Readers’ Letters

A Zimerman encounter and fingering choices

I very much enjoyed the Krystian Zimerman interview in Pianist 119. I was fortunate to hear him play at Snape Maltings in Suffolk several years ago. He was the consummate professional for the concert performance. In between pieces, he regaled us with tales of his beloved Mercedes, which had broken down on the way to England, and his eye-rolling mentions of certain conductors he had worked with. I was lucky enough to be sitting in the front row where I could see his hands and as the concert drew to a close, he performed one piece from sheet music. But he had not placed the sheets fully on the stand and as he played, they began to slip, before floating down to the floor of the stage and one sheet virtually into my lap! But Mr Zimerman did not panic, he simply turned to the audience with a big grin and said in a stage whisper, ‘big pause’, gathered the pages up and resumed the piece as if nothing had happened.

Having been a Pianist reader since issue 1, I thoroughly enjoy reading inspirational articles like the one above, and trying out the pieces – though not, I fear, to the standard of Krystian Zimerman.

Martyn Griggs, Thirsk, North Yorkshire

What a wonderful story! A surprise CD is on its way to you.