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Maurizio Pollini

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Maurizio Pollini at eighty: an unforgettable London recital

Schumann – Arabesque Op.18; Fantaisie in C major, Op.17

Chopin – Sonata No.2 in B-flat minor, Op.35; Berceuse in D-flat major, Op.57; Polonaise in A-flat major, Op.53

No one who heard this concert will forget it. Not because it was billed as Maurizio Pollini’s eightieth birthday concert (a stretch, given his birthday had fallen two months earlier), although the warmth of audience affection, give or take a telephone call or two, was palpable from the outset. It was, rather, on account of the Chopin Second Sonata. The advertised Mazurka, Op.56 No.3, did not open the second half; the Sonata did. Its first movement was vehement, immediate, perhaps the result of greater physical effort than once would have been the case, yet if anything all the more moving for it. How it sang too, not so much tugging at the heartstrings as wrenching them. Sentiment, not sentimentality. The exposition’s struggle was greater the second time around. Already, we knew. A grimly inexorable scherzo gave way to relative relief in the trio, though we knew it would not last. While it did, though, we were bade to listen anew: something needed now more than ever.

The Funeral March was, quite simply, overwhelming. Chopin and Pollini spoke as one, with outstanding clarity, directly to humanity. Sometimes there is a case for words; Pollini has been known to use them from the platform himself, less often than his well-nigh exact contemporary, Daniel Barenboim, yet with similar moral authority. Here, there was no such case. The voice of the human spirit in the central nocturne, a veritable epiphany, rose as if a single survivor from surrounding carnage. It was far from untroubled, and all the greater for it. Nor did time stand still; rather it held us in its sweet embrace, having us believe the movement were on the scale of Mahler’s Sixth Symphony, or even that of Götterdämmerung , whose Siegfried had been buried only the night before at Madrid’s Teatro Real, draped in a Ukrainian flag. The ferocious, inhuman finale, quite without pity, terrified as the chill wind whose name and nature we dare not contemplate. In both movements, we knew. Applause was like none other I can recall in the middle of a recital. We knew.

The recital began with Schumann. His C major Arabeske had Bach as fons et origo , immanent, yet subtly inflected, aiding and propelling Schumann’s narrative. The dignity, moral and aesthetic, on which Pollini’s authority is founded was present from the outset. Again, sentiment, not sentimentality, the pathos of the minor-key episodes deeply moving. Half-lights of transition tended already towards Brahms.

The Fantaisie opened, still more so, in the midst of things. If a whirlwind could be ardent and confessional, it would have been this. Again, emotional and intellectual integrity stood out. Starkness of opposition and alchemy of transition emerged not through sleight of hand, but through understanding that much lies between the notes. Formal challenges, especially yet not only in the first movement, were communicated and lived with relish, not smoothed over. This was a performance of possibilities, not of banal ‘solution’. Already, music spoke and sang as if it had words yet stood beyond them. There was an unmistakeably humanist, even heroic determination to the late Beethovenian line of a second movement that knew it could no longer be Beethoven. It was our lot as well as Schumann’s. It was, moreover, an almost Elgarian nobilmente we heard prior to temporary subsiding of the waves. If every single note were not there, so what? So much lies between and beyond them anyway. The third movement looked back at what had passed; this was the vindication of a seer (or better, a listener). Its emotional arc, founded on perfect harmonic understanding, offered a lesson in humanism as richly satisfying as those of Brahms or Schoenberg.

An impossibly consoling Berceuse followed Chopin’s Sonata. Rock solid of rhythm, it was yet infinitely pliable. Through the truest of rubato , as Chopin’s glistening waters delighted, even seduced. From an A-flat Polonaise of (fatally?) wounded swagger, there emerged a struggle worthy of Beethoven or Liszt, the foe mechanised and monstrous, heroism lying in further nocturnal depths. We knew, as we did in the cruelly if necessarily demanded encore: the G minor Ballade, its clarity of line equal to that of its moral purpose. Carrara marble of Pollini’s youth aurally gleamed once more, yet the depth of suffering was new, of our time alone. Strange realms were visited as if for the first time. In whispered confidence, in aching sorrow, in the proudest of defiance, we knew.

1 thought on “Maurizio Pollini at eighty: an unforgettable London recital”

Am listening to an Audio performance of Maurizio Pollini performing Schumann and Chopin at the London Festival Hall on 01.03.2022 in celebration of his recent Eightieth Birthday. What a heroic performance!

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Maurizio Pollini at Royal Festival Hall.

Jun 24, 2023 | Concert Reviews , Guest Contributors | 18 comments

Friday, June 23, 2023

Southbank Centre, London – Royal Festival Hall

Guest Reviewer, Peter Reed

Maurizio Pollini was back in London – following a year of ill-health and cancellations. His programme was of familiar repertoire, and there was a large audience to welcome the eighty-one-year-old, one of the very great pianists who still plays a huge role in forming the taste of three generations of music-lovers – particularly Chopin, Debussy, Schubert and Schumann. Playing his Fabbrini Steinway, with its lovely, ambiguous lower register, he opened with Schumann’s Arabeske , with Pollini’s direct line into the music’s face-off between sweet romance and pensive anxiety: that rare gift of reflecting content back to listeners in a way that flatters us and deepens our perceptions seemed undimmed.

Then things went badly awry. He just couldn’t find his way into Schumann’s Fantasie , and after two attempts he went off-stage to get his score. There followed a muddle with a technician trying to fix up the piano’s copy holder, with Pollini then trying to keep the show on the road, but fumbled page-turns, losing his way, long silences, going off-stage again, applause in the wrong places, all took their toll. And inevitably the vital, secure link between performer and audience was broken. Spectators were supportive and affectionate, but you wondered how he would recover.

There was a page-turner for the second half, yet there was something too dogged and unyielding about the way Pollini negotiated the technical demands and big gestures of Scherzo No.1. Growth, attack, tone and definition stayed stubbornly at the same level, and the way Chopin transfigures the progress of the Barcarolle from a brief journey in a gondola into an emblem of life’s passage struggled to register. Clouds of pedal and missed notes didn’t help. The short recital ended around nine o’clock, and despite a rapturous reception and heartfelt standing ovation, there were no encores. I was standing near the stage when Pollini emerged through the door and briefly stood there for his fourth curtain call. He looked like a ghost.

Arabeske in C, Op.18; Fantasie in C, Op.17

Mazurka in C-minor, Op.56/3; Barcarolle in F-sharp, Op.60; Scherzo No.1 in B-minor, Op.20

Maurizio Pollini was unable to play his Salzburg Festival Beethoven recital yesterday due to heart problems. He is in hospital. Wishing him well.

This review will also appear on The Classical Source

18 Comments

This sounds like a catastrophe and I am sorry to read this account of a great pianist struggling with what? Loss of memory? Loss of confidence? Hard to tell really.

I also was at the recital. It was a disaster from the beginning to the end

Is Mrs Waterhouse a famous unknown pianist? She seems to be a very strict critic, with no will to respect one of the great performers in recent memory. Now, that is sad!

Is John Ress a superior critic to which we should bow and cede any form of self-review?

Respect is earned, and he did not earn any with this performance. He was a great, but he needs to retire. And you need to know your place.

You could at least have got his surname right!

I was there too – an extraordinarily compassionate audience who applauded despite the disastrous performance. A farewell homage perhaps to a pianist who was great, but who now needs protection.

Yes I was at the recital in the front stalls. I had not attended a Pollini recital since 2019 since before the first lockdown, and I am now 87 years old. I always enjoyed his performances, evidenced over the years with the hall being packed full. I felt very sorry for Pollini as things seemed to go wrong after a few bars of the Schumann Fantasie, when it seemed he had lost his memory, he tried to play again,but then stopped a second time, after which he walked off, and returned with a bundle of papers, the score. He seemed to recover his playing a little, and I enjoyed as always the wonder phrase the motif of the piece. He came on in the second half with the music for the 3 Chopin pieces, with someone to turn over the pages. As already mentioned. I felt very sorry for him; he surely must have felt dreadful, poor man. I was willing him to succeed as best he could. He looked like a much older man, quite frail. A sad day, but I was pleased that I was there. His swan song?

I was there and have attended many of Pollini’s recitals since the 1980s. All was well to begin with, but it seemed he was overcome by the warmth of applause as he came back after playing the first piece – and as I think he had played Schoenberg in Geneva a few days before, he seemed to start something that was certainly more Schoenberg than Schumann. The attempt to work from the score and with out a page turner was clearly not planned and give a workshop performance. The second and third movements were a bit better, and the second half, with a page turner, went a lot better, although why at 81 one would programme the Chopin op 20 is a mystery. Like most in the audience I felt sorrow and concern and so hope Pollini is able to recover and retire in good spirits. We have so much to thank him for.

I have fond memories of hearing Pollini play many times at the Festival Hall, amongst the most outstanding, a performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring about fifteen years ago. It was stupendous: a physical and musical tour de force. I had a premonition that things wouldn’t go well following the long postponement of his scheduled, concert, and as we know they didn’t. Sadly it is no longer springtime for Maurizio, with hindsight it would have been far better if he had played with music and a page turner. A night to forget.

Peter Reed must be thanked complimented for reporting the occasion so sensitively. “I was standing near the stage when Pollini emerged through the door and briefly stood there for his fourth curtain call. He looked like a ghost.” Sad beyond words.

I attended this recital. Pollini played with great musicality and his playing produced the most magical sound.

A page turner should have been arranged before the concert with the score intact in case of any difficulty. However, Pollini played the Schumann Arabesque beautifully from memory. The Schumann Fantasie is never an easy work for any pianist and Pollini was able to play all the technical difficulties like the notorious leaps in the second movement.

His Chopin performances were magical and his playing of the First Scherzo reminded me of Horowitz who also played the work in his eighties. Pollini is still the greatest Chopin pianist.

Perhaps if he needs a page turner in future performances, his son Daniele ( who is a brilliant pianist) could do this and then join his father in a duet performance. They have recorded Debussy En blanc et noir together. Two Pollinis in one concert.

‘He looked like a ghost’.

How prophetic.

What have you, Peter Reed, done musicaly, that compares with a music career like the pianist? 10% of that? How easy is to talk badly safely seated at home

Were you in the hall Fernando? I was and Mr Reed’s review is a perfect write up of what happened and what I heard on this unfortunate evening.

Reed’s account is accurate, and I too was there, witnessing that almost tragic recital. “Arabeske” was not bad, but “Fantasie” proved to be a heart-wrenching nightmare for the audience (and the pianist, too, I guess). One could easily feel his struggle, desperation, and helplessness, particularly when he had to pause for seconds to find the right page from a disordered pile of sheets (which, in my opinion, could have been avoided to prevent further exacerbation of the already terrible scene).

I’m not a big fan of Pollini, it was genuinely poignant to see a frail elderly person, if not one of the greatest pianists, trapped in such an undignified situation for over an hour. The lasting ovation delivered a clear message of consolation and gratitude from the audience, although I doubt it alleviated the pianist’s own state of mind. No blame, just an overwhelming sense of sadness.

I attended this concert. In truth a rather sad occasion. And I agree with most of the other comments here. For this was not the Pollini of old. I’ve seen a fair few of his recitals at the festival hall though not in recent years. I remember one in particular where he played the op 28 Chopin Preludes, which was simply awesome, truly magisterial. Had he had a page turner from the start last Friday would have been a different occasion than it turned out. But I imagine the disaster of the first half set the scene for a somewhat rushed second half. I felt he just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible and who can blame him. The brilliance and technique of old brought back to earth by age and frailty perhaps. He remains one of the greats in my view.

Manage to find a video of this concert on IG

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct2VquILDMn

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Maurizio Pollini published the most famous album 'Chopin:Piano Concerto No.1/Nocturnes etc' which features some of the most listened to work from the Maurizio Pollini catalog. 'Chopin:Piano Concerto No.1/Nocturnes etc' has proven to be the most recognized album for music lovers to see during the shows. A few of Maurizio Pollini's most beloved tour albums and songs are found below. After publishing 'Chopin:Piano Concerto No.1/Nocturnes etc' and making a massive effect in the industry, fans still unite to watch Maurizio Pollini appear live to perform songs from the complete catalog.

Maurizio Pollini Tour Albums and Songs

Maurizio Pollini: Chopin:Piano Concerto No.1/Nocturnes etc

Maurizio Pollini: Chopin: Nocturnes

Maurizio Pollini: Chopin

• 12 Etudes, Op.25 - N...
• Waltz No.2 In A Flat...
• Waltz No.3 in A mino...
• Waltz No.4 in F, Op....
• Ballade No.4 In F Mi...
• Polonaise No.5 In F ...
• Polonaise No.6 In A ...
• Polonaise No.7 In A ...
• Scherzo No.2 In B Fl...

Maurizio Pollini: Stravinsky: Three Dances from Petruschka'/ Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No.7 / Webern: Piano Variations

• Three movements 'Pet...
• Stravinsky: Three mo...
• Piano Sonata No.7 in...
• Variations for Piano...
• Piano Variations, Op...
• Piano Sonata No.2: 1...
• Piano Sonata No.2: 2...
• Piano Sonata No.2: 3...

Maurizio Pollini: Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas

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Maurizio Pollini

Maurizio Pollini’s performances with Claudio Abbado are legendary. Since 1970, the pianist has been a regular guest of the Berliner Philharmoniker, with whom he has performed all the great concertos of the piano repertoire: Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, Bartók, Schoenberg – and invariably Mozart.

Pollini’s career is impressive: born into an artistic family in Milan in 1942, he studied piano, composition and conducting at the conservatory in his hometown. After early competition successes in Geneva and Seregno, he then won first prize at the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1960 at the age of 18 and made his debut as the soloist in Chopin’s First Piano Concerto in a concert conducted by Sergiu Celibidache at La Scala in Milan. Despite further successes, Pollini continued his studies as a master student of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli before an illustrious career took him to the most prestigious international concert halls. Chopin remained a major focus of his repertoire, in which the works of Bach, Beethoven, Schumann and Debussy also occupy prominent positions. In 1993 and 1994 he performed the complete Beethoven sonatas for the first time in Berlin and Munich and later repeated the cycle in other cities. Maurizio Pollini has also dedicated himself to contemporary music. Maurizio Pollini has been awarded the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, the Premio Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and the Royal Philharmonic Society Award, among others. Maurizio Pollini died in Milan on 23 March 2024.

Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Maurizio Pollini and Christian Thielemann

Christian Thielemann and Maurizio Pollini with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21

Claudio Abbado, Maurizio Pollini and Anna Prohaska

Claudio Abbado conducts Beethoven and Mendelssohn

Claudio Abbado, Maurizio Pollini and Anna Prohaska on old and new musical friendships

Mourning Maurizio Pollini

The Berliner Philharmoniker mourn the loss of Maurizio Pollini, who was one of the orchestra’s closest musical partners for decades. Since his debut in 1970, he appeared in almost every season as soloist performing concertos including, amongst others, those by Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms and Bartók, and later with solo recitals dedicated primarily to the works of Frédéric Chopin. The collaboration intensified from 1990, when Claudio Abbado, a close personal and artistic friend of Maurizio Pollini, became chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker. The special bond between conductor, pianist and orchestra was expressed not least by joint tours including those to Italy, France and the USA, as well as several award-winning recordings.

Eva-Maria Tomasi, violinist and member of the orchestra’s board: “Maurizio Pollini was one of the great pianists of our time. He had an individual tone that combined extraordinary clarity with deep feeling. In person, we experienced Maurizio Pollini as a noble character for whom music was above all else. We are particularly grateful that we were able to share in the unique artistic friendship between Maurizio Pollini and Claudio Abbado over the years. We will never forget this wonderful musician and person. Our thoughts are with his loved ones.”

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(Notice: 25/03/2024). Maestro Maurizio Pollini left us last Saturday, March 23 after the illness that forced him to cancel his concert at the Palau de la Música Catalana. At Ibercamera we are saddened not only by the loss of one of the greatest artists in history but also of a great friend. Rest in peace, master. We ask people who have purchased tickets for the April 25 concert to contact Ibercamera on 93 317 90 50 or via email: [email protected] For the return of tickets purchased at the Palau de la Música Catalana Box Office, please contact us on 93 295 72 07 or via email at [email protected]

(Notice 02/27/2024). Maestro Maurizio Pollini is recovering from a severe respiratory condition. As a precautionary measure, doctors have prohibited him from carrying out any activity until the end of June, a fact that forces him to cancel his concert on April 25, 2024 . We ask people who have purchased tickets for this concert to contact with Ibercamera by calling 93 317 90 50 or by email: [email protected]

To return tickets purchased at the Palau de la Música Catalana Box Office, please contact us by phone at 93 295 72 07 or by email at [email protected]

Maurizio Pollini , piano

J. S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue no. 6, Book II of The Well-Tempered Clavier R. Schumann: Sonata, op. 11 F. Chopin: Sonata, op. 35

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• 25 April 2024 Thursday 20:00 h Concert Hall Cancelled

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The Late Sonatas: Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101 Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106 "Hammerklavier"

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Friday 17 March 2023

Maurizio Pollini

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Belvedere Road SE1 8XX London, UK 0844 875 0073 www.southbankcentre.co.uk

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Here are the most recent UK tour dates we had listed for Maurizio Pollini. Were you there?

• Fri 23 Jun London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Fri 17 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Tue 1 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Tue 12 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Tue 13 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Tue 14 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini

February 2017

• Tue 21 Feb London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini

February 2016

• Tue 23 Feb London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Tue 17 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Wed 2 Apr London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini

February 2014

• Tue 18 Feb London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Tue 6 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Wed 25 May London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Fri 29 Apr London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini

February 2011

• Sat 26 Feb London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Tue 15 Feb London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini

January 2011

• Fri 28 Jan London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Sun 20 Jun London, Barbican Centre London Symphony Orchestra, Maurizio Pollini
• Mon 1 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini
• Wed 4 Mar London, Royal Festival Hall Maurizio Pollini

Acclaimed Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini dies at age 82

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Fortas Chamber Music Concerts Maurizio Pollini in recital (Canceled)

Concert Hall

Extraordinary Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini returns to the Concert Hall with a program celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday.

Sun. May 10, 2020

Sun. May 10, 2020 2p.m.

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Chamber Music

Price Range

$29.00 – $89.00

This event has been canceled.

W e have canceled most previously announced performances and events through the end of 2020, with some planned programs moving to spring 2021 and beyond. 

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After a popular performance during the 2016–2017 Fortas season, extraordinary Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini returns to the Concert Hall with a program celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday. The Grammy® winner and  Gramophone  Hall of Fame inductee shines as a legendary artist and “one of the most impressive pianists of any generation” ( Los Angeles Times ). Celebrated for his exquisite performances of classic repertoire, he plays with penetrating intellect and virtuosity while respecting the composer’s intentions—the perfect spirit for playing Beethoven. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN 11 Bagatelles, Op. 119 Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110 Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 A Note from Joseph “Yossi” Kalichstein, Artistic Director of Fortas Chamber Music “Beware of excessive superlatives,” or so goes the conventional wisdom. But sometimes you have no choice....we are happy to have back with us a great pianist playing the greatest music! Even when you consider all of Beethoven’s outstanding creations, the last piano sonatas occupy a rarified field. The deep emotion of the opus 110 Adagio, the monumental first movement of opus 111, and the out-of-this-world-ness of the variations that follow, all leave one speechless. And, surprising as always, at the same time he wrote these larger-than-life masterworks, he also composed two sets of incredibly inspired miniatures (dubbed, modestly, Bagatelles), foreshadowing the Romantic era signature Klavierstucke. These works are minute in scope and length, yet have the same depth, character, and inventiveness that their larger relatives do.

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Reviews: Pollini has a nightmare in London

norman lebrecht

June 24, 2023

We are hearing from several readers that Maurizio Pollini’s recital at the Royal Festival hall fell far short of his immaculate standards expectations. Here’s one acute observer:

The first piece on Pollini’s programme, the Schumann Arabesque, was played beautifully from memory but next, rather than the advertised Schumann Fantasie, he started to play (I think) the Chopin Mazurka which should have been in the second half.

He seemed to lose his way quickly (or possibly remember he was playing the wrong piece) and suddenly stopped and went off stage for a few minutes. He came back on with a score for the Schumann Fantasie and started playing but kept flicking, seemingly at random, through the pages as he was playing. Some of the pages were loose and kept falling down, so he got in a real muddle, often pausing and completely ruining any sense of flow in the music.

After the first part of the Fantasie he went off to get the score for the rest and carried on playing. He still had trouble turning the pages but the performance seemed to settle at little towards the end of the piece, though it was still very uncomfortable to watch.

For the second half of the concert a page turner was present and the playing was much more like what we have experienced with him in recent years; certainly some beautiful playing but also many smudged notes and muddled passages. Of course he got a huge standing ovation but unusually (though not surprisingly) no encores were offered. It’s sad to see a great artist in such an undignified and shambolic state for part of the recital and I guess the experience may well have rattled him too. Will we will ever see Maurizio Pollini in London again?

UPDATE: Here’s another account from Tim Parry on his Facebook page:

…  things went badly awry. He just couldn’t find his way into Schumann’s Fantasie, and after two attempts he went off-stage to get his score. There followed a muddle with a technician trying to fix up the piano’s copy holder, with Pollini then trying to keep the show on the road, but fumbled page-turns, losing his way, long silences, going off-stage again, applause in the wrong places, all took their toll. And inevitably the vital, secure link between performer and audience was broken. Spectators were supportive and affectionate, but you wondered how he would recover.

There was a page-turner for the second half, yet there was something too dogged and unyielding about the way Pollini negotiated the technical demands and big gestures of Scherzo No.1. Growth, attack, tone and definition stayed stubbornly at the same level, and the way Chopin transfigures the progress of the Barcarolle from a brief journey in a gondola into an emblem of life’s passage struggled to register. Clouds of pedal and missed notes didn’t help. The short recital ended around nine o’clock, and despite a rapturous reception and heartfelt standing ovation, there were no encores. I was standing near the stage when Pollini emerged through the door and briefly stood there for his fourth curtain call. He looked like a ghost.

4 years ago. I have seen him in a fantastic concert has usual for Chopin. At the end he signed me an autograph but he was tired. But after that I said to myself that I didn’t want to seee him one more time in concert because I wanted to keep the best image of him and I didn’t want to be disappointed. Maybe I was wright. When you like an artist it’s better sometimes to be the first to say goodbye.

I saw him in Vienna 12 years ago and thought the same thing about him then!!

I was at the concert as well and agree with Mr Parry’s observations completely. Pollini is a great pianist and a hero since I was 11 years old, but this was one of the most upsetting concerts I have ever seen, not in a critical sense but as a supportive audience member. After a reasonable Arabesque, he launched into ‘Schumann, but not as we know it Scotty’ desperate ramble . I was worried he had had a sudden brain haemorrhage. He finished with some improvisatory panache and walked off. I did not expect to see him again. But he kept going and we all willed him on ( but where were the stage assistants? Surely someone would have come on to assist with the pages he was struggling with? I was not in a seat that would let me do this, otherwise I would have walked on stage to assist). I have not much to add to Mr Parry’s comments but I sadly expect that may be the last time any concert stage sees this great musician. This concert in no way diminishes his legacy, intelligence and thought and we left the concert with admiration for the way he was determined to finish the concert.

Hurts to read this……a great hero of modern-day pianism…. Like many politicians, some don’t know when to quit. And they keep getting elected- or given standing ovations…..

This is an accurate account of a poignant occasion, but I beg to differ with the last sentence. The ovation did not make matters worse. It was a tribute to a great artist, whose artistry we shall not see again.

We felt the same and suspect many others did, too. It was a comfort to us and hopefully also the troubled Pollini.

We were there and Tim’s account is spot on. I stood and applauded at the end because this was the curtain closing on a genius; I applauded the man, not this performance. We won’t see him again in London I think.

Yes, we applauded the man. At football matches, when a great player is seriously injured and carried off on a stretcher, the crowd applauds. It’s not phoney. We feel for the player’s suffering and for the sense of tragedy. We applaud past performances if not this one. We recognise greatness.

‪I was there… The programme is basically same as last year’s festival hall recital.

First Schumann is fine, for me even better than last year.

Second one it’s a nightmare, it’s not like something you forgot in the middle of it. The very beginning is a improvise…Then he when back to take some scores. Starting right away Not even waiting staff adjustment the music stand on piano. And then he couldn’t find the right score while turning pages. I even covered my face with hands because I was afraid to watch this scene. It’s just too poignant.

It was absolutely horrifying but with sadness. Everyone was so shocking. It was a very complex feeling to witness something like this. He is never my favourite, but see a great figure like him into this circumstance… Wish him very well.

Perhaps he doesn’t have people close enough to him to whisper, “it’s time, Maestro”.

That’s probably the case, but why was he hired?

I saw him 5 years ago and he was not playing very well, I felt sorry for him back then.

Pollini is the last artist I would expect to play beyond his diminished capabilities. His agent/handlers are doing him a disservice by allowing him continue to perform.

“Handlers”? He’s not a dog!!

Yes, same here. Saw him 4 times in recital the second half of the ’80s. At his peak – ’70 to mid ’90s – he gave absolutely secure performances of the knottiest works in the repertoire. And DG’s engineers usually failed to capture the beauty of his tone. Wishing Maestro Pollini a happy retirement.

How desperately sad!

For many great musicians, a time arrives when performances yield to personal appearances. I once heard Yehudi Menuhin play an approximation of the Beethoven violin concerto — and I still was glad we were there.

Among the recordings of Maurizio Pollini that I most enjoy are his youthful account of Chopin’s 1st concerto (EMI w/ Kletzki) and a mature solo disc of Stravinsky and Prokofieff (DG). If in his present condition Pollini came here to Washington DC, I would buy a ticket.

Hopefully, this was a single aberration.

I saw Herbert Blomstedt (soon to be 96) conduct a few months ago and he was definitely on his game.

Surely so, but conductor‘s also do not directly produce sound. Pianists do. Conductors can in rehearsals to a degree prepare othersto deliver their performance. Instrumentalists can‘t do that. They always have to deliverit all by themselves.

And not everyone ages at the same rate. Blomstedt seems, based upon seeing him in Cleveland last year, to still be very actively engaged in the music-making. Nothing remotely like what is described here.

It is a shame that I cannot see a single one of the New Generation ever developing the musicality of Pollini, even towards the beginning of his career. Notably, the critics on here and those referring to him as ‘undignified’ will probably struggle to hold in their own piss aged 81 instead of playing some sublime Schumann and Chopin in recital at Festival Hall.

Were you even there?

Surely it’s undignified to be unable to play the piece that you are supposed to be playing or even remember what piece you are supposed to be playing.

As Tim Parry rightly says, he should never have played this concert.

I have never been a fan of his often harsh and clangerous forte attacks….But the last recital i saw him play in 2021 was already a painful experience.Why does he expose himself to such an ordeal?

Interesting comments below Trumpet- about pianists playing wonderfully into old age- I agree with those you named. However I would take issue with your assessment of Pollini as a ‘clangorous’ pianist, perhaps the time you heard him. Have you ever heard his Chopin Berceuse for instance? Playing of the utmost delicacy & sensitivity- nothing ‘painful’ about that- more pure pianistic magic of the highest order.

Iam sure these critics are in good health. They do not know what poor health is like. It may happen to them one day.

I was there and would like to give a less negative and condescending account of some of the comments and references made in this article. While he clearly had a memory lapse at the start of the Fantasie and the page-turning sometimes interrupted continuity of the first movement in particular, every note glistened as it always does with Pollini. He clearly tried to avoid having the score and didn’t do a Pogorelić with his head glued into it for the entire recital.

Through the entire recital, I heard delicate and sensitive phrasing, astonishing colours, well-approached climaxes and had goosebumps and my breath taken away, especially during the Fantasie and Barcarolle. I don’t know what recital Norman and Tim were at. Close your eyes and realise that these moments are what makes music special, not least by one of the greats who still has it and clearly still adores sharing with us. Rubinstein’s words at the 1960 Chopin competition still hold true – Pollini can STILL play the piano better than any of us!

I agree with you. The strange thing is that even the first movement of Schumann Fantasie was basically broken, I still liked the broken pieces. Like a broken fine china still has beautiful colour. The tone, speed, phrasing convinced me within seconds. Some people here saying that he should retire, why he didn‘t just stop, etc. Maybe those comments are out of good intention but I think they missed the point. It‘s not about “proofing himself”. Art is about expressing oneself, and people never stop expressing themselves. For me, as long as Mr Pollini still has something he wants to say on piano, I am willing to listen.

Thanks. I couldn’t find the words. You spoke them perfectly.

Thank you for reminding us that beauty is not only to be found in a perfect interpretation, but who’s open to it can often spot it even in the playing of a broken fragment, when a great artist who might have lost his top technique is still able to evoke some magic.

That sounds more like you willing him to do all those things. Sure, he can play better than a mere mortal, but I think that’s a very low bar to make a comparison.

Factually correct, but ultimately unkind account of the concert.

It was a privilege watching Pollini perform at the RFH on Friday. The experience must have been truly unnerving and stressful for him and the audience reaction was warm and humane. Unlike the snotty and self righteous commentary from the two audience members above.

So what is it, factually correct or snotty and self-righteous?

The audience reaction certainly was warm, humane and supportive (as was that of the reviewers above I’m sure) but it seemed very clear that it was much more about who he is and was rather than what they were actually hearing.

It’s unfortunate that something like this has to be reported but people should be aware that they if they go to hear Pollini they might have a very destressing experience completely at odds with what they may know of his playing from listening to a recording.

Yes, a sad evening, as witnessed by a colleague…

https://www.colinscolumn.com/maurizio-pollini-at-royal-festival-hall/

Let us hope this isn’t a repeat of what happened some years ago to another great pianist, Anton Kuerti, who began to meander in a concert in, I think, Florida. A doctor in the audience realised he was having a stroke and led him off the stage. Kuerti hasn’t played in public since, much to everyone’s loss.

I agree. Pollini was my hero as a student, and I don’t want to see him like this. He doesn’t need to prove anything to me. He should not play anymore, for some time already I dare say as his physical capabilities do no longer stand up to the demands. It was a very sad experience.

That’s horribly sad. Does no-one advise him? Knowing how scrupulous he was when younger makes it all the more difficult to understand how he could take what was evidently a huge risk. He has nothing more to prove, why did he do it?

Why haven’t is confidantes like Leslie Howard, Noretta Conci or Julian Reynolds advised him to do simplier programmes ? After all in later life Brendel stopped playing the Liszt Sonata, Hammerklavier etc and stayed on less demanding fare

Yes and Brendel still had some “blur outs” but he was still brilliant to the end. He did know when to quit though.

I had the honour to study with Noretta Conci. One of the great teachers.

I heard Pollini many times at the RFH in his prime- unforgettable performances of Beethoven & Chopin in which you literally walked on air afterwards (an incredible Stravinsky Petrushka in the early 90’s which had half the RFH on its feet in awe). A very great pianist (technically immaculate in his prime)- a rare musician of genius- a keyboard magician capable of conjuring up colours from the instrument which no one else but him could achieve. But reports of Friday’s concert (which I was very tempted to buy a ticket to- thinking it may be his last) are deeply saddening. I’m sure that there were exquisite moments amidst the fluffs & stumblings as ever with MP- but perhaps now is the time to call it a day to his quite remarkable career. Being a concert pianist at his age is a tight rope act & is really a young man’s/woman’s game ( I suppose only Horowitz remained transcendent into old age). He should rest on his considerable laurels, in the full knowledge that he’s one of the greatest pianists in history & has given innumerable amounts of pleasure & inspiration to music lovers throughout the world for the past 60 years.

Nice and generous comment. BUT: Many great pianists continued, or still continue, to play sublimely into their 80s, and even up to almost 100: R Serkin, Rubinstein, Pressler, Horszowski, Fleisher, Argerich, Goode, Brendel, Earl Wild- the list goes on and on. Less common would be violinists, hornists or singers.

Horowitz was far from transcendent from the mid1970s on…Rubinstein,Arrau,Serkin,Wild,Ciccolini,Argerich,and many more….yes.

Horovitz, yes, continued to command into his eighties, and two other greats who did likewise and l felt found something special in their later music making years were Arrau and Rubenstein. Such an inspiration to share in such performances, though when an artist struggles, as Polling did at this concert, hopefully the musician will recognize the symptoms. It doesn’t diminish you, Mauritzio.

Nice thoughts, but I don’t know how you managed to misspell every name except Arrau!

I was there. It was emotional, if not sad to watch his memory failed him. People gave him standing ovation at the end of first half… which is unusual. I guess it‘s a bit like watching a veteran athlete failed, struggled, but still insisted to reach the final line. I have to say I liked his playing on third movement of Fantasie a lot.

Poor Maurizio! Like so many other famous luminaries in all endeavors, he should have retired at the top of his game! So sad! Obviously, there are serious medical issues here.

Sometimes concerts and recitals are booked so far in advance it can never be certain that an artist with an illness will be sufficiently recovered. Agents can only have a certain influence.

Back in the 1980s I had engaged the great Jorge Bolet for the Liszt Second Concerto. Few if any knew when the contract was signed that he was already suffering from HIV. By the time of the concert, it was incredibly sad that AIDS had started to affect his brain. Part of the Concerto was marvelous. Others, though, had him repeating sections and jumping bars. The conductor was excellent in keeping everything together but the overall feeling was he should have realized he was just not up to performing a full Concerto. I was desperately sad for a man who had been such a master at the piano.

Bolet’s last Carnegie Hall recital – a few months prior to his death, bears no diminution of his abilities. It’s on YouTube, so give it a listen!

Reading the articles and comments made me think about all the stuffy formality of classical concerts. I wish it was possible for him to announce: hey, my memory and muscles are not the same, I may not reproduce the pieces the way they were written, let’s call it work in progress to infinity- but if you wish to gather together and hear some fragments and thoughts on music, despite my age and inability to deliver it to my former standard – I’d still cherish sharing it with you. I bet the hall would be just as full and everyone would feel even more supportive and wonderful

What a lovely yet also accurate comment – my thoughts exactly

Exactly my feeling. The beauty of hearing a great artist who has so much knowledge and feeling for this music. While I can understand those who went there expecting perfect execution of the pieces in the program, I would have cherished just hearing his music making in this phase of his life. The fact he keeps playing can only mean it is important for him, way more than any mundane worry about “ruining his reputation”. It’s funny how this seems always to be more a concern for others than for the interested party.

Maybe from now he should always have a page turner ? Richter and Clifford Curzon both did later in life

Sadly reminiscent of Toscanini’s last concert with the NBC Symphony on April 4, 1954.

He and Barenboim are both determined to die on stage. Why not retire gracefully after serious illnesses ?

Any reports from those who attended his recital in Vienna the prior week? Surely a similar train wreck would have been noted. Perhaps he simply had some bad pub grub prior to the RFH recital and future concerts will fare better.

It’s a tough time for 80 year old pianists – Argerich and Barenboim come to mind. But Richard Goode, 80 this month, is performing the Diabelli Variations magnificently on tour. I heard Alfred Brendel a year prior to his retirement at age 77 and he sounded fabulous. What has become of Murray Perahia, now 76? To my knowledge he has not given a concert since 2017, though he continues to serve as president of the Jerusalem Music Center, giving master classes there. I sincerely hope his touring days are not over.

I was told Murray Perahia had a hand infection when he was booked to play at 2019 Proms with Haitink conducting, so he withdrew and Emmanuel Ax stepped in to perform, and did so very well. I heard after that he wasn’t fully recovered and didn’t play. Then Covid came. There’s also the issue of the health risks of travel for these older musicians.

One of my great musical experiences was a concert in NY in 1983 where Pollini played the Diabelli, the Webern Variations and Stockausen Klavierstucke X but that was 40 years ago. After that, I have heard only excellent performances by him and I admire him a lot. I hope he can softly leave the concert stage and rest under his many laurels.

Shame he never recorded those Stockhausen Klavierstucke which he played so well. He probably never will now

Pollini recorded Schoenberg’s piano music for DG many years ago. Schoenberg: Piano Music https://amzn.eu/d/6wwrFUm

Oops! I got my composers mixed up, sorry.

Playing any instrument does not involve merely the mind — it is also a very physical endeavor which has a lot in common with sports performance, albeit in a different way. It is no coincidence that most players tend to decline in their later years, as the required quickness of mind, myriad of physical reflexes, physical/psychological stamina, and of course memory required for performing at such a high level becomes much more challenging to muster — not to mention the likely loss of confidence due to most players’ self-awareness. In a way this story shows that even the greatest performers do remain vulnerable to human error and have actually always been, but somehow were able to overcome it and deliver performances for decades that seemed to defy any obstacles. It’s probably better to know when to bow out gracefully and quit while you’re still ahead, as for many other things in life (as argues a recent book by Annie Duke). But I suspect this is probably very hard to do when one is a well-established performer on the world’s stage, as it is a difficult acknowledgement to make to oneself.

This account brings to mind Horowitz’s last appearance in Philadelphia, in 1984, which was a very similar experience. In turn, it was pretty similar to the 1982 London recital, which absolutely should not have been publicly released, but was.

In the 1984 recital, there was one brief moment where the Horowitz of old suddenly emerged – a hair-raising rendition of the Chopin etude in octaves. It left a sort of existential question: two minutes of Horowitz or two hours of somebody else?

Mention of Horowitz reminds me of his 1983 recitals in Japan. According to published accounts, Peter Gelb then heading CAMI Video had arranged 2 recitals for an outrageous US$500,000. The recitals had also to be at 11:00 am so that Horowitz could stay on NY time. The packed halls witnessed a “miserable” (according to The NY Times) recital with a clearly off-form Horowitz exhibiting a shadow of his former playing. The Japanese critics went to town about rip-offs etc. The foremost music critic said, “he seems to have grown old . . . He is like an antique item – a cracked one.”

For some reason he was invited to return to Tokyo for 3 more recitals in 1986. The difference was utterly extraordinary. This was a great pianist performing at virtually the peak of his powers and the audiences rightly adored him, giving him long standing ovations.

Why the difference in the 2 standards of performance? Just Horowitz I expect. Sadly an NHK video only exists of a 1983 recital, although there is probably a pirate version of 1986 somewhere.

Similar to the Horowitz in London experience: 1982, an erratic affair, 1986, splendid! Possibly explained by: 1) medication 2) psychological pressure of the “Great Comeback” with all its expectations.

To the list of impressive elderly players i’d like to add Shura Cherkassky, recording Rach 3- beautifully, aged 83, and would have probably plonked his way well into his 90s but for an unfortunate misdiagnosis….

I heard him in NYC / 1983; he was under medication, which adversely affected his playing. By others’ accounts, his playing was much better in the years afterwards, until his passing.

It was 1983…Horowitz didn´t perform in 1984,after the Japan disaster in 1983…He had a comeback in 1985,rising from the ashes,with repertoire more appropriate to his age and abilities…And a beautiful indian summer with his return to Europe,and his homeland.

You’re right: The Philadelphia recital was 1983, not 1984. I stand corrected.

I was at a concert of the Concertgebouworchestra a couple of years ago when M. Uchida fought her way thru a Mozart concerto with many mistakes and “improvisations”. I said to myself, remember the other times and forget this performance

Sad….His Hammerklavier Sonata a few years ago also was a mess…

Sounds like the most interesting concert he’s done! It’s such a drag that we demand that performers play the same old classics by rote, ignoring the vicissitudes of the body. That’s how we create these kinds of ‘failures.’

Just musing for a bit; I wonder if Viennese audiences in the mid 1820s said the same about a deaf Beethoven trying to conduct his Symphony #9?

Pollini’s great curse is that he has to follow his own act – an impossible feat! For decades his performances were technical marvels – inhuman, note-perfect demonstrations of artistic invincibility that nobody could match! However, we all get old – and nature is cruel: No matter how beautiful our youthful selves, we get fat, wrinkle, shrink, bald, arthritic – it’s all so unavoidable. But at least after a certain point, we know enough not to enter a beauty contest – and an artist should know not to reclaim the stage while carrying the same name but not the same ability which got him there in the first place. However, in Pollini’s case there does appear to be a level of Dementia at play – in which case his family members, managers, or care-takers should prevent him from performing. If he had been in complete control of his faculties, he would not have attempted to perform this London concert – period.

Your comments are exceptionally well written and make a huge amount of sense. Your words will open many eyes/ears!

We should collectively give the maestro a large standing ovation for a lifetime of fantastic music making. Let this one go because I’m sure he is devastated after the recital discussed here. No need to “arm-chair” this any further.

Such a shame for a great musician – Casio da Saenoir comes to mind. I guess we all have I time to stop

This is tragic. A formidable pianist who clearly needs to step back from the platform. I have his Beethoven concertos with Claudio Abbado.

Very scary! It reminds me of the Dr. Faustus deal: Devil: “You will play hundreds of perfect recitals without a single wrong note!” Faust: “…and what will happen afterwards?” Devil: “Oh, come on! Why would you worry about something so far in the future?”

Pollini should have retired 15 years ago. Very sad.

I attended Pollini’s recital last Friday in London. Pollini played with great musicality and his playing produced the most magical sound.

A page turner should have been arranged before the concert with the score intact in case of any difficulty. However, Pollini played the Schumann Arabesque beautifully and from memory. The Schumann Fantasie is never an easy work for pianists of any age, and Pollini was able to play all the technical difficulties such as the notorious leaps in the second movement.

His Chopin performances were magical and his playing of the First Scherzo reminded me of Horowitz who also played the work in his eighties. Pollini is still the greatest Chopin pianist.

Perhaps if he needs a page turner in future performances, his son Daniele (who is a brilliant pianist) could page turn and then join his father in a duet performance. They have recorded Debussy En blanc et noir together. Two Pollinis in one concert.

His performances were outstanding and age-appropriate at every stage of his life. When he was 9 years old, he was the best for his age. At 18 years old, he was also the best for his age. At 30 years old, he excelled and was the best for his age. And now, at 81 years old, he continues to be at his best, matching his current age. It’s remarkable to witness his exceptional musical journey spanning over 60 years. I strongly believe that we should continue to appreciate and admire him for his remarkable ability to capture the true essence and passion of music. While it’s understandable that he may not perform at the same level as his peak time, it is worth appreciating the fact that he continues to share his music with us.

Why two versions of the same review by the one writer?

The observations are from three different people.

My God people are rude and cruel. What a gift to play at 81.

http://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2023/06/26/london-salutes-a-legend-maurizio-pollini-the-story-of-a-miracle-by-antonio-morabito/

And who are these “experts ” making these comments? Ask yourself. Why does this website only tear down excellent venues and performers

Which comments in particular ? There’s huge variety of them, some expressing opposite opinions.

For those who say Pollini should never have started this recital I would say that there was nothing awry with his playing of the opening Schumann Arabeske. Not his greatest performance but his fingers and right foot were operating as normal; that fast, feathered pedalling is an essential component of Pollini’s lovely resonant sound. I would guess what happened afterwards was that he had a TIA (transient ischaemic attack – minor stroke) hence the apparent mental confusion and reduced technical command. I particularly noticed (I was in the 3rd row) that his right foot was operating more slowly and less precisely than before. Obviously Pollini could not have anticipated this attack but I think it’s to his great credit that he saw it through to the end. As the cliche goes, “What a trouper!” The standing ovation acknowledged this – and 60+ years of superb musicianship.

I noticed since last time I saw him in London (2018!) that he was no longer playing to an acceptable standard commensurate with the reputation of the South Bank. I truly thought they wouldn’t program him again, I was quite shocked that they programmed this concert, it is very unkind to bring great artists that clearly shouldn’t be performing anymore, at least not at this level. When Barenboim performed all Beethoven’s sonatas in a bravura cycle also in London he was playing much slower than one would expect but he remained in full control of what he was doing and actually gave great insights into the music that one doesn’t necessarily get from younger performers.

That wasn’t the case with Polinni in 2018, why do they exhibited him in this fashion?

Sad really, he didn’t deserve this.

He’s been in these conditions for years.

How many years, Rin Tin Tin?

I was there. So sad, for so many reasons. Pollini has left so many glorious recordings and memories of concerts, this was from first note to last a mere shadow of what we hoped to hear.

I forgot the apostrophe in “let’s”.

And yet, I bet my savings account that there was more poetry, soul and depth of meaning in even his fists full of missed notes (my language) than in the playing of an entire generation emerging of technically perfectionist auto bots. Yes, perhaps there is something to be said for bowing out gracefully, but don’t lets cancel a man who has given the world 4 or 5 decades of music-making and piano-playing of the highest level for posterity to study and admire.

Beautifully said

I have just come across this review of the pianist whose playing I have admired for 40 years. I am so saddened by it. I would like to put it on record that Pollini gave a marvellous concert of the Arabeske, the Fantasie and Beethoven’s Hammerklavier just after his 80th birthday, in February 2022 in Zurich’s Tonhalle. All from flawless memory I must add. The dramatic change must be the result of his health issue in Salzburg last summer. I hope this greatest of pianists will recover further.

The last time I heard Pollini was in Lucerne in 2022. I have fond memories of Nono’s piece composed for him. After the concert, a matinee, he was supposed to sign autographs. He was accompanied by his wife. After a few minutes, Pollini broke the autograph “hour” with the English words “I am tired”. He looked like an overwhelmed, grunting old man. One would think that his wife, perhaps also his son Daniele, would have an influence on the maestro.

Mr. Lebrecht, this is sensationalist trash and you know it. No one expects an 82-year-old to play perfectly. The same happened to Arthur Rubinstein as he approached 90, but people still went to see him for the brilliant musicality that still shone through, in his playing. Why do humans always have to hold people up for ridicule, who are succumbing to the frailties of old age? Schadenfreude, perhaps? Wait until you are 82.

… except that in Polling, “brilliant musicality” disappeared, like, 10 years ago

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