In the Catalan capital, Pollini was recognized not only as a pianist but as a defining voice of classical music. Ibercamera, the city’s premier showcases, had highlighted a spring return to the Palau de la Música with the ensembles that accompanied his career. A sudden health setback forced February cancellation after a severe respiratory infection was diagnosed. The news landed hard. The anticipated program—Bach, Schumann, Chopin—would not resume. This morning, the maestro died in Milan at 82. The Teatro alla Scala announced the passing and will host the lying-in-state, a final honor befitting a pianist whose repertoire shaped generations with breadth and depth. In recent years his health problems, especially cardiovascular issues, had gradually reduced public appearances.
Pollini emerged as a prodigy at the Milan Conservatory, studying piano and composition. Fame arrived after winning the Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1960, lauded by the legendary Arthur Rubinstein. He continued expanding his musical horizons, refining his approach under Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. This lineage mattered because Pollini carried a tradition that spoke directly to the composers he revered. In performances, fidelity to the score was paramount, never tipping into exaggeration or mere virtuosity.
His career led him to the world’s most prestigious stages, both in solo recitals and with top orchestras led by conductors who competed to share his program. Names such as Karajan, Mehta, Serpico, Schippers, Celibidache, Abbado, and Böhm populate the annals of his story. Pollini’s artistry traversed continents—from the Americas to Asia—while his discography grew into a lasting legacy. Initially with EMI and then from 1972 with Deutsche Grammophon, a substantial portion of his repertoire found renewed life through reissues. Alongside Chopin and Beethoven, he embraced works by Mozart, Liszt, Brahms, Bartók, and Debussy. Yet his devotion to 20th-century piano music stood out, as he breathed new energy into Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Webern, Boulez, Stockhausen, and Nono, shaping how modern keyboard music is heard and understood.
Pasión por la dirección
Always restless, he explored chamber music deeply and took the podium, making orchestra leadership another ardent interest. A cultivated mind, he was fascinated by art, gastronomy, and culture in its many forms—so much so that he once considered studying physics. His reputation as an intellectual with a keen eye for the small details of daily life accompanied him throughout his life, endearing him to audiences who valued the quiet power of thoughtful interpretation.
In Barcelona, Pollini’s Ibercamera appearances became part of musical history for his steadfast devotion to the audience and the craft. His concerts fostered an electric atmosphere—moments of stillness and moments when the maestro deftly quieted even troublesome coughs with practiced, nearly invisible control. He remained famously generous with encores, sometimes offering a half-dozen challenging pieces, a generosity that delighted listeners and reinforced his status as a piano titan. The press, after each appearance, captured moments with phrases like unforgettable memory, generosity, poetry, and lyricism. The enduring sentiment was clear: a piano titan who left an indelible imprint on listeners and the cities that welcomed him.
Married to pianist Marilisa Marzotto, a Benedetti Michelangeli alumna like Pollini, he was also father to Daniele Pollini, a pianist and contemporary composer who continues the family’s musical lineage. Pollini’s life—based on relentless practice, deep musical curiosity, and a generous, collaborative spirit—left behind a body of work that inspires students, fellow performers, and listeners worldwide. His influence endures not only through the notes he played but through the conversations he sparked about how to listen to music, how to approach a score, and how to connect with audiences across cultures and generations.
In the wake of his passing, the music world reflects on a career defined by discipline, intellect, and a profound respect for the composers who shaped his voice. Pollini’s recordings remain touchstones for pianists and music lovers alike, offering a blueprint for interpreting some of the most challenging and beloved works in piano literature. His legacy persists through the many students who studied his approach to tone, clarity, and form, and through the numerous concerts remembered for the quiet power of his performance. The echoes of his playing—clear and emotionally precise—continue to guide today’s pianists as they navigate the vast landscape of classical music and its modern successors.
Casado con la también pianista Marilisa Marzotto, alumna de Benedetti Michelangeli como él, era padre del pianista y compositor contemporáneo Daniele Pollini.