Pianists from the last 20 years

[mrdaveux]

So, we all know the big legends of the XX, even XIX century. If I were to ask for the greatest pianists from the first 20 years of the XX, we all would have the same names : Rosenthal, Hoffman, Rachmaninoff, De Pachmann, Cortot etc. These are legends.

It is much more difficult, though, to assess one's own time objectively. Let's take the past 20 years. What pianists will pass on to legendary status from the turn of the XX to the XXI century? 100 years from today, who will be remembered as wonders of the piano?

Obviously, we all have our preferences, but can we judge on somebody's merit from an universal point of view? What pianists of today do you think unmistakably deserve legendary status for the generations to come? Please do not include the ones that, although alive, have already entered the musical pantheon (such as Argerich) and refrain from giving names that are just fashionable at this time but still need to prove their worthiness (such as Lang Lang). Only include today's pianist that, even though might be famous (or not), are not legendary yet, but you think will be remembered many years after they have passed away. Here is the only one I can think of :

Pletnev

[spirithorn]

Perahia, Pollini, maybe Asheknazy.

[brahmsian]

I second Pollini and Pletnev.

Maybe Hamelin, Angela Hewitt (?) ,Yundi Li

[arensky]

Leif Ove Andsnes, Mikhail Pletnev, Boris Berman, Yakov Kasman, Lang Lang (I believe he will prevail ), Marc Andre Hamelin. These pianists come immediately to mind.

[stevie]

fo sho

[arensky]

Perahia, Pollini, maybe Asheknazy.

Not to quibble (but I am   ) but Ashkenazy and Pollini are from the last 40 years (they came out of the 60's) and Perhaia is from the last 30 years, he was well established by 1976.

Just keeping our timelines straight; when did Hamelin happen? I first heard him on the radio about ten years ago, and don't know much about him except that he is an EXTRAORDINARY pianist as good as any in history...

[stevie]

also fo sho

[arensky]

Ah yes, da Ivo,(how could I forget) da Boris(?) and who is da pregnant cat in da suit at da 100 year old Steinway?

[stevie]

da DOC

and da WHALE(boris) hasnt quite made it yet, hes amazing and everything, but i cant rank him among the greatest piansits of all time just yet, hes still in his 30s anyway.

gavrilov just turned 50, and ivo will be 50 in a couple years too...time flies, randomly.

and kissin, if anyone mentions him...i dont think he deserves to be among this elite group, not yet at least.

[ted]

Jarrett, I think, will be remembered for much longer than most because he has done something essentially new. Or, to be more precise ,what he does isn't strictly speaking new in itself, but its popularity and legitimacy are.

[mikey6]

Zimerman!!!! - from the 70's. Radu lupu? not sure when he came into the spotlight, mabye a bit earlier.

[Waldszenen]

Pollini, Perahia, Pletnev, Lupu, Volodos

[practicingnow]

I'll say Lang

[rob47]

true

[demented cow]

I think Dimitris Sgouros should be mentioned:
www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=224895
www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,6129.0.html

He did some technically and musically brainmelting performances in Australia as a teenager in 1988. Rubinstein called him the best pianist he had ever heard. The only problem is that it all came too easily to this once-in-a-century genius and he apparently gets bored with the piano, sometimes producing lazy performances, and he'd rather be a conductor.

[mikey6]

Isn't Sgouros a laywer now?