Maurizio Pollini, a pianist who led the world of classical music from the latter half of the 20th century to the present, passed away on March 23 at the age of 82. No one would disagree that Pollini was one of the greatest pianists of our time. Pollini was born in Milan, Italy, in 1942 and won the International Chopin Piano Competition in 1960. It has already become a legend that Arthur Rubinstein, the chairman of the jury at the time, praised Pollini, saying, “Is there anyone on the jury here today who can play better than him?” However, Pollini did not immediately begin his career on the international stage. Pollini knew his immaturity in musical expression better than anyone else. He turned down requests from all over the world to perform at concerts and studied further, and it was not until 1968 that he began touring internationally. In 1971, finally, he signed a contract with Grammophon Records. He began to engage in recording activities actively. Among the albums Maurizio Pollini left behind during his lifetime, I have selected three that left an excellent personal impression.
#250 Sharpened Sensitivity and Concentration Shown in Stravinsky’s Piano Music
Stravinsky: Three Movements from Petrushka, Prokofiev: Sonata No. 7, etc.
(Universal Music UCCG-53038)
For me, Maurizio Pollini suddenly appeared in front of my eyes with his innovative piano touch. The Pollini experience was so vivid! This was the first album released by Grammophon Records. Above all, I was impressed with the sharpness of the chords at the beginning of the piece! Without leaving any time for the listener to be surprised, Pollini performs the kaleidoscopic changes in Stravinsky’s unique intrinsic rhythms with a keenly honed sensibility and tremendous concentration.
As the title suggests, this piece is based on the ballet music “Petrushka” written by Stravinsky in 1911, and the composer himself arranged three themes from “Petrushka” for piano, whose stage was set in a puppet theater in Petersburg Square during the carnival season. The orchestral and piano arrangements are so different from each other that they can be practically called recomposition. Consisting of ＜Russian Dance,＞ ＜Petrushka’s Cell,＞ and ＜The Shrove-tide Fair,＞ Stravinsky’s score accomplishes complex dynamism and precision. There is no doubt that this piece requires a high level of technique, and Pollini perfectly expresses it with superb technique and blazing vitality. The original recording was coupled with Prokofiev's Piano Sonata, and then a CD with Webern’s Variations and Boulez’s Second Sonata was also released, which shows the depth of Pollini’s knowledge of contemporary works.
#251 Stately Pollini’s Unwavering Pianism
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4&5 “Emperor”
(Universal Music UCCG-4620)
Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 has the majestic dignity of its title “Emperor.” When this concerto was written, Beethoven was still in his late 30s. It was also a time of great creative vigor for him, when he composed symphonies such as the famous Symphony No 5 “Schicksal” and No.6 “Pastorale.” The “Emperor” is a magnificent work in which the pianist dynamically handles the piano, converses with the orchestra on an equal footing, and fuses them together. Pollini delivers it with a great sense of scale and unshakable dignity.
It was recorded in 1978 with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karl Boehm. The emotional expression of ＜No. 4,＞ which was recorded two years earlier, is also superb. Grammophon has a re-recording by Pollini with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado in the early 90s. Still, I am more attached to the Vienna Philharmonic’s performance, which has a softer sound.
#252 World of Solitary Chopin Depicted by Pollini
Chopin: Polonaise-Fantaisie, Barcarolle – Chopin Late Works
(Universal Music UCCG-1753)
During his lifetime, Pollini recorded many Chopin albums, beginning with “12 Etudes,” “Preludes,” “Piano Sonata,” “Polonaise,” “Scherzo,” “Ballade,” “Nocturne,” “Mazurka,” etc. The album “Late Works” was recorded between 2015 and 2016 and features only Chopin’s works from his later years. Even though people say “later years,” Chopin died at 39, so it was a time when his works were reaching a further stage of maturity. Chopin’s works, which were created amid a difficult period of his life, including the breakup with his girlfriend and the deterioration of his health, showed more depth of his delicate harmonies and detailed construction of his works.
Pollini, approaching his mid-70s in terms of age, had a dignified, yet somewhat deep, expression that beautifully portrayed Chopin’s emotions. How did Pollini, who had reached the peak of his maturity, feel about playing only Chopin’s works from this period? The ＜Barcarolle＞ and ＜Polonaise-Fantaisie＞ are regarded as masterpieces. Chopin’s ＜3 Valses,＞ including No. 6, known as the “Minute Waltz,” up to the ＜Mazurka No. 19,＞ which is considered to be his last piece, the world of solitary Chopin that Pollini has arrived at is here.
About the Author
Masamichi Okazaki
Surrounded by various kinds of music from his childhood, Masamichi Okazaki joined Waseda University Modern Jazz Club. He started contributing articles to music magazines when he was a student. He covers wide range of music not only trad, modern and contemporary jazz, but also from pops to classics. He writes liner notes for CDs and LPs, and is a regular contributor to “JAZZ JAPAN,” “STEREO,” and others. He joined a big band, “Shiny Stockings,” as a saxophone player. He is a director of The Music Pen Club Japan (MPCJ).
