ANNA ZASSIMOVA
"Thoroughly exquisite!" - FAZ “She plays Chopin as if it were dipped in blood… Zassimova’s name will soon be mentioned in the same breath as Cortot, Rosenthal, Friedman, Rubinstein and Arrau” – FanfareHear Zassimova's Klavierfestival Ruhr debut, recorded for Deutschlandfunk
“Thoroughly exquisite” – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
“Her technical ability is stupendous” – Wolfgang Rihm
Anna Zassimova is a pianist of a kind rarely still found, the sort you’d imagine in the pages of a 19th century novel. Her playing bleeds with passionate intensity, all softness and fury, coupled with an unparalleled knowledge and sympathetic understanding of the works she plays. There’s nothing showy about it, though it’s riveting, and all the emotion – and my god there is plenty – is of the sort that can only be lived, and cannot be faked.
Zassimova is a product of – perhaps the last generation of – the Great Russian School founded by Heinrich Neuhaus: Bayerische Rundfunk were the first of many to compare her playing to that of Richter and Gilels. The comparison is an apt one.
She trained at the world-renowned Gnessin School in Moscow from age six. While studying her first degree (in piano, at Gnessin Academy, taught by Vladimir Tropp), she experienced the traumas of the collapse of the Soviet Union first hand and full-on, an experience she credits with causing her to “commit” to her art as the only stable point in what was, for her, a time of great instability. Her education, she explains, trained pianists’ hands and minds, almost from birth; it was at this time that piano became her soul. Personal circumstances led her to leave Russia for Germany during this period. She received a DAAD Fellowship to do so, and duly studied at the Karlsruhe Music University (under Michael Uhde und Markus Stange) where she now teaches.
“Bold and romantic, but also clear and precise” – Classical CD reviews, UK.
“The lines of her music have elegance but also clearly defined shape – declamations rather than sentimentality” (Klavier.de).
Over the course of the last decade, she has entranced audiences at a plethora of festivals and major concert halls, both with her solo recitals and her concerti. Her solo CD recordings, featuring Romantic and contemporary works, and released on Antes, have drawn unchecked praise from every quarter. These recordings have focussed on Chopin, her great ‘non-Russian’ love, Brahms and fin-de-siecle Russian composers. Vergessene Weisen (“Forgotten Ways”), her album of disappearing Romantic and modernist Russian music and ways of feeling, featuring Medtner, Catoire, Scriabin and Roslavets is widely considered her greatest recording. It’s sequel, Sonata Reminiscenza, is currently being mixed. She has also featured on chamber recordings of Tanejew and Catoire, released by cpo.
Zassimova is unusual among performers of her calibre for the breadth of her artistic education, and has taken additional degrees in musicology (where her monograph on Georgy Catoire is singularly responsible for renewed interest in the early 20th century composer) and history of art. She has worked with numerous galleries and events to create programmes pairing paintings and piano works, and entrancing audiences with her discourses on the former and performances of the latter. She is also herself an avid painter, with numerous collectors of her miniaturist images of the Russia she remembers,
But it is the piano, truly an extension of Zassimova’s soul, at which all these disparate passions, tempests and deep thoughts come together. And how they do! There are many great piano performers in our time. Zassimova is a true Artist.
Anna Zassimova recordings
Assorted live and recorded works2003 - 2016
Event Information:
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Fri27Oct20177:00 pmStaatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
Cezanne - Metamorphoses exhibition opening
Exhibition opening: Cézanne / Metamorphosen
Claude Debussy: „Estampes“: Pagodes, La Soirée dans Grenade, Jardins sous la pluie, Soir
| 27 October 2017, 7pm
Karlsruhe, Germany |
Exhibition opening: Cézanne / Metamorphosen
Claude Debussy: „Estampes“: Pagodes, La Soirée dans Grenade, Jardins sous la pluie, Soir Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe. |
| 7 November 2017, 7pm
Karlsruhe, Germany |
Exhibition opening: “Rheinheimisch – Selected places of remembrance on the Upper Rhine”
Works of Robert Schumann and others Badisches Landesbibliothek Karlsruhe https://www.blb-karlsruhe.de/aktuelles/ausstellungen/naechste-ausstellungen/ |
| 8 November 2017
Karlsruhe, Germany |
Musik, Emotionen und Cognitive Neuroscience
Discussion and concert with works from Grieg and Brahms with Stefan Kölsch (Violin) Schloss Gottesaue, Velte-Saal http://www.hfm-karlsruhe.de/hfm/01-veranstaltungen/konzerte/2017-18_ws/11.html |
| 11 November 2017, 2:00pm Villethierry, France |
Studio Paulello
à l’occasion de l’ouverture du Studio Stephen Paulello Works of Nikolaj Medtner and Georges Catoire Contact and reservation contact@stephenpaulello.com |
| 3 December 2017, 7:00pm, Hotel Erbprinz, Ettlingen, Deutschland |
Chamber music concert
Works of Ludwig van Beethoven, Arvo Pärt and others With Frederike Pasquay (cello) |
| 16 December 2017, 7:00pm
Baden-Baden, Germany |
Palais Biron, Baden-Baden
Salon of the German-Russian Society, Baden-Baden „Eine Winterreise“ Chamber music with art projections. |
| 6 January 2018, 11am
Holzgerlingen, Germany |
Holzgerlingen, Stadthalle
Frederic Chopin Piano concerto in E minor, Op. 11 with Camerata Europeana, Conductor: Radoslaw Szulc |
| 14 January 2018, 11am
Warstein, Germany |
Raum für Kultur Stadt Warstein
New Year’s Concert Frederic Chopin Piano concerto in E minor, Op. 11 with Camerata Europeana, Conductor: Radoslaw Szulc |
| 1 May 2018, 7.30pm
Tübingen, Germany |
Sudhaus Tübingen, Grosser Saal
Arnold Schoenberg – Pierrot lunaire (1912) with Reutlinger Chamber Opera and Ensemble Phorminx |
| 9 June 2018, 18.00
Katowice, Poland |
THE COLOURS OF RUSSIA
musical series of Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Katowice Sergey Taneyev. Piano Quintet G-minor op. 30 http://www.nospr.org.pl/pl/koncerty/1068/kwartet-slaski-anna-zassimowa-kolory-rosji |
| 22 May 2018, 20:00
Fouzihlon, France
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Solo Recital, Theatre de Pierres
Works of N. Medtner, C. Debussy, F. Chopin, G. Catoire |
| 5 August 2018
Gourdon, France |
Festival de musique romantique de Salviac.
Salviac Church Songs of Mussourgski, Schubert und Chopin. With Mario Hacquard, Bariton |
| 17 September, 2018, 19:30
Hamburg, Germany |
Solo Recital, Elbphilarmonie Hamburg, small hall Works of N. Medtner, A. Skrjabin, W. Kalinnikov, G. Catoire http://www.elbphilarmonie.de/de/programm/anna-zassimova/11108 |
Recent concerts
| July 11 2017, 8:00pm Bourgogne, France |
14th Festival of Chablis
Works from Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Catoire and Medtner Grange de Beavais, Venous |
| June 14 2017, 5:00pm
Altdorf, Switzerland |
Weltkassik-Klassik pur! – Altdorf
Konzertreihe “Weltklassik am Klavier ” WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Sonate Nr. 16 C-Dur K 545 Fantasie d-Moll K 397 Sonate Nr. 13 B-Dur K 333 JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Partita Nr. 6 e-Moll BWV 830 Theater Altdorf |
| May 21 2017, 6:00 pm Moers, Germany |
Klavierfestival Ruhr
Works from Chopin, Medtner, Schumann, Almeida Prado, Piazzolla and others. Martinsstift |
| April 23 2017, 5:00 pm Alpnachstad, Switzerland |
Weltklassik
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Sonate Nr. 16 C-Dur K 545 Fantasie d-Moll K 397 Sonate Nr. 13 B-Dur K 333 JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Partita Nr. 6 e-Moll BWV 830 PIANO-Salon Bahnhofplatz |
| April 21 2017, 8:00 pm
Borne, Netherlands |
Chamber concert
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonate for Violin and piano KV13, Johannes Brahms, Trio for Horn, Violin and piano Op. 40, Georges Catoire, Sonate-Poem for Violin and piano Op. 20. With Boris Tsoukkerman, Violin, Waldo E. Fenker, Horn Amstelkerk |
| April 20 2017, 8:00 pm
Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Chamber concert
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonate for Violin and piano KV13, Johannes Brahms, Trio for Horn, Violin and piano Op. 40, Georges Catoire, Sonate-Poem for Violin and piano Op. 20. With Boris Tsoukkerman, Violin, Waldo E. Fenker, Horn Amstelkerk |
| April 15 2017, 4:00 pm
Arco, Italy |
Pasqua Musicale Arcense 45. Festival Sergej Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto no. 2, in C-minor, Op. 18with Heilbronner Sinfonie Orchester. Conductor: Peter Braschkat |
| April 13 2017, 4:00 pm
Arco, Italy |
Pasqua Musicale Arcense 45. Festival Sergej Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto no. 2, in C-minor, Op. 18with Heilbronner Sinfonie Orchester. Conductor: Peter Braschkat |
| April 1 2017, 8:00 pm
Le Waasmunster |
Recital
Works of Frederic Chopin, Clause Debussy, Georges Catoire. le Waasmunster |
| March 26 2017, 7:30 pm
Heilbronn |
The Russian Soul
Alexander Glasunow – Konzertwalzer Nr. 1 D-Dur, op. 47 Sergei Rachmaninoff – Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester Nr. 2 c-Moll, op. 18 Peter Tschaikowski – Sinfonie Nr. 6 h-Moll, op. 74, “Pathetique” Mit: Heilbronner Sinfonie Orchester. Leitung: Peter Braschkat Heilbronner Harmonie |
| December 2 2016, 12:00 am
Berlin |
Chamber Music
Works of Nikolai Roslawez, Johann Sebastian Bach, George CAtoire, Maurice Ravel, Nikolai Medtner. With Daniel Austrich, Violin. Piano Salon Christophori |
| November 19 2016, 12:00 am
Singen |
Masterpieces and Rarities
Works of PETER ILJITSCH TSCHAIKOWSKI (1840–1893), NIKOLAI MEDTNER (1879–1951), GEORGI CATOIRE (1861–1926) und MAURICE RAVEL (1875–1937) With DANIEL AUSTRICH, Violin Walburgissaal Singen |
| November 5 2016, 7:00 pm
Baden-Baden |
Music Salon of German-Russian culture society: MIR ISKUSSTWA – The World of Arts. Chamber music with images projection
Music of Nikolai Medtner, Georges Catoire, Alexander Skrjabin. Pictures of Konstantin Korovin, Isaak Levitan, Michail Nesterov, Nikolas Rörich, Victor Borisov-Musatov, Alexaner Benois, Michael Vrubel.With Daniel Austrich, Violine, Wilja Mosuraitis, Mezzosoprano. Idee, Konzeption, Klavier und Moderation: Anna ZassimovaIdea, Conception, presentation, Piano: Anna Zassimova Palais Biron |
| October 28 2016, 7:30 pm
Couarde sur mer |
Lieder Recital
Songs of Frederic Chopin, Franz Schubert und Modest Mussorgski. mit MARIO HACQUARD, Bariton La Maline |
Catoire - Works for Voice and Piano
“Anna Zassimova has dedicated herself with passion and perseverance to this composer as a musicologist as well as a pianist. Her knowledge, art and love are audible. Yana Ivanilova, who has already recorded with Boris Berezovsky a beautiful record with songs by Nikolai Medtner, once again appears as master of the genre. Once again, this fine recording demonstrates the level of reflection and creative power Russian music reached just before the Communist revolution – at a rapid pace and extreme compression – and how closely it touches Western Europe.” – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Chopin - The Erard Recordings
“Chopin played on his favourite piano by a pianist who provides an empathy that is both convincing for the music of the composer and for the quality of the historical instrument.” – Bayerische Rundfunk
“The recording stands out from the multitude of comparable recordings due mainly to the nuanced contrasts of the pianist Anna Zassimova, who once again proves her excellence.” – Klavier.de
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Ways)
“Anna Zassimova is deeply enmeshed in the complex expressive worlds of these Russian piano works. The highly virtuosic, and at the same time expressive, performance of the native Moscovite is unmistakably from the Russian Piano School.” – Bayerische Rundfunk
“Anna Zassimova masterfully unfolds these miniatures in their brittle intimacy, with great understanding.” – FonoForum
Chopin - Late Works
“Every pianist plays Chopin at one time or the other as a rite of passage, but few have illuminated his sensibility as well as Richter, Lipatti, Rubinstein, Horowitz, Ashkenazy (especially in his earliest recordings) and most recently, Perahia and Kissin… Anna Zassimova is all about flow… a new force to be reckoned with. You’ll hear her gift instantly. She plays with a velvety, cushioned sound punctuated by crisp attacks in the main line, creating a dreamlike ambiance. ” – American Record Guide
Catoire - Works for Violin and Piano
“They do not just touch Catoire’s music with their fingertips, but also solve the works’ many expressive demands. It is a great posthumous fortune for the composer that he has found such a convincing advocate as Zassimova. Her comprehensive playing elicits the full range of fragile, delicate, stormy and pressing moods from the piano.” – Klassik.com
Tanejew - Piano Chamber Music
“Zassimova and her colleagues give as good a performance as you could wish, bold and Romantic, but also clear and precise. By a whisker then, this recording gets the top recommendation, even if Pletnev is relegated to second place with much reluctance. If you don’t countenance even the suspicion of Romantic excess, buy the Pletnev in preference to this. But whatever you do, buy at least one of them.” – Classical CD (UK)
Zassimova continues her project of repopularising lesser known Russian romantics with this superbly textured recording of Tanejew’s Quintet.
Brahms - Declaration of Love
“A deeply intelligent interpretation vacillating between vicious passions and intimate contemplation.” – Das Ensemble magazine
“Zassimova’s seamless phrasing and delicate, yet substantive touch to the “golden” tone of the period Beckstein piano, is distinctive.” – The Clarinet
Chopin - Mélodies polonaises op. 74
“Irresistable!” – L’Education Musicale
“Anna Zassimova, a passionate pianist of Chopin, has a touch that is capable of elucidating all the pleasure to be found in these melodies, and shows a flexibility of play indispensable to their interpretation… played with virtuoso content, the piano Érard, an instrument pampered by the composer himself, takes the place of a true confidant, to reveal the happiest feelings as to deliver the darkest emotions.” – Res Musica
Anna Zassimova’s academic work, beginning in 2000, and growing to her Doctorate, has been focussed on the popularisation and study of the Franco-Russian fin-de-siecle composer Georgy Catoire (Moscow 27 April 1861 – 21 May 1926).
Working with archives and libraries in Moscow and Berlin, and with the assistance of Catoire’s heirs in Germany, Russia and France, she wrote the first comprehensive, systematised analysis of the composer and his life. This book Georges Catoire – seine Musik, sein Leben, seine Ausstrahlung (Studia slavica musicologica, 49. Ernst Kuhn, Berlin, 2011) has been referenced extensively in journals including SEER at Oxford University, Music & Letters UK, Die Tonkunst, das Orchester, Neue Musik Zeitung and many others. She has also published texts on Catoire in German Tchaikovsky Society (2006) and editorials for Moscow State Pedagogical University (2001 and 2002).
Zassimova has worked with Catoire’s heirs to create recordings of all of the composer’s piano works (including many hitherto unperformed). Notably, she initiated and performed in the only existing recording of Catoire’s vocal works, “Poems for Voice and Piano” (with soprano Yana Ivanilova). Zassimova also recorded all Catoire’s works for Violine and piano with Laurent Breuninger (cpo/SWR).
Further solo piano works of Catoire will appear on her forthcoming album Sonata Reminiscenza.
