Post by dkI heard Zimerman for the first time in 1975 at
the Chopin Competition. I never liked a single note he played.
And that gives your opinion a special value? I wasn't at the competition, but I first heard him around the mid-70's too. And, at that time, I would have agreed with you somewhat. However, in subsequent years, Zimerman released some rather more compelling recordings, in terms of both interpretation and, yes, even pianistic finish (as high as that was right off the bat!) - including the Rachmaninoff Concertos with Ozawa, the Liszt Concertos (also with Ozawa), the Ravel Concertos with Boulez, the Debussy Preludes. . .
Post by dkHe is nothing more than a craftsman who polishes every single
note without any overall view of the work. Everything he plays
sounds like a sequence of unrelated small episodes without
connection with one another. Every recording he produced
confirmed my initial impression. Look up the dictionary for
"kolter tuchas". ;-)
Nope - if you can't explain it, I'm not going to bother. (Why should I? Give me some motivation.)
Post by dkPlaying the piano is (or should be) more than piano playing.
I agree - and Zimerman does have this "more" in his playing IMHO.
In short, as you become more evolved, I'm sure you will come to appreciate that Zimerman is much more than a craftsman who plays unrelated small episodes - because, at some point, you too will be able to hear the larger structural connections in the music which Zimerman is making - a perception which seems to elude you now! ;-)