Frank Peter Zimmermann
Since the mid-'80s, Frank Peter Zimmermann has been recognized as one of the leading violinists, not for the usual reasons alone -- formidable technical skills and interpretive acumen -- but also for his ability to adapt his style to accommodate the demands of a broad range of repertory, from Bach to contemporary composers. He has expressed a special love for the music of Mozart and Prokofiev, two composers of obviously disparate styles whose works Zimmermann has performed to international acclaim. He has also played the standard concertos of Beethoven, Brahms, and Stravinsky, as well as solo and chamber works by Bach, Debussy, and Ysaÿe. In addition, Zimmermann has delved into more adventurous fare, taking on works by Ligeti, Matthias Pintscher, and other contemporary composers. Zimmermann and pianist Martin Helmchen issued the second volume of their Beethoven violin sonata cycle on the BIS label in 2021. Zimmermann was born in Duisburg, Germany, on February 27, 1965. He was extremely precocious: at five years of age, he began playing the violin, and at ten, gave his first orchestral concert playing the Mozart G major Concerto, K. 216. In 1976, he won the Youth Makes Music Competition in Germany. His roster of teachers is impressive: Valery Gradov at Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Saschko Gawriloff at the Berlin Staatliche Hochschule, and Herman Krebbers in private studies in Amsterdam. In 1983, Zimmermann launched his career, performing in numerous critically acclaimed concerts across Germany and parts of Europe. He made his U.S. debut the following year with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and over the next several seasons appeared with the Boston, Chicago, and National Symphony Orchestras. He also gave concerts in South America, Japan, and Australia. In the early years of his career, Zimmermann regularly collaborated in chamber works with pianist Alexander Lonquich, but since 1998, he has regularly performed with pianist Enrico Pace. In the new century, Zimmermann has turned more conspicuously to contemporary music, recording the Ligeti Violin Concerto for Teldec (2002) and premiering Matthias Pintscher's En Sourdine in 2003, with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Peter Eötvös. In 2010, Zimmermann teamed with violist Antoine Tamestit and cellist Christian Poltéra to form Trio Zimmermann, which has become a staple at European concert halls and festivals. Zimmermann and pianist Martin Helmchen toured Europe performing Beethoven's violin sonatas, either in partial or complete, for the 250th Anniversary of the composer's birth. Zimmermann has made numerous recordings for many labels, including EMI, Sony, and Teldec. A collaborative effort with cellist Heinrich Schiff on ECM from 2006 contains chamber works for violin and cello by Bach, Honegger, Martinu, Pintscher, and Ravel. Zimmermann's collaboration with Helmchen resulted in a BIS cycle of Beethoven's violin sonatas, issuing the first volume in 2020 and the second in 2021.© Robert Cummings /TiVo Read more
Since the mid-'80s, Frank Peter Zimmermann has been recognized as one of the leading violinists, not for the usual reasons alone -- formidable technical skills and interpretive acumen -- but also for his ability to adapt his style to accommodate the demands of a broad range of repertory, from Bach to contemporary composers. He has expressed a special love for the music of Mozart and Prokofiev, two composers of obviously disparate styles whose works Zimmermann has performed to international acclaim. He has also played the standard concertos of Beethoven, Brahms, and Stravinsky, as well as solo and chamber works by Bach, Debussy, and Ysaÿe. In addition, Zimmermann has delved into more adventurous fare, taking on works by Ligeti, Matthias Pintscher, and other contemporary composers. Zimmermann and pianist Martin Helmchen issued the second volume of their Beethoven violin sonata cycle on the BIS label in 2021.
Zimmermann was born in Duisburg, Germany, on February 27, 1965. He was extremely precocious: at five years of age, he began playing the violin, and at ten, gave his first orchestral concert playing the Mozart G major Concerto, K. 216. In 1976, he won the Youth Makes Music Competition in Germany. His roster of teachers is impressive: Valery Gradov at Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Saschko Gawriloff at the Berlin Staatliche Hochschule, and Herman Krebbers in private studies in Amsterdam. In 1983, Zimmermann launched his career, performing in numerous critically acclaimed concerts across Germany and parts of Europe. He made his U.S. debut the following year with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and over the next several seasons appeared with the Boston, Chicago, and National Symphony Orchestras. He also gave concerts in South America, Japan, and Australia.
In the early years of his career, Zimmermann regularly collaborated in chamber works with pianist Alexander Lonquich, but since 1998, he has regularly performed with pianist Enrico Pace. In the new century, Zimmermann has turned more conspicuously to contemporary music, recording the Ligeti Violin Concerto for Teldec (2002) and premiering Matthias Pintscher's En Sourdine in 2003, with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Peter Eötvös. In 2010, Zimmermann teamed with violist Antoine Tamestit and cellist Christian Poltéra to form Trio Zimmermann, which has become a staple at European concert halls and festivals. Zimmermann and pianist Martin Helmchen toured Europe performing Beethoven's violin sonatas, either in partial or complete, for the 250th Anniversary of the composer's birth.
Zimmermann has made numerous recordings for many labels, including EMI, Sony, and Teldec. A collaborative effort with cellist Heinrich Schiff on ECM from 2006 contains chamber works for violin and cello by Bach, Honegger, Martinu, Pintscher, and Ravel. Zimmermann's collaboration with Helmchen resulted in a BIS cycle of Beethoven's violin sonatas, issuing the first volume in 2020 and the second in 2021.
© Robert Cummings /TiVo
Similar artists
-
J.S. Bach: Sonatas & Partitas, Vol. 1
Classical - Released by BIS on Feb 4, 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Jean Sibelius : Œuvres symphoniques
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds
Classical - Released by Ondine on Aug 24, 2010
Choc de Classica24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Violin Concertos
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Berlin Baroque Soloists, Serge Zimmermann
Classical - Released by haenssler CLASSIC on Dec 29, 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Martinů: Violin Concertos 1 & 2 - Bartók: Solo Violin Sonata
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Bamberger Symphoniker, Jakub Hrůša
Classical - Released by BIS on Nov 6, 2020
Diapason d'or / Arte24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 2 & 5 and Sinfonia concertante
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Antoine Tamestit, Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Radosław Szulc
Classical - Released by haenssler CLASSIC on Mar 4, 2016
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 5-7
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Martin Helmchen
Chamber Music - Released by BIS on Apr 9, 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Hindemith: Violin Sonatas & Concerto
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt, Enrico Pace, Paavo Järvi
Classical - Released by BIS on May 28, 2013
Diapason d'orGramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas, Vol. 3
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Martin Helmchen
Chamber Music - Released by BIS on Sep 3, 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-4
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Martin Helmchen
Chamber Music - Released by BIS on Sep 4, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Frank Peter Zimmermann, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Alan Gilbert
Classical - Released by BIS on Dec 2, 2016
5 de Diapason24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Sonatas for Violin and Piano
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Alexander Lonquich
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on May 6, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Obsession. Ysaÿe: 6 Sonates pour violon solo, Op. 27
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jan 1, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Complete Violin Works. Violin Concertos, Violin Sonatas, Sonata for Solo Violin, Sonata for 2 Violins
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Dec 1, 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Paganini: 24 Caprices, Op. 1
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jan 1, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Szymanowski: Violin Concertos 1+2/Britten: Violin Concerto
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Jan 9, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Violin Concerto, Op. 47 - Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 63
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Philharmonia Orchestra, Mariss Jansons
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jan 1, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Greatest Violin Works
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Oct 28, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy, Ravel & Janáček: Violin Sonatas
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Alexander Lonquich
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jan 5, 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Vilolin Concerto/Cello Concerto/Manfred Overture
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Truls Mørk, Kölner Rundfunk Sinfonie Orchester, Hans Vonk
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Feb 28, 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Violin Concertos & Concerto for Violin and Oboe
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Sep 9, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Honegger/ Martinu/ Bach/ Pintscher/ Ravel
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Heinrich Schiff
Classical - Released by ECM New Series on Sep 5, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo