According to some earlier statements on this forum, Pollini's technique is overrated.
Overrated?? Here's a little bit of history. In 1960, at age 18, he won the Chopin Competition in Warsaw in which candidates have to present 4 of the Chopin Etudes. Pollini choose (in this order): op. 25/10; op. 25/11; op 10/1; op 10/10.
To play 95% of all of the 1203 notes of the RH in 10/1 accurately at the indicated speed is already an incredible, near miraculous achivement (no wonder Horowitz considered it the most difficult of all the chopin etudes). How many notes did Pollini miss in his Warsaw competition performance? Half a dozen. About 10 years ago I heard him live, playing Stravinsky's even harder Petrushka. It was just a breathtaking performance, impetuous and incredibly accurate at the same time. No, I am sorry, Pollini has been one of the greatest technicians of the 20th century.
That today, at the age of 64, he is no longer the master he used to be can hardly be held against him. Also, he was and is capricious, some of his performances are really bad. But then, the same thing could be said of many legendary pianists including Richter. It does not change my earlier statement.
Topic: Pollini's technique overrated?