Poland's Krystian Zimerman, widely regarded as one of the finest pianists in the world, created a furor Sunday night in his debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall when he announced this would be his last performance in America because of the nation's military policies overseas.On one level this is sad, as one would hope that an artist of the stature of Zimerman would refrain from preaching his political views, especially to a paying audience. But Leftists don't seem to be able to help it, convinced as they are of the righteousness and truth of their own side and the evil and stupidity of the other.
Before playing the final work on his recital, Karol Szymanowski’s "Variations on a Polish Folk Theme," Zimerman sat silently at the piano for a moment, almost began to play, but then turned to the audience. In a quiet but angry voice that did not project well, he indicated that he could no longer play in a country whose military wants to control the whole world.
“Get your hands off of my country,” he said. He also made reference to the U.S. military detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
About 30 or 40 people in the audience walked out, some shouting obscenities. “Yes,” he answered, “some people when they hear the word military start marching.”
On the other hand, who cares what Zimerman thinks? Playing the piano well doesn't mean that one's political/moral outlook carries any weight. One imagines he believes that he'll be depriving us all of his music, but most of us never attend overpriced classical concerts anyway.
But finally, it's strange that he would say this while the Lightworker is in the White House. People used to announce that they were moving abroad when Bush was elected - never, to my knowledge following up on their pledges - but the world has now been healed, and America has got its mind right.
Update: In 2008 Zimerman announced in an interview (pdf) that he would not play in the U.S. beyond his current schedule, which may or may not have included his current gig. Was he a little short of cash, so that he have to give the Great Satan one more go around before his moral qualms had to be satisfied?
Unlike another country who invaded his native Poland a number of times over the centuries and that 60 years ago made a pact with Germany to divide his country down the middle, murdered tens of thousands in places like Katyn and sat by while Polish patriots tried to kick out the Nazis. On the way to Berlin this nation's army also raped, looted and killed innocent Poles in a vodka-fueled orgy (and other peoples, just ask Milovan Djilas) Then this victorious nation, instead of letting the Poles live in peace, rigged elections, shipped thousands to the lags, executed more innocents and terrorized and trashed the place while ruling it through puppets for the next 50 years.
ReplyDeleteYou know what, good riddance to assholes like him. We've got enough homegrown pricks, thank you very much.
Actually, for an artist to make a statement with a gesture like this is worthwhile, since it is at least something, as opposed to nothing. Most people don't even get noticed in a newspaper item whenever they make whatever kind of statement they can. (Said statement, though, shouldn't be delivered rudely to an invited audience.)
ReplyDeleteI, for one, would applaud Zimerman (whom I've never heard of before) if he made it known that he would henceforth refuse to play in, for instance, Saudi Arabia. Considering his name, the Saudis would probably not let him come there anyway, but it might sting a tiny, tiny bit if he told them he didn't even want to.
A tiny, tiny sting is more than most of us can even hope to deliver.
I was about to add something here, but Anonymous said it all.
ReplyDelete"Get your hands off my country" - say what? How are America's hands on Poland?
ReplyDeleteIf not for America, Soviet hands would still have Poland in their iron grip. A little gratitude is too much to expect, I suppose. On the other hand, who's going to protect Poland if Putin decides to reassemble the Soviet empire? Not Obambi, that's for sure. Have fun dealing with the Bear by yourself, Krystian, because we will NOT have your back.
His action is not only heroic but very effective. I have from good sources that the American Army, deeply shocked by Zimerman's powerful gesture, has given up its secret "World Conquest" plan. They were about to start next Monday at sunrise provoking some incident on the German-Polish border.
ReplyDeleteConsidering his name, the Saudis would probably not let him come there anywayDo you mean 'Krystian' or 'Zimerman'?
ReplyDeleteThough it is unusual for a Jew to have such a...uh...Christian name, he's on a Facebook list of famous Jewish pianists. I'll guess he's an ethnic Jew whose parents or grandparents converted or of mixed background such as Jewish father Catholic mother. If so the two 'Anonymous' comments above might be irrelevant to Zimerman.
Maybe he's still bitter about Yalta. I wouldn't blame him for that.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Poles, in December, I heard the Warsaw Philharmonic at a concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and for the encore, the conductor announced, “this is to celebrate your President Obama” and then they played the Stars and Stripes Forever. I found it so condescending, and they're such a mediocre orchestra. Of course, many in the audience were thrilled to bits. You love us, you really love us.
ReplyDeleteI’ve only heard recorded performances of Zimerman’s, which are certainly pleasant. Before I knew about his political views, I was interested in hearing him at Carnegie Hall, but he always cancelled, so now I guess I'll never see him.
Classical musicians are probably the most outstanding example of people whose playing abilities are hypertrophied while their minds are otherwise vacant, victims of the need to practice fanatically for hours a day while narrowly concentrating.
ReplyDeleteSo while they may be geniuses at interpreting a score, they are often children when trying to understand social, political, and ethical issues.
Mr. Zimerman, your countryman Arthur Rubinstein, who lived during the German and Soviet occupations of Poland (fortunately, while he was in the West) seems to have thought the world of the United States.
Maybe we'll overlook your little tantrum in the unlikely event you acquire some worldly sense. If not, you aren't the only virtuoso pianist around. I don't think you'll be terribly missed.
"Do you mean 'Krystian' or 'Zimerman'?"
ReplyDeleteOuch! I missed his first/Christian name. Nevertheless, I suspect the Saudis would too.
Krystian Zimerman is not Jewish, in fact, he is violently opposed to Israel as behooves to an European leftwing extremist. His opposition to the USA is also well known and his handlers say it has nothing to do with Guantanamo or the US Army's planetary plans or anything such.
ReplyDeleteQuoting the Polish Israeli Blog: "Just a week ago, before an appearance in Seattle, Zimerman expressed frustration about the hassle and expense of touring the U.S. with his piano. Shortly after Sept. 11, his instrument was confiscated at JFK Airport when he landed in New York to give a recital at Carnegie Hall. Thinking the glue smelled funny, the Transportation Security Administration decided to take no chances and destroyed the piano. Since then he has shipped his pianos in parts, which he reassembles by hand after he lands. To get from city to city within the U.S., he hires a driver to take the shell of the piano, and he drives another car that holds the precious custom-designed keys and hammers."
J,
ReplyDeleteYes, but I have it on good authority — cup your ear, this isn't for everybody to know — that what really wound Mr. Zimerman up was when a U.S. customs official demanded that he open the case of Chinese silkwood, clad in embossed silver, that he carries fastened to his wrist by a chain when he travels on tour.
Despite Zimerman's quick call to the duty officer at the International Court at The Hague, the customs wallah was adamant. So Mr. Zimerman, under protest, called in his lackey to produce the Baroque key.
Thus, when the case was opened, agents of the U.S. imperialist government were able to unwrap the Baffin Island sealskin covering and — would you beleive it? — remove for examination the tuning fork, designed by the famous Karl Heiligmann of Himmelstadt (1718–1798), which had been in Zimerman's family since the Second Partition.
"If I play so much as a wrong hemidemisemiquaver in my next concert, I'll sue you and defect to Pakistan," Zimerman fumed.
Regarding his name, "Zimerman" isn't necessarily Jewish but German, and there must be lots of people in Poland with German names, just as there are in Russia. As for his first name, is anyone Jewish ever named that? I don't know, but it seems unlikely.
ReplyDeleteAs for his first name, is anyone Jewish ever named that? I don't know, but it seems unlikely.It is indeed unlikely, as I said earlier. But is it just as unlikely for a Jewish family that has converted to Christianity to give a child that name? Given how anti-Semitic Jews think Poles are I think it is possible.
ReplyDeleteRick,
ReplyDeleteActually Zimerman said "hemidemisemi Achtelnote".
"If not for America, Soviet hands would still have Poland in their iron grip. A little gratitude is too much to expect, I suppose."
ReplyDeleteOf course, if it weren't for the United States State Department, there wouldn't have been a Soviet Union in the first place. Let's not break our arms patting ourselves on the back over all the good the American government has done for Poland.
-Steve Johnson
why you people are so dumb?
ReplyDeletehe talking about cia torture prison
and missile shields in Poland.
we don`t want IIIWW in Poland
"all the good the American government has done for Poland"
"If not for America, Soviet hands would still have Poland in their iron grip."
what good?
some money (like many other European countries) to the "Solidarność" organization
and what else ?
"On the other hand, who's going to protect Poland if Putin decides to reassemble the Soviet empire?"
lol,
1.Russia is bankrupt,
2.Russia cannot afford to fight.
3. Poland is in the European Union and NATO.
4. Russia won't use nukes, radioactive cloud would have spread on the rest of the Europe forcing the EU to declare war on Russia.
"he talking about cia torture prison
ReplyDeleteand missile shields in Poland.
"
Then why didn't he just say so? And the "cia torture prison" (and by Allah, I wish it was a real torture prison, I really, really do) is there at the pleasure of the Polish gov't. The Polish gov't tell the CIA to get lost at anytime. And the last time I checked, the Obama administration has made no committment to the missile shield (that may have changed) because those clowns got rolled by Putin/Medvedev.
"lol,
1.Russia is bankrupt,
2.Russia cannot afford to fight.
3. Poland is in the European Union and NATO.
4. Russia won't use nukes, radioactive cloud would have spread on the rest of the Europe forcing the EU to declare war on Russia.
"
Russia has just increased their military spending, all bankrupt and unable to afford fighting that they are.
And yes, bankrupt nations that can't afford wars never, ever get into them, it is simply unheard of! I can't think of a time when it has ever happened and countries have been having wars for like, forever or something.
Please note, NATO exists in name only. The US can't even get NATO allies to contribute more than a few German truck drivers to serve in Afghanistan truck. This is certainly not missed by Moscow.
You memory stinks. I remember it when the Russians tried to crush the revolt in Hungary in 1956. A multinational force of Europeans defeated the Red Army in the Battle of Budapest, thus freeing Hungary from the Iron Curtain. Listen, ain't nobody gonna declare war on Russia if they fuck with Poland(or just about anyone else). France/Germany/England.etc...will sit by and watch as Russian troops do whatever they want because they are terrified of Russia and are weak. Sad, but true. No wonder why Georgia was/is untouchable! You'll never see Russian troops within miles of the place...
Never heard of him. But he's entitled to his opinion, although as you say he showed the usual smug boorishness rather typical of his ilk.
ReplyDelete