic heroes. In a way, with his passing, part of my youth (with its sense awe and discovery) also fades further away...

[DavidW]

His performance with Abbado/VPO of the Brahms second piano concerto is my favorite.

[DavidW]

I think I'll queue this album up for today:

[Iota]

+1 to all this.

At one time he used to be here quite a lot - my failing memory wants me to believe that one year he did 5 nights in a row, all different programs - if not on consecutive days then certainly across a short span of time.

My only contact was speaking briefly at the CD signings after each concert.  One year - I think it was an all-Chopin recital - just to be contrary I handed him my copy of his Schoenberg LP to sign:



Which seemed to pique his interest, so I took the opportunity to ask gently if there was any chance of him giving us any of these on a future occasion.  And guess what:  the very next year, the program included the op.11 and op.19 Klavierstücke.  Now I'm not saying this was entirely my doing - though obviously I tell everyone it was - but I do like to think I may have just nudged him slightly towards something he may already have been considering.  Certainly it would have been around this time that I read an interview where he said London was one of the few places he could play Schoenberg to an appreciative audience.

RIP indeed.

Haha, a brilliant story! And it seems eminently plausible that a comment like yours might give him the necessary boost to chance his arm with some live Stockhausen. And I think there were a number of people around, tired of the wearily supercilious comments of people like Beecham about KS, who were hungry for champions of new music, who would surely make their gratitude felt when he did so. So good on you for doing your bit to speed up the wheels of progress!

[Mandryka]

Italian wikipedia says he played Berio. Is that true.

It also says that Sciarrino's 5th sonata was written for him - is there a recording?