However, the conductor was quick to state that he felt Zimerman’s image alone should adorn this Bernstein centenary release. The idea of using an archive photo of the pianist and composer together was soon dismissed – although these pictures conveyed the connection between the two men, they were associated with earlier projects and very different repertoire.
And so the final album cover turns the spotlight on Zimerman. So much so, in fact, that he seems to be within touching distance of us. A tiny graphic detail – the way in which the pianist’s hair is drawn, slightly overlapping the yellow of the cartouche – creates a kind of optical illusion, suggesting Zimerman is in the same space as the viewer. The shimmering Op Art-inspired background adds to the cover’s captivating qualities. The portrait of the pianist used as a basis for this striking graphic adaptation is the work of photographer Bartek Barczyk.
The image’s real impact comes from graphic designer Fred Münzmaier’s decision to limit his palette to the “non-colours” of black, white and grey. Zimerman’s head stands out in commanding fashion from the wallpaper-like background, its stripes reminiscent of a piano keyboard. The starkness of the design is softened by the sense of movement given to hair and beard. Last but not least, the pianist’s dark glasses give this portrait a cool, contemporary touch. And further proof that shades are popular with the world’s best classical musicians as well as with rock stars can be seen in another great example from the DG archives – the shot of Giuliano Carmignola used on the cover of his Vivaldi con moto album.