Music Matters - 10/05/2008

Tom Service presents a programme devoted to a rare interview with the celebrated and often controversial pianist Krystian Zimerman. In an extensive and wide-ranging discussion, he talks about everything from his relationship with audiences and the recording process, to politics, pianos and why he can only listen to his own performances in the car. Born in Poland in 1956, Zimerman became the youngest-ever winner of the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1975, before studying intensively with the great Artur Rubinstein. Highly self-critical, Zimerman gives relatively few concert performances and has not released a solo recording for nearly two decades.