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Four Polish pianists named among world’s best: BBC Music Magazine

05.12.2022 20:20
Four musicians from Poland have been voted in a new list of top 20 greatest pianists in the era of recorded sound. 
Arthur Rubinstein.
Arthur Rubinstein.PAP/DPA

The rankings were compiled by the BBC Music Magazine, which asked 100 of today’s leading pianists to have their say.

Sergey Rachmaninov (1873-1943), who achieved fame as both composer and pianist, tops the list.

No. 2: Arthur Rubinstein

Polish-born Artur Rubinstein finished runner-up, with the BBC Music Magazine stating: “If there was an award for the pianist who came closest to the artistic ideal in the widest repertoire, it would almost certainly go to Rubinstein.”

The magazine added: “Whether playing Fauré or Brahms, Albéniz or Beethoven, Ravel or Schubert, the results were sublime. Yet he is most celebrated for his Chopin, whose aristocratic poise and elegance found a perfect match in Rubinstein’s own interpretative genius.”

Arthur Rubinstein. Arthur Rubinstein. PAP/DPA

Rubinstein was born in the central Polish city of Łódź on January 28, 1887 and took his first piano lessons there. He went to Berlin at the age of ten to continue his musical education, settled abroad early in his life, and developed a spectacular concert career. 

Rubinstein made his first return to Poland in 1958. In 1975 he performed in Łódź during events marking the 60th anniversary of the city’s Philharmonic Orchestra. His last visit to his native town came in 1979, three years before his death in Geneva at the age of 92.

No. 11: Krystian Zimerman

Another Polish pianist, Krystian Zimerman, who turned 66 on December 5,  was ranked 11th in the BBC poll.

The BBC Music Magazine wrote: “Few artists appear so relaxed and at one with the keyboard as Krystian Zimerman. […] Purity in all things is Zimerman’s watchword. His playing fuses the aristocratic elegance of the ‘golden age’ with contemporary fastidiousness.”

Krystian Zimerman. Krystian Zimerman. PAP/Paweł Supernak

No. 12: Ignacy Friedman

Zimerman is followed in 12th place by Ignacy Friedman. Born in Poland in 1882, Friedman was among the finest ‘golden age’ interpreters of Chopin, and of many other composers too. 

According to The BBC Music Magazine, “his innate feel for Chopin’s Polish rhythms and quasi-operatic melodies was second to none. [Friedman] had the astonishing ability to transform the sound of the piano into something resembling the human voice”. 

Friedman died at the age of 56 in 1948.

No. 19: Józef Hoffman

The fourth Polish pianist, Józef Hoffman, is ranked 19th in the BBC poll. 

Born in 1876 in Poland, Hoffman settled in the United States, becoming director of the Curtis Institute of Music.  

The BBC Music Magazine wrote in his profile: “Revered as one of the supreme pianists of his day, Hofmann’s effortless technique permitted a kaleidoscope of tonal colourings and expressive guises ranging from aching tenderness to heaven-storming pandemonium”.  

(mk/pm)