Krystian Zimerman's shocking Disney Hall debut

Source: LA Times

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.

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.

<snip>

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.” Others remained but booed or yelled for him to shut up and play the piano. But many more cheered. Zimerman responded by saying that America has far finer things to export than the military, and he thanked those who support democracy.

<snip>

Zimerman has had problems in the United States in recent years. He travels with his own Steinway piano, which he has altered himself. But shortly after 9/11, the 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 TSA decided to take no chances and destroyed the instrument. Since then he has shipped his pianos in parts, which he reassembles by hand after he lands. He also drives the truck himself when he carries his instrument from city to city over land, as he did after playing a recital in Berkeley on Friday.

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/04/krystian-zimermans-shocking-walt-disney-concert-hall-debut.html

No wonderKrystian has a problem...fucking TSA.

Did we, I dunno, bring in a bomb sniffing dog to check, maybe?

WE DESTROYED A STEINWAY PIANO??????

I can only imagine how he feels though...pissed as I was times 100.

I offhandedly said, "Damned right it is, if you drink too much of it at one time..."

THAT little comment got me shunted off to the "special handling" line.

My favorite Steinway a 1909 model ALso smells funny because it has been played by thousnads of students at a college music building.

Anyone who destroys an instrument like that should have their ears cut off.

So shameful.

with farting at all those interns in the WH?

who freaking destroys a Steinway??????????????

What freaking MORAN thought that someone would use a STEINWAY? to cause a terrorist incident??????
freaking insane.

NO wonder he's pissed...I would be too.

Actually, that's an insult to baboons, come to think of it. I have nothing but scathing contempt for anyone who destroys a Steinway. I'd give my left nut for any good grand piano (well...if I had a place to put it!), and to see these wretched savages destroying a Steinway makes me seethe. They're worse than those redneck jackasses who destroy perfectly good pianos (grands even!) while laughing it up and running over it with their pickup truck, and post the videos on YouTube. Worthless trash, almost to a man.

But this is also why it is unwise to tour internationally with large instruments. Backline rental is your friend. I'd be deathly afraid to travel with one of my Hammonds...they'd probably think the tone-generator oil "smelled funny." :scared:

President Obama needs to make sure this man is reimbursed for his piano, out of TSA's budget.

Todd in Cheesecurdistan

No wonder he feels the way he does.

But that was 7 years ago. Why is he all steamed up now?

That's the part that's confusing to me.

No common sense what-so-ever

so obviously this was done for other reasons than security.

because when people see a big black case, which smells of all kinds of chemicals, they go for it. They destroyed one piano completely; the other, they ripped out the keyboard ..."

Krystian Zimerman speaks
By Jim Lowe Times Argus Staff - Published: October 20, 2006
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061020/NEWS/610200328/1011/FEATURES02

It indicates that he was here in the United States during the Bush Administration - the administration that actually INVADED Iraq & Afghanistan. Obama has pledged to get us out, and is currently drawing down in Iraq.

I don't get it.

:shrug:

ETA: We could have really used his voice BEFORE the Iraq invasion, if that is how he felt all along.

Even if the war does end theres still going to be bases there. At least 50,000 troops. The Empire will keep on expanding.

But protesting during the * admin, the admin actually responsible for destroying his piano and the admin that actually tried to invade the "whole world" would make much more sense to me.

Poland?

Missile Defense shield anyone?

We don't want it, we don't need it. USA out of Europe, if I can speak from my European half for once.

Just as we in Bern don't want the empires fuckin' CIA command post here. NO WAY! It don't matter who's president, we don't want the US military or Intel in Europe. We're tired of it. 60 years and nothing but bullshit and trouble. Stop meddling with European elections and start packing up the troops. They are not welcome.

It's still U.S. military imperialism anywhere there are resources we want to exploit, including labor.

:shrug:

Since Obama took office in three months, he's made overtures to Iran, gave his first interview to an Islamic reporter, engaged with Russia on reducing nuclear weapons, renewed our friendship with "old Europe"....these are off the top of my head, there are probably more.

Not one military boot removed from foreign garrisons, not one base closed, not one illegal detainee released. U.S. foreign policy has not changed in any substantive way. The new guy smiles more, and is willing to talk to some folks the old guy wasn't-- but he hasn't shown any willingness at all to change U.S. imperialism abroad.

Bushco had 8 years. It'll take 80 years or more to recover from Bushco, especially when it comes to environmental damage.

Obama has ordered Gitmo closed, but that takes time. Obama doesn't have magical powers, but I've seen enough to believe that he's acting in good faith so far. I might change my mind down the road, but right now I see a huge difference between Obama and Bush.

Will you still pretend America isn't an imperialistic nation?

We'd have to liberate Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa, and a bunch of other places. Heck, we'd have to disband completely, actually.

However, I don't believe that the Obama administration has designs on conquering the entire world, as was the accusation in the OP.

Although I'd say we pretty much conquered the world by now. Depends on the definition of conquer... If what Richard Perkins has done can be labeled "conquering" then yeah, we pretty much hold the world.

But I don't think that is a part of policy that a president really determines. And I guess it surely isn't what Obama would want, but any president of the US has to smooth up to the empire to some extent.

You can't undo 8 years, or even decades (centuries?) of damage, bad policies, harmful programs, wrong-headed thinking in the electorate, etc. in three months. Or even three years.

I don't agree with Obama on everything. I've come to the conclusion that there will NEVER be a politician I will totally agree with. But he seems to be acting in good faith so far.

Here, in Europe, I have witnessed the same thing over and over again. People forgot about the Clinton years and the contuinity in american politics. They have just come to believe that anything wrong with american foreign policy was made by Bush, and now that the world ain't changin' in one day, they give up.

That's not how I see it. But I can understand the sentiment, especially if you don't know much about the way american politics work or what a president actually can do. And they don't, for the most part.

I hope you didn't take my last post as an offense... I just imagined being a freakishly gifted pole and what could explain his decision to stop NOW and not 7 years ago.

I just wish that he had spoken up THEN (when we, the loyal opposition, really needed the support and Bush was having everything his way) as opposed to NOW (when Obama is up against the weight of the culture, the bureaucracy, and wreckage of Bushco, and he's going to have to fight for every inch of progress.)

Yeah, I wouldn't come back either.

This story isn't making a lot of sense to me.

off to google I go.

He believed those things were made by Bush, not by the Americans. No he's found out that the missile shield and the meddling with Polish politics wasn't Bush's idea, it's pretty much systemic, no pulling back, so NOW he has totally given up.

As long as Bush was there, he blamed him. No he is convinced that not Bush is the problem, but the US in general.
I think the piano story is just what kicked him off, made him aware. He didn't want to give up under Bush because he thought things concerning Poland would change. No blaming him, no blaming Obama. He can make his demands just as the US can make demands of Poland.

the way you make a living as a performing artist
is to travel and perform. It's pretty simple.

He apparently as tried to tour here despite the problems.

Maybe he should find someone who would keep a piano here in the states for him. That would be a solution.

But if he's fed up...can't blame him.

unfair military actions. "A Polish woman who helped save the lives of 2,500 Jewish children during World War II has been honoured by Poland's parliament"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6448603.stm

Sorry folks, that thing is FUGLY. No wonder the guy isn't coming back.

How this thing ever got built, I don't know, but just looking at it gives me an Excedrin headache:

I'll have to see what was up.