Concert Review: Piotr Anderszewski

Concert Review: Piotr Anderszewski

June 27, 2010, CH
Piotr Anderszewski recital 彼得.安德塞斯基
Bach-Schumann-Szymanowski-Beethoven

Hard on the heels of Zimerman came his compatriot Piotr Anderszewski, another serious Polish pianist who has garnered accolades everywhere.

Although Anderszewski is not as well known in HK, and ticket prices were a lot cheaper than Zimerman's, many in the know regard him as a pianist's pianist. The recital took place Sunday evening and the hall was mostly full, in an austere program typical of the pianist.

The pianist is an interesting fellow. Make sure you visit his Official website. His hero is Richter and make sure you read that link. Indeed Bruno Monsaigeon, who made a film on Richter, thought highly enough of him to have made one on Anderszewski too. The website also contains many concert reviews, where you shall find many of the same pieces played at this concert. I shall cite just two:

Carnegie Hall concert 2008 (Beethoven Op110)
London 2005 (Szymanowski Metopes)

Anderszewski took a while to settle into Bach's English Suite No. 5. Although the voicing was perfect and one could hear every strand, I missed a certain joie de vivre that others, say, Perahia, can convey. This music should dance more. Then came Schumann's Six Etudes in Canonic Form, where the pianist came to his elements, finding plenty of poetry and color even in the austerity. This rare work is a curiosity, written for the pedal piano (read more in this link) (apparently, a piano fitted with extra pedal keys like organ, to be played with the feet). I have no idea how it is adapted/transcribed to be played with just 2 hands. I found it of grave beauty, deserving to be heard more often.

The second half began with Szymanowski's Metopes. This atmospheric score by the Polish composer is one of his calling cards and needless to say it was wonderful. With this pianist, every strand is in place, and even the more lurid and perfumed episodes sounded colorful but not vulgar, more impressionistic than sensual.

Beethoven's Sonata No. 31, Op 110 received an immaculate reading. With superb composure, voicing was lucid and much detail was revealed over its span. However, I missed a sense of struggle and would have preferred more pointing in some of Beethoven's more jagged, even jazz-like, rhythms. This interpretation revealed more the ethereal elements and repose.

The first encore, Bartok's Three Hungarian Folksongs, was spectacularly energized and singing, with all the dance elements and rhythmic pointing I did not find in the concert elsewhere (let's not forget the pianist has a Hungarian parent). The second was an atmospheric piece, perhaps something from Masques?

Comparison with his compatriot Zimerman is inevitable. Anderszewski sometimes reminds me of the senior pianist for his superb concentration, tendency towards austerity and a fastidious, near-perfect balance of voices. Comparison of the two pianist was quite fascinating and not at all always to the senior pianist's flavor.

Who is Kornel Zempleni?
I have to confess that when he played the first encore, I knew I had heard it before, and not only once, but could not place it. It was when searching some of the other reviews that I found the piece. What a lovely piece that one would never guess it is from Bartok. While researching I came across this mesmerizing youtube:

Kornel Zempleni plays Bartok Three Hungarian Folksongs

I was mesmerized by Zempleni's ethereal reading, which is completely different from Anderszewski's more unexpectedly earthy account. Aside from some youtube fragments, I found little info on that pianist:

Kornel Zempleni

I shall be on the lookout for his recordings on Hungaroton. If you have more info on him, let me know.