Sunday, May 2, 2010

The piano is not one but a thousand instruments. Its sound lives on many levels and is responsive to such a myriad to touches and balances. Last night the master of them all played at Zankel Hall: Piotr Anderszewski in a program of Szymanowski and Janacek--not the usual fare. His playing is kaleidoscopic. When have I heard a pianist better match a violin's harmonics?

To hear such a virtuoso play pianissimo, barely breathing on the piano, is rare, very rare.