Players you can recognise after only hearing a few notes?

[sevencircles]

What pianists can you recognise after hearing only a couple of notes of any piece on any piano?

[shasta]

***Assuming all the pianists each played the exact same piece***

Hmmmm, maybe for me:

*Pascal Roge, because his touch is so feathery and silky.

*Ailica De Larrocha, because her rubato is so exquisitely unique and her rhythms are so brilliant and crisp.

[tompilk]

Probably Horowitz because he is a exciting and energetic player. He wields and uses energy in the most musical (and unusual) way - and he can also play calmer bits just as well!!! He plays music how I think it should be played (especially Rachmaninov) and thats why he's my favourite pianist.

[stevie]

john rusnak, because theyre all wrong

[justliam]

Les Dawson

[thalbergmad]

Les Dawson

Superb answer

[da jake]

ho, g, hoff

[stevie]

cziffra, being my favourite pianist and all, i can recognise him a mile off, and noone can imitate him. a genius if there ever was one.

[ranakor]

myself: because of all the mistakes , overly fast playing , interpretation errors , uneveness

[burstroman]

Arrau, De Larrocha, R. Serkin, Gould, each has an identifiable touch.

[piazzo23]

Argerich´s accents, phrasing when singing, legato.

Ashkenazy´s pedaling, rubato and huge subito dynamic changes, dynamic range.

Richter´s perfect rhythm.

Zimerman´s pianissimo and light touch.

[rob47]

myself: because of all the mistakes , overly fast playing , interpretation errors , uneveness

hahaha i completely agree

however:

Horowitz, Cziffra, within seconds.

Hamelin, Rubinstein most of the time and Rachmaninoff when he plays his own works.

[Waldszenen]

Horowitz, and only because of his tin-can piano sound.

[gruffalo]

i loved Nikhail Rudy's recordings of the Rachmaninov concertos. he plays them so crisp. i have heard other recordings and they are either too rushed or too slow or back to front but Rudy's ones are just perfect.

[Bouter Boogie]

myself: because of all the mistakes , overly fast playing , interpretation errors , uneveness

Haha, I agree

I'd probably go for Horowitz or Richter.

[brewtality]

I reckon I could spot the playing of Horowitz, Gould, Hofmann, Gilels, Rubinstein, Rachmaninoff and Cziffra. All had their own tone and style which makes them stand out to my ears. Also Ashkenazy in some of his later recordings (rach concerti) on account of the harsh and brittle tone.

[stevie]

hahaha i completely agree

however:

Horowitz, Cziffra, within seconds.

Hamelin, Rubinstein most of the time and Rachmaninoff when he plays his own works.

its interesting that you mention hamelin, because he is kind of famous for trying to have no musical personality, and to be as pure to the composers intentions as possible.

in reality, he has a style, and its basically very clean and elegant in most places. very smooth.

but when it comes to alkan, in particular the concerto, anyone can recognise its him because noone else can play it with as much technical command and precision, and SPEED(in the finale!  )

[pseudopianist]

David Helfgott 

[princessdecadence]

Gould because he would start to hum after the second note