random pianistic question thing! contribute

[stevie]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

12 - what is your fave concerto?

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

14 - how fast can you play?

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

19 - name your top 5 pianists

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

21 -  name your fave piano composer


yes, random, yes pointless,  yesssssssssss, wuuuuuu

giove me more interesting questions and i may add them

[bella musica]

Dear me, have we already sunk to the level of MySpace?

1 - who is your pianistic idol? Martha Argerich.

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?  Hmm... best I've heard: Endre Hegedus.  Most famous: Lang Lang

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?  No clue.

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?  Mostly play repertoire.

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?  Mostly repertoire.

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?  I don't know, maybe when I was 7 or 8.

7 - when did you start playing the piano?  My Mom says when I was 4. 

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?  I love Argerich.  She is my heroine.

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?  Let's see... I have so many I'll just pick one out of the hat.  Schuberts Symphony No. 8 'Unfinished'.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?  GAH!!!  How do you expect me to answer that?  Currently I'm learning L'Isle Joyeuse... that one is really cool...  Also all of the Chopin Scherzi and Ballades... anything Prokofiev...

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?  Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor.

12 - what is your fave concerto?  I think Prokofiev 3 or Bartok 3.  Also Beethoven 3, 4, and 5.  And Schumann and Greig.

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?  Probably Chopin Scherzi 1 and 2, Ballade No. 1; Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 (just the first movement so far); Liszt Gnomenreigen...

14 - how fast can you play?  What is this supposed to mean?  Scales or repertoire...?

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?  Anything I can't do impresses me.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?  While I am against break dancing on the piano bench, I have to respect someone who can play a heck of a lot better than I can.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?  Technical ability, but then, I've only heard him play one piece.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?  Best musicality.  Technique can be learned, but if you can't express anything, what's the good of it?

19 - name your top 5 pianists.  Martha Argerich, Murray Perahia, Daniel Barenboim, Dame Myra Hess, Radu Lupu

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly.  Vladimir Horowitz, Gina Bachauer, Yefim Bronfman, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Elizabeth Leonskaya.  I know there are a lot more better ones out there but either I haven't heard them yet or they don't come to mind right now.

21 -  name your fave piano composer.  Chopin and Prokofiev.

[pianowolfi]

Ok ok asking holes in our stomach.......

Puuuuuuh *deeeep breath*

1 - who is your pianistic idol?       difficult to say. maybe Arrau, Horowitz

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?      Scherbakov

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?      Keith Jarrett

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?        Play rep.

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?     Some exercises might be helpful, try to make up my own ones, when I think I need some

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?      From the beginning of my life cos' my dad used to play the piano

7 - when did you start playing the piano?      At 11

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?      Queen

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?     Rach 2nd Symphony

10 - what is your fave solo piano work? Rach 1st Sonata

11 - what is your fave chamber music work? Differs. Currently Janacek Violin Sonata, Schubert trio Bb Maj

12 - what is your fave concerto?      Rach2

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play? Beethoven op. 111

14 - how fast can you play?            haven't measured maximum yet

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?           No, makes me depressed

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?     Neither nor. we need also people like him who do a lot of show off to make classical music more popular

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?    first

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality? Can't separate them

19 - name your top 5 pianists Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninoff (but just when he plays his own compositions), Gilels, Horowitz

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly        Berezowsky, Scherbakov, Zimerman, Warren Thew, Richter (though he frightens me sometimes) Brendel, Bolet, Kempff, Gieseking, Serkin, Fischer, oh, too many...

21 -  name your fave piano composer Rachmaninoff


22 name your fav instrument else than piano:     Cello

yes, random, yes pointless,  yesssssssssss, wuuuuuu

Yeaaaahhhh, hhaahhaahhhaaaaaa randomly!!!!!!!!!!

[Motrax]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

Richter, because every motion he makes makes perfect sense to me.

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

Olga Kern is my favorite who I've met, although Kissin is probably the "greatest."

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

A mix. Mostly repertoire, but I do improvise when I'm tired of practicing (which occurs almost every day at the end of my practice sessions). I don't improvise for other people, however, as I'm not very good at it. 

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

A mix of both, leaning on the repertoire side. I practice scales and a few specific Dohnanyi excercises, but I rarely practice these more than 10 or 20 minutes a day. I believe that there are enough musical etudes out there that one needs not spend much (if any) time on exercises. Scales help me with warming up and sight-reading, and Dohnanyi keeps my double-notes (in both hands) at a respectable level when I don't have double-notes in my repertoire.

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

About 5 or 6 years ago.

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

14 years ago.

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

I don't really know enough popular music to say for sure, but I always love the Beatles.

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

Mahler 9... but I'd give a different answer to this question depending on the time of day.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

I can't even begin to answer this...

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Ravel's String Quartet, but again, there are a hundred or so other works that I'd be able to claim as my favorite.

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Barber Violin Concerto, Rachmaninoff Piano concertos 2, 3, and 4... eh, way too many to list.

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

Probably Chopin's "Winter Wind" etude (Op. 25 No. 11). Or 10-1, or 25-6, depending on who you ask. Although 25-6 is in a very deplorable condition right now. 

14 - how fast can you play?

As fast as my mind can think.

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

Slightly. It gets old really fast though. I love a showy crowd-pleasing encore as much as the next person, but I can only stand 5 or 10 minutes of it before the yawning sets in.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

I'm not "pro" or "anti" anybody. It's a person's actions I'm against, and I must say that from what I've heard and seen, I find almost none of Lang Lang's output worth paying attention to. If he didn't have his mannerisms to distinguish him, I doubt so many people would know his name.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

Cziffra's technical ability, but only because his musical ability is relatively lacking. I don't think Cziffra was the greatest technician ever, and I don't think he was the greatest musician ever. He tends to rush and get carried away - however, I've heard nothing beyond his Transcendental Etudes, Rach 2, and Liszt concerti, and Grand Galop Chromatique (the video). I would like to hear some other recordings of his sometime, although my "list of things to listen to" is quite long, and Cziffra's somewhere at the bottom of that list.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

Neither... I'm happy with my lot in life.

19 - name your top 5 pianists

(In no particular order)
Michelangeli
Kapell
Rachamninoff
Pogorelich (just to name someone who's still alive)
Horowitz

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Rubinstein
Gould
Arrau
Cartot
Judd

(there're 20 or so other pianists who I find equally great... these just came to mind first)

[pita bread]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

Horowitz

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

Ax, Bronfman, Lang Lang, Thibaudet

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

Sean Chen

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

Repertoire

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

Making exercises out of technical bits in repertoire

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

Age 16

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

Age 9

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

At the Drive-In, The Mars Volta, Thursday, Advanced Placement, Death Cab for Cutie

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

The Mars Volta - Eriatarka

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Dutilleux - Sonatina for Flute and Piano

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Barber - Piano Concerto Op. 38

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

Chopin - 25/6

14 - how fast can you play?

Quite fast, as long as we're only talking about leaps, 3-4-5 chromatics, and 2nds/3rds/6ths, LH octaves

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

Only when I'm on an adrenaline rush

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

Pro. I'd rather witness a ridiculous performance than a boring one.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

Intensely dramatic musical ability

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

It's near pointless to have the best musicality if you don't have the technique enabling you to say what you want to say.

19 - name your top 5 pianists

Horowitz
Gavrilov (his messy but insane live Scarbo is the only one that scares the sh*t out of me)
Ogdon
Pogorelich
Kimura-Parker

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Argerich
Powell
Aimard
Hamelin
Gould

21 -  name your favorite piano composer

Barber and Ravel

[brewtality]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

Josef Hofmann; possibly the most perfect pianist in recorded history.

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

I haven't met any, not even one since I live in a hole of a country.

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

beats me

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

repetoire, although I am starting to play through transcriptions of non piano music, they are still very amateurish.

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

repetoire, since exercises don't help since I lack the patience to see anything through.

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

2002, although I didn't become a 'pianophile' until 2004.

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

at 4 I started learning violin and piano but hated both and only got up to AMEB 6th grade piano before I quit.

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

too many to name, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, Randy Rhoads. I also love musicals: Rogers and Hammerstein, old hollywood musicals like Gentlemen prefer Blondes, Singin' in the Rain etc and G & S Operettas.

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

from the classical repetoire maybe the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, from popular music too many to name.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

at the moment liszt TE 6 'vision'.

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Tchaikovsky trio

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Rach 1, Henselt and Rubinstein 3rd

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

Probably Rach 1 although it is still 'under construction'.

14 - how fast can you play?

I haven't yet mastered the ability to time myself while holding a stopwatch in my mouth, when I do I'll let you know...

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

Sure, but it can get boring. It depends on how transcendental the virtuosity.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

indifferent, I haven't heard enough of him to judge him fairly yet.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

The latter, anyone who thinks he is a musical airhead doesn't know what they are talking about. Also technically I am more impressed by Hamelin and Hofmann, although certainly Cziffra was a super virtuoso.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

Technique, because it is easier to develop musicality.

19 - name your top 5 pianists

1) Josef Hofmann
2) Sergio Fiorentino
3) Vladimir Horowitz
3) Gyorgy Cziffra
5) Alfred Cortot

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

in no particular order

Ernst Levy
Emil Gilels
Arrau
Rubinstein
Rachmaninoff. Probably left off a heap more I feel equally about.

21 -  name your fave piano composer

Chopin.

[pabst]

1 - who is your pianistic idol? Nelson Freire

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met? Nelson Freire and Martha Argerich

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano? Not a big improv fan

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both? Mainly rep, but I do write things down that I want to try in the piano later, don't think that classifies as "improv"

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills? exercises couldnt be farther from the truth

6 - when did you start listening to piano music? some three years ago, was 17

7 - when did you start playing the piano? some two years ago

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group? probably Chico Buarque or Chavela Vargas

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work? The complete cycle of Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras, non stop on full volume

10 - what is your fave solo piano work? Scriabin 4th

11 - what is your fave chamber music work? Every single Beethoven and Schubert String quartets

12 - what is your fave concerto? Villa-Lobos 1st

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play? Probably Chopin 10-8, or 10-12 if you think thats harder (which i don't)

14 - how fast can you play? haha depends on the amount of coffee in my blood stream

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you? barely

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang? humm, tasteless, but does bring classical music to mindless teens and folks all around

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability? both

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality? i dont see a distinction

19 - name your top 5 pianists Freire Richter Gilels Novaes Tagliaferro

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly Hofmann Haskil Lipatti, etc

21 -  name your fave piano composer does bach count?


most boring results ever 

[bella musica]

Drat!  I forgot about Artur Rubinstein when I was listing my favorite pianists! 

[ted]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?
I don't have a single idol. I admire very many.
2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
I have never met a pianist who is considered great or anywhere near it.
3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
Jarrett comes to mind, but there are probably very many just as good who do not play publicly to the same extent.
4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
Improvise, but I have a small repertoire
5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
I use my practice clavier for a few minutes a day. Aside from that no exercises.
6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
Piano music was always in the house because my father played.
7 - when did you start playing the piano?
I fiddled about at the piano when very young, but nothing which could be called real playing until I was about seven.
8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
The Seekers
9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
Too many to single one out. Delius's Song of Summer would be close.
10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
Impossible to answer
11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
Ashamed to admit I've hardly heard any chamber music.
12 - what is your fave concerto?
Don't really like any of them that much. Isolated movements perhaps.
13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
Conventionally, Mazeppa I suppose, but I find the Waller solos just as hard. Come to think of it I find most things hard !
14 - how fast can you play?
Quite fast; I've always had a fatal facility for that. I've slowed down recently though.
15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
Yes.
16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
His playing as opposed to his personality and antics ? From the little I've heard I rather like it.
17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
His technical ability.
18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
Musicality.
19 - name your top 5 pianists
Again, just too hard to answer because I like so many. Alive or dead ? Waller, Jarrett, Mary Lou Williams, Peter Jacobs, Arrau,  .... not always well known ones.
20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
David Roberts, Angela Hewitt, Scott Kirby, Cziffra, John Arpin...
21 -  name your fave piano composer
David Thomas Roberts at the moment, but I change all the time.

[e60m5]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

Sergio Fiorentino

Living: Krystian Zimerman

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

Taking "met" to mean something along the lines of "talked with one on one for more than 5 minutes", Stephen Hough

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

I find it hard to make that judgment call, but from what I have heard, Art Tatum blows me away.

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

Repertoire

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

Neither; my view is slightly more complex than this

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

4

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

4

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

Impossible to answer

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

Rachmaninov - Symphony no.2; Tchaikovsky - Violin COncerto Op.35; Tchaikovsky - Symphony no.5

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

Impossible to answer

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Tchaikovsky - Piano Trio

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Impossible to answer

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

Answering from my perspective - I don't know
Answering from the likely perspective of others - Alkan Concerto for Solo Piano; Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no.3; Liszt Don Juan

14 - how fast can you play?

As fast as I need to

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

Yes

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

Pro

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

Do you really think them separable?

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

Best technique

19 - name your top 5 pianists

Fiorentino
Zimerman
Gilels
Hofmann
Cziffra

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Hamelin
Hough
Richter
Wunder
Horowitz

21 -  name your fave piano composer

Impossible to answer

[musicsdarkangel]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

da Ashk

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

da Campbell

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

Chicccccc oooreeaaa

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

mozly rep

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

exercizes improve any pregnant cat

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

when i wuz 59

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

wen i wuz 63

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

mariah carey, hottttt

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

ahahaha Stevie u and CG, genius

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

Ravel, Gaspard de la sheet

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Dvoreeeyak f min trio

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Rock 3

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

my peniz

14 - how fast can you play?

fazt

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

fuk yea

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

in midd

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

hmmmmmmm

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

tech

19 - name your top 5 pianists

da Ashk, da Ohlsson, da Clitburn, Kobra, Campbell.

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Alicia keys, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wunder, Carey SPoieO, Claudio Arrau

21 -  name your fave piano composer

ROCK

[stevie]

time for mine :

1 - who is your pianistic idol?
Cziffra
2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
Hamelin
3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
Cziffra all-round, but tatum specifically in jazz
4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
mix
5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
i do believe in exercises, but not in a conventional way
6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
at the end of 2000/start of 2001 i bought a random 5cd compilation
7 - when did you start playing the piano?
hard to say, i touched it a few times when i was 16, more when i was 17, but really started about 18
8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
metallica
9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
mahler 2nd symphony, listen to it to see why
10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
alkan symphony for solo piano, with honourable mention to liszt polonaise no1
11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
Tchaikosvsky trio, but horourable mention to brahms quintet
12 - what is your fave concerto?
alkan solo, if allowed, but if not - prokofiev 2 right now
13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
fluidly? still 25/12
14 - how fast can you play?
observe my recordings...and like the universe, my tech is expanding 
15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
undoubtedly
16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
pro, naturally
17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
this is hard to say, since i still think his tech was among the greatest in history, but i feel it has at least been equalled, whereas in my belief his musicality hasnt, so im forced to choose musicality, if indeed they are seperable.
18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
best technique ; i believe there is no such thing as best musicality, and with the best technique in the world id be free to do what i want with MY sense of musicality, which is to say; my musical taste.
19 - name your top 5 pianists
Cziffra, Gavrilov, Horowitz, Hamelin, Fiorentino.
20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
Richter, Lang Lang, Wunder, Rachmaninov, myself when my tech is developed hopefully
21 -  name your fave piano composer
Alkan

[infectedmushroom]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?
     Berezovsky

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
     Kissin

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
     Cziffra

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
     Improvise

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
     Exercises

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
     Around 2005

7 - when did you start playing the piano?
     7/8 months ago

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
     Enigma

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
     I don't really have "one" favourite

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
       Scriabin Etude Op. 8 No. 12 in D minor

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
       I don't really have one

12 - what is your fave concerto?
       Liszt Piano Concerto No. 2

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
       Chopin Prelude Op. 28 No. 22 (that's hard for me)

14 - how fast can you play?
       I'm not so fast in playing scales, but I can play octaves quite fast

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
       Yes

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
       Pro... Despite his weird face expressions; I think Lang Lang is a great Pianist and     performer

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
       It impresses me more when I see Cziffra's technical abilities, though, I prefer listening to great musical abilities

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
       Musicality, of course.

19 - name your top 5 pianists
       Berezovsky
       Cziffra
       Kissin
       Yundi Li
       Wunder

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
       Mei-Ting Sun
       Richter
       Tiempo
       Horowitz
       Osaki

21 -  name your fave piano composer
        Classical: Scriabin

        Fave composer living today: Nobuo Uematsu

[mephisto]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

Hamelin

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

Andsnes

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

Cziffra. Tatum for Jazz.

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

Primarily reperortoire, but some impr.

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

I have no idea. But I don`t play execises.

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

When I was 15(I became aware of its greatness)

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

7

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

Pink Floyd. Simon and Garfunkel.

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

Beethoven 5th symphony.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

Liszt Sonata pluss Ornstein 8th sonata

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Bartok sonata for violin and piano.

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Beethoven 3, Brahms 1, Bartok 2, Chopin 1

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

Hamelin etude no6, Bach fugue in a minor.

14 - how fast can you play?

I don`t know.

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

Yes.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

I have no oppinion.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

Mixture.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

Best technique.

19 - name your top 5 pianists

Rubinstein, Horowitz, Michelangeli, Pollini, Gilels

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Richter, Backhaus, Hamelin, Friedman, Moiseiwitsch(I have to stress that I love A LOT MORE pianists than this)

21 -  name your fave piano composer

Impossible to answer, but: Chopin, Liszt, Alkan, Beethoven, SCRIABIN, Prokofiev, ORNSTEIN, Feinberg, Messiaen etc

[Mozartian]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

The ones I'd like to play most like are Dinu Lipatti and Clara Haskil- with a judicious sprinkling of Gould, haha.

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

one of my teachers, a professor, and jlh.

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

Cziffra

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

Repertoire, although I attempt improvisation regularly.

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

I believe that repertoire covers all technical skills necessary, however, I do believe that exercises, used wisely, can be beneficial.

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

erm, I remember Chopin's 9/2 nocturne when I was very small,  I've pretty much always listened to piano music.

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

I was 9, I think.

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

..um.. Enya, I suppose. Some of her stuff is uber lovely.

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

Beethoven's 7th symphony, Moz Jupiter symphony and Requiem, etc.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

...wow ummmm... at the moment, it would be Davidsbundlertanze (Schumann)

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Schumann's quintett

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Chopin's 1st PC and Beethoven's Emperor PC

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

..um.. I guess my bachtoc (BWV 911 c minor)

14 - how fast can you play?

bwahaha, as fast as need be (doesn't mean it sounds good)

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

wth does that mean? I consider virtuosity to include profound musicality, so yes, it does.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

I'm a lang lang atheist.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

To me they're inseperable, BUT- I'm terribly envious of his technique, so I'd say that.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

the latter

19 - name your top 5 pianists

Kapell, Lipatti, Gould, Fiorentino, Haskil, and Cziffra (yes, I know that's 6, but oh well )

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Michelangeli, Cortot, Rubenstein, Zimerman

21 -  name your fave piano composer

Bach! and Schumann! and Mozart!

[berceuse]

1 - who is your pianistic idol? Francesco Libetta

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met? Leif Ove Andsnes, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Piotr Anderszewski

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano? Art Tatum

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both? mix

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
I am a big advocate of techincal exercises, except hanon

6 - when did you start listening to piano music? 5 years ago

7 - when did you start playing the piano? 10 years ago

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group? Not really pop but I enjoy jazz of John Coltrane, Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Etc.

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work? Classical: Rossini string sonatas. Jazz: A Love Supreme - John Coltrane

10 - what is your fave solo piano work? at this moment I would have to say Scriabin Polonaise Op.21 played by Vladimir Sofronitsky

11 - what is your fave chamber music work? dont have one

12 - what is your fave concerto? Moszkowski Piano Concerto in e major. I just love the scherzo

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play? A few Chopin etudes: 10/12, 25/2, 25/9

14 - how fast can you play? nothing groundbreaking

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you? depends on my mood but for the most part, yes

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang? anti, I can't stand him

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability? technical

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality? technique

19 - name your top 5 pianists
(no particular order) Emil Gilels, Vladimir Sofronitsky, Dinu Lipatti, Josef Lhevinne, Ferruccio Busoni

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
Vladimir de Pachmann, Ignaz Friedman, Rosita Renard, Benno Moiseiwitsch, Nelson Freire

21 -  name your fave piano composer
Chopin, Respighi, Scharwenka, Alkan, Busoni

[nicco]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?
Horowitz

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
Leif ove Andsnes, my teacher

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
Cziffra

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
Mix

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
Ive seen it happen - through repertoire

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
Age 12-13

7 - when did you start playing the piano?
Age 3 (according to certain family members)

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
System of a down (naturally)

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
non-piano? non-interresting

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
dante sonata, liszt sonata

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
Mendehlssohn piano trio

12 - what is your fave concerto?
Rachmaninov 1234

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
Liszt PC 1

14 - how fast can you play?
Super duper ultra fast

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
No

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
Anti

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
His way to combine them

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
Musicality, everybody has tech nowadays

19 - name your top 5 pianists
Horowitz, Richter, Andsnes, Argerich, Cziffra

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
Hamelin, Kissin, Lugansky, Gilels, Slåttebrekk, Zimerman, Yundi Li, Arrau

21 -  name your fave piano composer
Lisztmanihoven

[firebolt145]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?
Martha Algerich

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
Met? My teacher.

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
Cziffra

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
Mix

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
I believe in them, but also can be learnt through repertoire.

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
Since I was born.

7 - when did you start playing the piano?
4

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
Good Charlotte

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
Hmmm...Can't think of any ATM.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
Mephisto Waltz no1

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
Can't think of any.

12 - what is your fave concerto?
Tchaikovsky First / Rachmaninoff Second

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
Haven't practiced for ages...probably Mephisto Waltz or Rachmaninoff Third.

14 - how fast can you play?
Relatively fast.

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
Depends on how virtuosic.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
Anti.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
Musical.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
Best musicality. Technique can be learnt, musicality can't be.

19 - name your top 5 pianists
Uh...too many.

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
...-.-"

21 -  name your fave piano composer
Liszt/Chopin

[arensky]

1 - who is your pianistic idol? 
 
              Horowitz

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

              Horowitz

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

               Tatum

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both? 

               Both

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

Study of scales and arpeggios etc. are nessacary to obtain a good technique. I think exercises    such as Czerny/Hanaon et al are largely a waste of time. I might change my mind about that though...

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

      Age 2 or 3. My father is a pianist.

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

      Age 11 or 12.

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

      Jimi Hendrix

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

      Turandot

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

       Changes depending on my current interests and projects. This week, Chopin's
        Polonaise in c# minor Op.26 #1.

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

        As above; right now it's Mozart's Quintet for Piano and Winds.
             
12 - what is your fave concerto?

        Not working on any at the moment. Have been listening to the Bartok,
        Medtner, Chopin and Ginastera Concerti lately, and reading Chopin 1st and Medtner 1st.

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

        The "hardest" pieces I've performed are;

         SOLO: Schumann/Etudes Symphoniques, Ravel/Le Tombeau de Couperin,
                    Mussorgsky/Pictures at an Exhibition, Chopin/Ballade in g minor, Beethoven/
                     Sonata in A Op.101.

          CONCERTI: Rachmaninov 4th, Ravel Left Hand, Liszt 1st.

14 - how fast can you play?

                     Pretty fast. For example I played the Ravel Toccata and the coda to
                      Chopin's 1st Ballade at 144. I would not play the Chopin that fast now.
                      It sounds bad.

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

                      Depends on who is playing.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

                      Pro. He has some work to do, but don't we all?
                             Some of his playing is tasteless but he is an extraordinary talent.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

                            His musical ability. Without that, the technique would be pointless.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

                             Best musicality.

19 - name your top 5 pianists

                               Horowitz
                               Kappel
                               Hofmann
                               Argerich
                               Tatum

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

                                 Michelangeli
                                 Gould
                                 Richter
                                 de Larrocha
                                 Hamelin
                                 Casadesus

                               

21 -  name your fave piano composer

                                Chopin   

[nicco]

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

              Horowitz

You met horowitz?? what did he say 

[quantum]

1 - who is your pianistic idol? 
Murray Perahia

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
some of my teachers

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
Jarrett,  others as well...

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
an even mix of both

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
repertoire

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
when I was very little

7 - when did you start playing the piano?
Formal study at 9, seriously into classical music at 12 or so

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
ABBA

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
Beethoven 9th symphony

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
Undicided

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
maybe Beethoven Archduke trio

12 - what is your fave concerto?
Chopin E minor

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
maybe Scriabin 5th Sonata

14 - how fast can you play?
never bothered to measure

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
Yes

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
Pro

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
technical

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
musicality

19 - name your top 5 pianists
Murray Perahia
Angela Hewitt
Krystian Zimerman
Nicolai Demidenko
Vladimir Horowitz


20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
Glenn Gould
Antonin Kubalek
Marc Andre Hamelin
Dinu Lipatti
Vladimir Ashkenazy

21 -  name your fave piano composer
Chopin


yes, random, yes pointless,  yesssssssssss, wuuuuuu

giove me more interesting questions and i may add them

[pianistimo]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?  you mean that i'd want to follow around and watch their every move to glean knowledge?  probably my teacher carl cranmer.  i guess because you can ask questions, too.  sometimes just watching isn't enough.  idol can mean several things.  in the pianistic world what probably is a deciding factor is 'how much would you pay for a ticket to hear them?'  i'd pay $100. for hearing my teacher.  i think he's worth it.  several times i've heard him for FREE at the grandballroom near the kimmel center.  he is equally comfortable in a salon setting - which i like better (the ballroom) - so you can sit closer and hear better.

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?  met?  well, i'd like to meet barry douglas.  will that ever be possible?  i'd have to say my teacher again (and the teacher before that).  they are great to me because they share what they know.   jean-paul billaud was a great to me - because he personally knew some famous pianists (cortot, august de radwan, margarete long) and was from a previous era in piano.  graduated from the paris conservatory. 

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?  i heard a guy by the name of eutaneak kim who was either being being video clipped or did a really wild wild rendition of classical music clips all put together.  when i first heard it - i was angry that he'd turn everything into a sort of medley - but then after the fact  - i was amazed that he could keep going and going and going.  maybe it was clips itself - but it seemed there was no break.  the only thing i didn't like was the predictable forte, piano, forte, piano - and the forte's seemed very loud to me.

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?  i cannot improvise.  i am terrible in fact.  i can add to arrangements - or rearrange things.  mostly repertoire.

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?  both

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?  when very young.

7 - when did you start playing the piano? at 8 yrs.

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?  shania twain - 'that don't impress me much.'  ok.  i have to say that i used to listen to country music a lot and don't that much anymore.

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?  it would have to be an opera or vocal lieder of schumann with really great soloists.  i heard a really great baritone at the concert the other night who soloed in beethoven's 9th.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?  beethoven's waldstein

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?  i'm not a fan of chamber music unless it's really good and the strings sound 'golden.'  perhaps the better question is who's playing.  isn't there a quartet by the name of rassmusky?  or something.  i'd like to hear them.

12 - what is your fave concerto?  concerto for glass harmonica  or some concerto i heard for marimba.  surprisingly, i think some piano concertos are too predictable - but maybe leroy anderson's piano concerto would be my ultimate.

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?  chopin etude (thanks to my teacher).  hard is a relative term.  is it hard to sightread, techincally hard, interpretavely hard?- sometimes you think you play something really well and a teacher tells you you're way off.  i think it would mean something hard that you've mastered.  etudes i play in private.  i guess mozart's fantasy is something i'd play in public.

14 - how fast can you play? at the speed of light.

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?  no.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?  i don't think this is a fair question.  he is obviously talented.  he has a different focus in piano - showmanship.  but, many others do too.  is it wrong.  probably not if the general public likes it and pays him for it. 

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?  i've not heard cziffra that much.  i have heard pollini.  i would say of what i know, pollini impressed me both ways.  i do think it is possible to play fast and also bring a tremendous meaning to chopin or liszt.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?  both.  (not necessarily 'in the world'  but just excellent).

19 - name your top 5 pianists
pogorelich
murray peraiah
antonio pompa baldi
cassedesus
barry douglas

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
rudolph serkin
emil gilels
richter
arrau
john browning


21 -  name your fave piano composer  i don't really have a favorite.  just depends on my mood and what i feel like playing.  poulenc has become a great interest. so is barber.


yes, random, yes pointless,  yesssssssssss, wuuuuuu

giove me more interesting questions and i may add them

[arensky]

You met horowitz?? what did he say 

I asked him if he would sign an album cover for me, after a recital in 1979 in NYC.  It was a Seraphim reissuse of EMI recordings from the 30's, with a picture of him circa 30 years of age on the cover. He took the album and before signing it turned to Wanda, thumped his right index finger on the picture and muttered "Young! The young ones know this, how much longer?" He then signed the album, handed it back to me and asked  " What do you play now?" I stammered "Chopin Nocturne in c# minor op.27 #1 and Mozart Sonata in a minor, sir". Unsmilingly but not unpleasently he muttered  "Good" and turned to the next fan.

I went backstage again a year or so later and his speech was unintelligible, he sort of leered at me and touched me in a way that made me uncomfortable, if you know what I mean. He signed my programs and then Wanda cut him off after he touched me, and I had a pleasent 20 minute conversation with her while he joked around with his entourage, leering and cackling. Wanda and I talked about Connecticutt, musicians we knew who lived there, cats and had I thought about what I would do if my plans for a concert career fell through, it was a tough field and it was better to be a doctor or lawer than a waiter or cab driver. I told her that I would do something in music and that I would be all right. She was a very nice lady, not at all like the ogre and witch some writers have portrayed her as. After awhile I looked back towards Horowitz, he was still guffawing loudly and was completely attentive to his entourage, ignoring other fans who had come backstage. I said goodbye to Mrs. Horowitz, and left to catch my train back to Connecticutt.

Wanna hear about the time I met Martha Argerich? Much more interesting...

[da jake]

Yes Arensky! Good story, btw.

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

Rachmaninov

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

My teacher, heh

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

Rachmaninov, Gould, Horowitz, Tatum, Peterson

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

Repertoire, some improv

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

Repertoire cements and builds technique. But I don't think that basic techniques should be learned through repertoire like Chopin Etudes (i.e., finishing studies).

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

2002/2003

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

Sept/Oct 2004

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

The Beatles?

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

Mendelssohn Octet

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

Schubert B Flat Major Sonata

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Schubert Death & Maiden Quartet

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Brahms 2

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

Some tough Bach

14 - how fast can you play?

Not fast enough...yet

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

Yes, to a degree

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

Anti

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

Technical

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

Musicality

19 - name your top 5 pianists

Rachmaninov, Gould, Horowitz, Schnabel, Hofmann

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Moiseiwitsch, Friedman, Gilels, Tatum, Cortot

21 -  name your fave piano composer

Alkan

[arensky]

to Mrs. .

Wanna hear about the time I met Martha Argerich? Much more interesting...

I had just heard Rudolf Serkin play an extraordinary recital. The first half concluded with some Reger monstrosity, a giant loud and tedious set of variations, which he played to perfection and with great involvement and conviction. The Schubert "Wanderer Fantasy" after intermission was transcendental, don't expect to hear that played that well again.

So I went back to the green room (Symphony Hall in Boston) and he was mobbed with admirers waiting to shake his hand and congratulate him, including myself. I decided to wait, the line was long, so I ducked into an isolated hallway where there was an ashtray, and lit a cigarette. ( the bad old days... )

I turned around when I sensed there was someone behind me. Suddenly, I was face to face with Martha Argerich.    She must have been there already and I didn't notice her. She seemed to be hiding, wanting to avoid the crowd. Well, I was stupefied. This was one of my idols, and she is (was? 1981 or 82) even more striking and beautiful than in her photos. She was wearing a black dress, typically, and seemed very tall to me. I felt that I was looking up at her, and I am six feet tall. Then the conversation...

ARENSKY: (starstruck) Wow, you're Martha Argerich!!!   
MAESTRA: (deadpan) Yes. 
ARENSKY: (probably speaking too fast and excitedly) I have several of your recordings and I love them all particularly the Chopin Preludes and you played beautifully here last season are you coming again soon I can't wait I'll be there you're one of my favorite pianists.
MAESTRA: (getting cigarettes (french Galouises, filtered) from purse, removing one from package) Do you have a match or lighter?
ARENSKY: ( retrieves matchbox from jacket pocket) Of course! (strikes match, lights cigarette for his female idol)
MAESTRA: Thank you.

At this point Argerich stood back, inhaled the cigarette deeply and exhaled smoke. She said nothing, and I felt that I had made a very juvenile "fanlike" impression. I stepped back a little bit, not knowing what to say and not wanting to annoy her. I sensed that I had intruded on her privacy and desire to hide from the crowd. So we stood there smoking, not speaking. After about a minute...

MAESTRA: You are a pianist?
ARENSKY: Yes, I study at Boston University.
MAESTRA: My countryman Ginastera will be visiting there soon to lecture. You study with the brother of the conductor DiBonaventura?
ARENSKY: No, I study with Bela Nagy, Bartok's student, and his wife Linda.
MAESTRA: (looks puzzled, didn't know who they were perhaps) I see.
ARENSKY: (getting excited again having found a common topic) I just played the Danzas op.2 last year, they are wonderful.  Do you play them too? (instantly thinks "what a stupid thing to say")
MAESTRA: (deadpan) Yes.
ARENSKY: (extinguishing cigarette, feeling he should leave his idol alone) Perhaps you'll play them      here? You will be playing here in Boston again?
MAESTRA: I do not know yet.
ARENSKY: ( shakes her hand) I was a pleasure to meet you! I'll be at your next concert here!
MAESTRA: (smiling faintly) Thank you.

I went outside, and came back to shake Mr. Serkin's hand (it was really bony but strong. Martha's hand was not bony, it was large and had meat on it and was VERY strong; you could feel the power in it.) and offer my congratulations. As I turned around I was face to face to face with her again, she was with some yuppie guy (a manager or agent no doubt). She smiled, I smiled back, and then I left and caught the subway back to my dorm.

Well, that wasn't that interesting, sorry...        but it was for me! 

[da jake]

Well, you told it really well. I thought it was very interesting.

PS: you should have made a move. 

[desordre]

1 - who is your pianistic idol? Martha Argerich & Mitsuko Uchida (altough I don't believe the MM conspiracy)

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met? Martha Argerich

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both? Repertoire.

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills? Hmmm...If you have had a great piano teacher all the way, you probably never needed or need anything else. But who have this luck?

6 - when did you start listening to piano music? Actually, in my mother's womb.

7 - when did you start playing the piano? When I was 12.

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group? Radiohead.

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work? Today is the String Quartet opus 59 n. 1.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work? Today is the Fantasy K. 397

11 - what is your fave chamber music work? See question "number 9".

12 - what is your fave concerto? Today...hmmm...not much into concerts today...

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play? Mary had a little lamb

14 - how fast can you play? As fast as my fingers move.

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you? Let me answer with another question: Does the blank concrete on its own impress you?

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang? What a pointless question!

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability? What a very pointless question!!

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality? What an unbelievable pointless question!!!

19 - name your top 5 pianists: (no particular order) Martha Argerich, Mitsuko Uchida, Daniel Barenboim, Glenn Gould & Artur Pizarro

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Nelson Freire, Vladimir Ashkenazy & Cédric Tiberghien

21 -  name your fave piano composer: Today is Monsieur Claude Debussy.

[arensky]

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met? Martha Argerich

What did she say? 

[Waldszenen]

I really don't think anyone's going to sit around for an hour and read everyone's responses... but for the helluvit...

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

Vladimir Horowitz

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

Never met a famous pianist

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

Cziffra, even though his improvisations sounded like crap

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

Repertoire

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

You need both, eg Hanon exercises AND Chopin Etudes

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

Five years ago when I was 12

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

When I was nine, in 1997, February 11th

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

None in general

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

Brahms - Symphony No. 4

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

Debussy - Suite Bergamasque

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

Gimme any String Quartet by Mozart

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Brahms - Double Concerto

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

Liszt - Paganini Etude No. 3

14 - how fast can you play?

How long is a piece of string, nitwits?

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

Hell no

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

Anti

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

Musical ability

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

Best musicality - that's why Cortot is immortal yet Emil von Sauer is a textbook name

19 - name your top 5 pianists

Horowitz, Cortot, Richter, Rubinstein, Arrau

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Michelangeli, Hofmann, Gilels, Rachmaninoff, Schnabel, Bolet, Brendel, Cliburn, Cziffra, Janis.

21 -  name your fave piano composer

Schumann

[da jake]

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Brahms - Double Concerto

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

Liszt - Paganini Etude No. 3

14 - how fast can you play?

How long is a piece of string, nitwits?

I love the answer to number 14!

PS: you definitely need to check out the Bach Double Concerto (played by Jascha Heifetz). Mozart's is good. Brahms' is great. Bach's is out of this world.

[mephisto]

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Moiseiwitsch, Friedman, Gilels, Tatum, Cortot

Nice that someone else appreciates the genius of Moiseiwitsch.

[brewtality]

Nice that someone else appreciates the genius of Moiseiwitsch.

I like him too but Stevie only provided for our top 10. God, I just realise I left Friedman off my previous list. He is definitely in my top 10, probably number 6.

[tds]

I had just heard Rudolf Serkin play an extraordinary recital. The first half concluded with some Reger monstrosity, a giant loud and tedious set of variations, which he played to perfection and with great involvement and conviction. The Schubert "Wanderer Fantasy" after intermission was transcendental, don't expect to hear that played that well again.

So I went back to the green room (Symphony Hall in Boston) and he was mobbed with admirers waiting to shake his hand and congratulate him, including myself. I decided to wait, the line was long, so I ducked into an isolated hallway where there was an ashtray, and lit a cigarette. ( the bad old days... )

I turned around when I sensed there was someone behind me. Suddenly, I was face to face with Martha Argerich.    She must have been there already and I didn't notice her. She seemed to be hiding, wanting to avoid the crowd. Well, I was stupefied. This was one of my idols, and she is (was? 1981 or 82) even more striking and beautiful than in her photos. She was wearing a black dress, typically, and seemed very tall to me. I felt that I was looking up at her, and I am six feet tall. Then the conversation...

ARENSKY: (starstruck) Wow, you're Martha Argerich!!!   
MAESTRA: (deadpan) Yes. 
ARENSKY: (probably speaking too fast and excitedly) I have several of your recordings and I love them all particularly the Chopin Preludes and you played beautifully here last season are you coming again soon I can't wait I'll be there you're one of my favorite pianists.
MAESTRA: (getting cigarettes (french Galouises, filtered) from purse, removing one from package) Do you have a match or lighter?
ARENSKY: ( retrieves matchbox from jacket pocket) Of course! (strikes match, lights cigarette for his female idol)
MAESTRA: Thank you.

At this point Argerich stood back, inhaled the cigarette deeply and exhaled smoke. She said nothing, and I felt that I had made a very juvenile "fanlike" impression. I stepped back a little bit, not knowing what to say and not wanting to annoy her. I sensed that I had intruded on her privacy and desire to hide from the crowd. So we stood there smoking, not speaking. After about a minute...

MAESTRA: You are a pianist?
ARENSKY: Yes, I study at Boston University.
MAESTRA: My countryman Ginastera will be visiting there soon to lecture. You study with the brother of the conductor DiBonaventura?
ARENSKY: No, I study with Bela Nagy, Bartok's student, and his wife Linda.
MAESTRA: (looks puzzled, didn't know who they were perhaps) I see.
ARENSKY: (getting excited again having found a common topic) I just played the Danzas op.2 last year, they are wonderful.  Do you play them too? (instantly thinks "what a stupid thing to say")
MAESTRA: (deadpan) Yes.
ARENSKY: (extinguishing cigarette, feeling he should leave his idol alone) Perhaps you'll play them      here? You will be playing here in Boston again?
MAESTRA: I do not know yet.
ARENSKY: ( shakes her hand) I was a pleasure to meet you! I'll be at your next concert here!
MAESTRA: (smiling faintly) Thank you.

I went outside, and came back to shake Mr. Serkin's hand (it was really bony but strong. Martha's hand was not bony, it was large and had meat on it and was VERY strong; you could feel the power in it.) and offer my congratulations. As I turned around I was face to face to face with her again, she was with some yuppie guy (a manager or agent no doubt). She smiled, I smiled back, and then I left and caught the subway back to my dorm.

Well, that wasn't that interesting, sorry...        but it was for me! 

arensky, u know u so rock!

[kreso]

1-who is your pianistic idol?
    Richter, Pogorelich, Kissin, Cziffra, Horowitz

2-who is the greatest pianist youve met? Pogorelich, Andsnes, Lang Lang, Yuri Bashmet
   (violla) Mischa Maisky (cello) Nikolai Znaider (violin)

3-who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
   well from the past, some great composers and pianist like Liszt, Cziffra and Horowitz, 
   today maybe Volodos, but also a great number of jazz pianist and some people who
   are not popular but they can improvise on the every theme you gave to them

4-do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
   I play repertoire mostly, but for my pleasure I improvise at home

5-do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
   both-exercises can help you to improve some things in your repertoire

6-when did you start listening to piano music?
   very late-when I was 10 years old, first thing I've listen was Traumerie from 
   Kinderszenen by Schumann

7-when did you start playing the piano?
   also very late-with 12

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
    some singers and groups from Croatia (where I am from), then Eros Ramazotti, Robbie
    Williams, Elvis Preasly, Bon Jovi......

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
    Brahms Violin Sonata no.3 in d minor

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
    Chopin Ballades

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
     Brahms Piano Quintet in f minor op.34

12 - what is your fave concerto?
    Tchaikovsky Concerto no.1 in b flat minor and Brahms conestos and Beethoven 4th

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
    Liszt Hungarian Rapsody no.6

14 - how fast can you play?
     not so fast

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
      maybe sometimes when I listen for example such a great musicians like Horowitz or
      Cziffra

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
     pro Lang Lang!!!

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
     hmm, when you listen Cziffra of course that technical ability impressed you, but I'm
     maybe more impressed with  musical ability (for example in Pogorelich's playing)

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
     hmm maybe technique because I could play then whatever I want, but then the music   
     is the most important thing in my life, and I wouldn't like to play without feelings and
     emotions, so MUSICALITY RULES!!!

19 - name your top 5 pianists
     Richter, Pogorelich, Kissin, Horowitz, Cziffra

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
     Gilels, Argerich, Pletnev, Volodos, Michelangelli, Lang Lang, Zimerman, Gould,
     Rubinstein, Rachmaninov

21 -  name your fave piano composer
     Frederic Chopin

[Motrax]

Waldszenen, Brahms 4 is basically my favorite too! It's the first symphony I ever really enjoyed, and it has special significance for a number of reasons. It's an incredible piece in every respect!

Good story Arensky. I especially liked your use of smilies.

Olga Kern gave me her email and promised to give a me piano lesson any time I dropped by NYC, but she never replied to the email I sent her. Probably got lost in the tides of junk mail she gets. 

[desordre]

What did she say?

That was an honour to her...
I can't remember too much, 'cause I almost fainted.

[da jake]

Olga Kern gave me her email and promised to give a me piano lesson any time I dropped by NYC, but she never replied to the email I sent her. Probably got lost in the tides of junk mail she gets. 

- ENLARGE YOUR P....
- SUPPLEMENTS SUPPLEMENTS
- Hey SEXXXY!!!
- Hi Olga. Motrax here...
- GET 9 INCHES OF HARD...

*delete*

 

[el nino]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?
lang lang
2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
lang lang
3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
i dont think about that
4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
play repertoire
5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
b
6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
for my pleasure this year
7 - when did you start playing the piano?
at 8
8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
none
9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
also
10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
chopin op.23&66
11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
dunno
12 - what is your fave concerto?
chopin and rahmanjinov 2nd
13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
chopin 25/6,op.23,liszt hr12
14 - how fast can you play?
faster than you can think
15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
not at all
16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
pro who loves lang lang;)
17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
i dont like him very much
18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
b
19 - name your top 5 pianists
lang lang,yundi li,ivo pogorelić,rubinstein,zimerman
20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
sergio tiempo,dont have another favorite
21 -  name your fave piano composer
chopin

[tds]

- ENLARGE YOUR P....
- SUPPLEMENTS SUPPLEMENTS
- Hey SEXXXY!!!
- Hi Olga. Motrax here...
- GET 9 INCHES OF HARD...

*delete*

 

lmao

[steveie986]

1 - who is your pianistic idol? Glenn Gould

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met? A few kids at college

3 - the greatest improviser in history is Art Tatum

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both? Repertoire

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills? Repertoire & scales

6 - when did you start listening to piano music? 10

7 - when did you start playing the piano? 11

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group? none

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work? late Beethoven string quartets

10 - what is your fave solo piano work? Goldberg Variations, WTC

11 - what is your fave chamber music work? see 9

12 - what is your fave concerto? Concertos are merely "feel-good" music

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play? Art of the Fugue

14 - how fast can you play? Very very fast (and very badly)

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you? Silly question.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang? He's not all bad, but his range is severely limited.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability? Technical

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality? You are a very simple person.

19 - name your top 5 pianists: (no particular order) Glenn Gould, my left hand, my right hand, me, and myself

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly. my ten fingers

21 -  name your fave piano composer: J. S. Bach

[da jake]

Hey Steveie,

What Fugues do you play from the 1080? 

[Motrax]

- ENLARGE YOUR P....
- SUPPLEMENTS SUPPLEMENTS
- Hey SEXXXY!!!
- Hi Olga. Motrax here...
- GET 9 INCHES OF HARD...

*delete*

 

Haha!  Probably so... 

[chromatickler]

ARENSKY: (getting excited again having found a common topic) I just played the Danzas op.2 last year, they are wonderful.  Do you play them too? (instantly thinks "what a stupid thing to say")
MAESTRA: (deadpan) Yes.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA genius!

[mike_lang]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?
Pletnev

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
Emile Naoumoff, my teacher.  He can play fugues upside down, Chopin Etudes in opposite modes or other keys, sight read anything nearly, and play just about any concerto accompaniment from memory.

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
Keith Jarrett - whole concerts of improvisation.  I borrowed the Vienna concerts from the library and there are only two tracks, one of which is 42 minutes long.

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
Play repertoire, but I like to improvise with a few friends - keyboard, flute, and bass.

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
Repertoire covers all technical skills, but I do consider Chopin Etudes to be repertoire.  I will say, however, that the Brahms 51 are very helpful.

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
When I started playing.

7 - when did you start playing the piano?
Eight years old - I suppose that's a bit late.

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
Jason Mraz

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
I enjoy the Shostakovich symphonies on the whole.

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
Carl Vine sonata - seems to be a favorite among the 16 year olds in my studio.

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
Probably has to be the Mendelssohn B Minor trio.

12 - what is your fave concerto?
Prokofiev Second, if only for the climactic cadenza of the first movement.

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
I don't know - the Ravel toccata has been quite a bit of work, but is coming together.

14 - how fast can you play?
64th notes.  What an absurd question...

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
Sometimes - acrobatics are fun.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
I'm not anti-lang lang, but I think his head is in the wrong place.

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
He was of course very musically gifted, but his technical facility is a sight to behold.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
I don't think there is such a thing as the best musicality.  I would be happy with a very good technique which would allow me to play all sorts of great music, musically.  I believe strongly in CC Chang's philosophy that music and technique are inseparable.

19 - name your top 5 pianists
Richter, Gould, Argerich, Pogorelich, Moravec

21 -  name your fave piano composer
Ravel

[deja vu]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

martha argerich, definately

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

either noriko ogawa or dmitri alexeev (I played in his masterclass once)

(steven, these questions are so obviously manipulated so you can boast about having met hamelin. haha, but I shall forgive you.

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

I think chopin was, back in his day. not that I ever heard him...

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

I mostly play repertoire, and compose, but I do ocassionally improvise

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

repertoire does cover all technical skills, but the exercises help develop those skills

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

willingly, you mean? about 5 years after I started learning

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

about seven years ago, when I was 9

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

either radiohead or the red hot chili peppers. although, thom yorke has just brought out his own album, and I like it more than the chilis or any other radiohead stuff. the album is pure genius

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

poulenc's oboe sonata

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

chopin's first ballade, the G minor

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

I've no idea... I quite like mendelssohn's piano trio, but I haven't heard much chamber stuff and I only know that one because I had to learn it

12 - what is your fave concerto?

the grieg

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

that really depends on who's interpretation of 'hard' it is... I'd say chopin's G minor ballade

14 - how fast can you play?

I can play very fast when I put my mind to it, but I rarely do, for a variety of reasons in all different flavours

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

most of the time

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

pro. he's quite hot, too, which helps

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

I'd be a fraud if I tried to answer this question - I have only heard one or two of his recordings... hey, at least I'm being honest

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

musical. definately. but, ya know, with a good technique too

19 - name your top 5 pianists

martha argerich, noriko ogawa, kissin, lipatti (I know he's not alive anymore but I love him all the same) and my piano teacher (she's amazing and inspiring)

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

I like ida czernecka, florian uhlig (he's awesome with improvisations and does his own versions of pieces which sound great), boris berezovsky, idil biret and (let's be unconventional) - oscar peterson

those aren't in any order

21 -  name your fave piano composer

definately chopin

[paris]

yay another questionaire, i'm back 

1 - who is your pianistic idol?

Krystian Zimerman

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?

Ivo Pogorelić

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

Jazz pianists (not all, of course, unfortunately i'm unfamiliar with names)

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?

Play repertoire

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?

I've never done any technical excercises, surely they can help in certain areas, but they aren't Bible

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?

When I was 2-3 I adored Bach's organ music, that was my first contact with classical music

7 - when did you start playing the piano?

When I was 4, although it was 'just for fun'

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?

Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, L.Armstrong, Robbie Williams, Dido, James Blunt, The Doors..

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?

Japanese music, Sakura, something like that, flute & harp

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?

Too many to list, changes all the time, but Chopin Ballades and Nocturnes are really close to me

11 - what is your fave chamber music work?

I'm not very familiar with those 

12 - what is your fave concerto?

Rachmaninov 2nd & Chopin 1st

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?

That's quite relative, isn't it? But pressuming what you were thinking (technical skill)-that would be along the lines of Chopin first op.10 etude and Liszt LC

14 - how fast can you play?

I'm scared of fast playing 

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?

Yes and no. Virtuosity on its own has to be huge to impress me, but it will never be able to touch me and make me wanna listen it again.

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?

Pro

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?

Both, of course, but musical ability is something what makes music art, not sport. Roughly said.

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?

Well, I was somehow always in lack of brilliant technique, but quite musical, at least what others say, so I guess I'd choose technique

19 - name your top 5 pianists

Zimerman on the first place. Then again Zimerman and Zimerman. I dunno. I really like Zimerman. 

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

It's not the 'rest', my favorite is Zimerman, while I also like Argerich, Horowitz, Pogorelić, Yundi Li..

21 -  name your fave piano composer

Chopin

[Waldszenen]

I love the answer to number 14!

PS: you definitely need to check out the Bach Double Concerto (played by Jascha Heifetz). Mozart's is good. Brahms' is great. Bach's is out of this world.

LOL yeah I've heard that that's a good one but I've never been able to find it... hmm you know what I might go and check Amazon if they have it, I haven't bought any CDs for a while... (four days!)

[bilubi71]

1 - who is your pianistic idol?
Zimermann
2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
Earl Wilde
3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
play repertoire
5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
exercises combined with appropriate repertoire
6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
3
7 - when did you start playing the piano?
10
8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group?
muse
9 - what is your favourite non-piano work?
9th symphony Dvorak
10 - what is your fave solo piano work?
chaconne bach-busoni
11 - what is your fave chamber music work?
piano quintet - schumann
12 - what is your fave concerto?
Brahms 2nd
13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play?
scherzo - prokofiev
14 - how fast can you play?
fast
15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you?
yes, absolutely
16 - are you pro or anti lang lang?
anti
17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability?
musical ability
18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality?
best musicality
19 - name your top 5 pianists
zimerman, ashkenazy, schiff, radu lupu, pires
20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly
kissin, bronfmann, hough, demidenko, perahia
21 -  name your fave piano composer
brahms

[theswede]

1 - who is your pianistic idol? Horowitz

2 - who is the greatest pianist youve met?
Swedish pianist: Greta Eriksson

3 - who do you think is the greatest improviser at the piano?
Swedish pianist : Janos Solyom ( originally from Hungary )

4 - do you primarily improvise, play repertoire, or a mix of both?
both

5 - do you believe in exercises or do you believe that repertoire covers all technical skills?
exercises

6 - when did you start listening to piano music?
~10 ( 1965)

7 - when did you start playing the piano?
~1965

8 - what is your favourite popular music artist/group? - -

9 - what is your favourite non-piano work? Glazunov: violin concerto

10 - what is your fave solo piano work?  Liszt: Polonaise

11 - what is your fave chamber music work? - -

12 - what is your fave concerto? Tiaijkowskij pi concerto

13 - what is the 'hardest' piece you can play? Liszt: TE 12

14 - how fast can you play? 50 knots ( = 100 km/h (= 60 mph ))

15 - does virtuosity on its own impress you? yup

16 - are you pro or anti lang lang? neither

17 - what impresses you more; cziffra's technical ability or musical ability? musical...and uuh..technique

18 - what would you rather have; best technique in the world, or best musicality? tech
( I already have thmusicality    )

19 - name your top 5 pianists
Horowitz, Cziffra, Richter, Pogorelich, Sofronitskij

20 - name the rest of your top 10, randomly

Rubinstein, Barere, Argerich, Zimmermann, Kissin

21 -  name your fave piano composer

Liszt ( and Beethoven and Brahms and Tiaikowskij and Rach )

[Waldszenen]

Tiaikowskij

That's either a horrible set of typos or a really uber-authentic way of spelling "Tchaikovsky".