Review: Warner's Frank Peter Zimmermann Box Rocks!

One of the great violinists active today (not a pianist, as I mistakenly said a couple of times in the video--sorry!), Frank Peter Zimmermann's body of work combines sensational technique, impeccable taste, and penetrating musical insight. He's also got an exploratory spirit that frees him from the usual repertoire of violin warhorses. It really doesn't get much better than this 30-CD set.

[lazyartist]

I love, love, love FPZ. My favorite violinist! I have been fortunate to watch him perform several times: Boston playing Bartok with the Boston Philh, Goldberg variations for String trio in Edinburgh, a few more times in Berlin together with the Berlin Symphonie. I always line up afterwards to meet him and get his autograph. A very nice and charming man. Sadly he’s getting older. He suffered a slipped disc a few years ago and he may be planning to retire by the time he’s 60 (He’s now 56.) He “lost” his violin a few years back, but eventually got it back when the government of Rhine Westphalia bought it for 6 million. I hope I can see him perform again before he retires, but unfortunately he doesn’t play in the US anymore. Thanks for posting. I will purchase my box and hopefully have the chance to have FPZ autograph it for me. 🥰🥰🥰

[DaninMaine]

I am so happy to hear you talk about Mozart's piano quartets. I have loved those pieces for a long time and recently wanted to replace a long vanished cassette recording and came across this very cd used at a great price. Magnificent music.

[CortJohnson]

These boxes are so much fun. I’m going through the Stern box now. Maybe this one is next. I had never heard of him “Out of the German ghetto!” 😊Thanks, Dave

[johnmarchington]

I only got to know about him from his BIS recordings and they're terrific. I'm particularly thinking of the Hindemith and Martinu discs.

[ammcello]

FPZ is the best! I got to know him via the Auric/Poulenc/Françaix disc. My buddy gave the Oklahoma premiere (what a concept😂) of the Auric sonata and was always grumpy that someone pilfered this album from him. So I found it used and gave it to him for his birthday like 15 years later! At least two more of us know about it and love it!
His Hindemith concerto with Jarvi (on BIS) is out of this world.

[wortleyclutterbuk]

Love this video and am super excited to obtain this set -- but seems like it's not available yet? (Personally, I pre-ordered from Amazon back in September 2022.) Any idea when it will be released? Meanwhile, thanks for all the deep dives into these boxes.

[zeroinfinit]

His interpretation of the Shostakovich first violin concerto on BIS is my favorite.

[Mason-zeri]

Hi David, there is a recording of Mozart's sinfonia concertante by Zimmermann and Antoine Tamestit on Haenssler CLASSIC and that is the one I usually listen to. I was wondering how is that compared to the performance you mentioned in the featured box?

[orig_gee_man]

If I may suggest and feasible to upgrade to at least a 1080p camera as it is very difficult to read and see the labels. Thank you
My other question:
Since you have an amazing collection, would you share how do you listen your CDs like on a special stereo system?

[tonysanderson]

I thought Frank Peter Zimmermann was a violinist not a pianist as you said in the opening minute on a couple of times.

[MegaVicar]

His Busoni disk is one I listen to often...for the Violin Sonata more than the Concerto. It's good that he goes outside the core repertoire of violin music I hope that disk of French sonatas is available somewhere. That Brahms is my choice; I feel it underlines the classicist side of Brahms more than most interpretations.

[martinhochbaum]

Please speak for yourself...the older I get, the more adorable I become (speaking objectively, of course)... :)