besides my teacher, of all the people i've seen play i like a student/collegue from university of alaska the best. beverly holt. she played chopin with fire and grace. her hands were kind of 'fluid.' i've never seen anyone else's hands or renditions of chopin any better. the strange thing is that i don't think she's a concert pianist today, but a very high caliber teacher, soloist, and accompanist at st. francis college.
www.stfrancis.edu/news/spring03schola.htmi believe she is the beverly holt accompanying john barrowman live in belgium at
www.dresscircle.co.uk as well as other high profile vocalists. if you live in illinois, i would recommend her as a piano teacher.
always thought claudio arrau would be a graceful person to watch as well as hear. i never heard him live, but thought his playing had class.
i generally don't like to watch 'flashy' players, even though i still enjoyed Andre Watts interpretations. many of his hand movements seem unnecessary to gaining the same sounds today with less movement. some of his movements may be to promote flexibility and his hands/wrists not locking up.
richter is probably a bore to watch, but a delight to listen to. sometimes, it's not the hand movements, but the sounds. glen gould (though i don't like all his interpretations, just some) was pretty close to the keys as well.
john browning seems inbetween. as well as barry douglas. and, many others who conciously let the piano talk and try not to intervene much in the sound. hands and feet probably go together - as it is a delight also to watch my teacher, carl cranmer, very little foot movemnent - but fast and flexible. you see some people stomp and it is very distracting. murray perahia is my favorite for mozart, definately, and his hand movements are perfect.
Topic: Favorite hands to watch?