Re: Anderszewski

[Matthew van Wollen <mvw@CANADA.COM>]

Hi Przemek,

Anderszewski played the Diabelli Variations live for us on 9 March 2003 as
part of our concert series here in Vancouver (see www.chopinsociety.org).
The concert was co-presented with the Vancouver Recital Society.

I don't have the Diabelli CD, but if his playing on the CD is anything as
good as his playing was live, I would recommend it. By the way, his playing
at the concert also received good reviews from an independent professional
music critic.

I agree with the assessment of his Mozart - nice but boring.  The recording
has a fresh and clear sound, though.

I own his French Suites, and I like the recording. It is unique and
different and interesting. Actually, I have often thought that Glenn Gould
would appreciate this recording too, consistent with his conviction that
there was no point in playing (read: recording) something unless you were
prepared to do something completely different than had been done
previously.  On this CD, Anderszewski is definitely different.  Whether you
will like it or not is a matter of personal taste.

(I can offer another example: Ivo Pogorelich was considered "different" in
his interpretation of Chopin.  In fact, he was so different he was
considered "radical" by some. Still, opinions were sharply divided, because
when he was eliminated early from the Warsaw competition, at least one jury
member quit in protest and there were public demonstrations in the streets!)

Cheers,
Matthew van Wollen
President
The Vancouver Chopin Society