Top Ten pianists still that are a live.

[steinway13]

who do you think are the top ten pianists in the world.

[amelialw]

not sure about top ten but Stephen Hough is one of the best pianists that i've watched perform

[retrouvailles]

This goes in the polls section. And stop with these threads already! There are plenty in the polls section.

[kiwi_bd]

em...just for my Perference ONLY
that's rather subjective.

1. Martha Argerich [tie] Maurizio Pollini
2. Nelson Freire
3. Krystian Zimerman [tie] Daniel Barenboim
4. Evgeny Kissin
5. Ivo Pogorelich
6. Alicia de Larrocha
7. Alfred Brendel
8. Maria Joao Pires
9. Stephen Kovacevich

[retrouvailles]

Sure, I'll join in. What harm can come out of it. In no order:

1. Marc-André Hamelin
2. Leif Ove Andsnes
3. Krystian Zimerman
4. Pierre-Laurent Aimard
5. Stephen Hough
6. Steven Osborne
7. Geoffrey Tozer
8. Howard Shelley
9. Jonathan Powell
10. Ian Pace

[kiwi_bd]

Sure, I'll join in. What harm can come out of it. In no order:

1. Marc-André Hamelin
2. Leif Ove Andsnes
3. Krystian Zimerman
4. Pierre-Laurent Aimard
5. Stephen Hough
6. Steven Osborne
7. Geoffrey Tozer
8. Howard Shelley
9. Jonathan Powell
10. Ian Pace

that's so different from mine....but i defintely love Andsnes =]

[franz_]

Only a top 5 in no particular order


Hamelin
Kissin
Lugansky
Sokolov
Volodos

[schubertiad]

I'm not sure about a top 10, but I wouldn't hesitate to put Ingrid Haebler at the top of the list.

[thalbergmad]

Angela Hewitt
Jeno Jando
Michael Ponti
Mylene Klass
Elton John
Yundi Li
Ying Tong
Iddle i Po
Pianistimo
Lang lang lang

[retrouvailles]

that's so different from mine....but i defintely love Andsnes =]

JUST Andsnes? You're missing out.

[dan101]

V. Ashkenazy and S. Hough

Two totally different pianists who have some amazing recordings out, both live and in studio.

[mike_lang]

How about Pletnev and Sokolov?

[pies]

a

[thalberg]

Here are my top ten:

[jakev2.0]

YES. A mention of Zoltan Kocsis. Well done. 

[thalberg]

YES. A mention of Zoltan Kocsis. Well done. 

Thanks   No comment on my colorful choice of picture for Andsnes?

[retrouvailles]

Kissing up to Per Tengstrand much? One can only hope he will look at this thread.

[jakev2.0]

about the asdnes: the genius of that pic speaks for itself. 

[thierry13]

Thalberg, who are the 3 last ? And are you designating leon or elizabeth on the 4th last picture haha.

[thalberg]

Thalberg, who are the 3 last ? And are you designating leon or elizabeth on the 4th last picture haha.

I was designating Elizabeth.  I love her playing.

The last 3.....

Orion Weiss....he's a guy I knew from school.  He got called to substitute for Andre Watts when he was 16.  I've heard some amazing performances from him.  He's about 25 now.  He studied with Emmanuel Ax at Juilliard, and like Elizabeth, was a Gilmore Artist.  His Bach A minor English Suite was incredible--I didn't know it was possible for it to sound that way.

Gilles Vonsattel.  I heard him in the Cleveland International Competition in... I think 2001.  He was 20.  His Prokofiev 7th was out of this world.  He later went on to win Naumberg.  He is Swiss.  And has a masters degree from Juilliard.  That's all I know. 

Elton John.  I put him in there as a joke.  Then I read the rest of the thread and saw that Thalbergmad had already done that.  Haha.  I guess great Thalbergs think alike.

[point of grace]

humm
ANTON SOLERBILENSKY
VALENTINA LISITSA
MARTHA ARGERICH
POLLINI MAURICIO
EVGENY KISSIN

[franz_]

Why so few people mention Lugansky?

[retrouvailles]

Why so few people mention Lugansky?

Because he has not done anything to prove that he is the best.

[franz_]

Because he has not done anything to prove that he is the best.

Listen to his Rachmaninoff Etudes or watch his corelli variations on youtube.

[thalbergmad]

humm

Who is this?

[retrouvailles]

Listen to his Rachmaninoff Etudes or watch his corelli variations on youtube.

I have. I have also listened to most of his disks and seen his La Roque d'Anthéron and his Prokofiev 2nd Concerto performances and I still think he isn't one of the best. He is still a good pianist though.

[chopinfan_22]

In no particular order, my ten are:

Lisitsa
Zimerman
Hamelin
Beresovsky
This Guy
Maksim
Yundi Li
Kempf
Kissin
Sekiya

[mattgreenecomposer]

Lugansky is Awesome!~
I was going to list him before I read any of the responses to this post.  Im glad someone else feels the same way.  He's in my top 3 for sure.

[ryguillian]

1. Pierre-Laurent Aimard.
2. Marc-André Hamelin.
3. Ian Pace.
4. Francesco Libetta.
5. Jonathan Powell.
6-10. ...some others.
11. Michael Finnissy.

[general disarray]

Thanks   No comment on my colorful choice of picture for Andsnes?

Yeah, I'll comment:  that's a total riot!  Where on earth did you find that, thalberg?  I think you may be one of those maniacs who are on the short list of American National Treasures!

Your new best friend,

Whit

[retrouvailles]

Do a search for "Andsnes" on Google Images and you'll find it. It's on the first page. I talked to a Norwegian friend of mine and he said that it appeared in a newspaper over there.

[n_n]

Argerich
Perahia

There're a bunch I also like but their performance hasn't been stable.

And there're Pollini and Kissin who are deteriorating... (... didn't mean to offend...)

[thalberg]

Yeah, I'll comment:  that's a total riot!  Where on earth did you find that, thalberg?  I think you may be one of those maniacs who are on the short list of American National Treasures!

Your new best friend,

Whit

Hahaha awesome.  Finally someone else who sees the humor.   

[ahinton]

Angela Hewitt
Jeno Jando
Michael Ponti
Mylene Klass
Elton John
Yundi Li
Ying Tong
Iddle i Po
Pianistimo
Lang lang lang

And people ask (albeit in another thread) where the fun has gone on this forum?!...

Best,

Alistair

[general disarray]

Angela Hewitt
Jeno Jando
Michael Ponti
Mylene Klass
Elton John
Yundi Li
Ying Tong
Iddle i Po
Pianistimo
Lang lang lang

plus,

Ou Ee Ou Aa-Aa
Ting Tang
Walla-Walla Bing Bang

(and last, but not least . . . )
Dame Brenda Blithering

P.S.  Is Felicia Blumenthal still alive?  If so, I nominate her for the most creative rubato applications to all the concerti she recorded when she felt she needed to slow things down when the going got tough.  Gotta love that girl. 

[gerryjay]

 first let me say hi to all...that's my post number one.

 then here's my list (no particular order):
 uchida
 argerich
 freire
 pollini
 vercillo (he's an italian pianist although not famous he is fabulous)
 aimard
 hough
 ashkenazy
 pizarro
 barenboim

 i like lugansky too. his recording of chopin's preludes is cool. 
 is larrocha alive?!? i was sure that she were dead... what a stupid myself 
 and the prize for the best outfit goes to elton john!!! he rocks! 


 

[minstrel]

I haven't heard some of those pianists, so I'm not knocking any of them by not including them, but some of my favourites are,

Brendel
Katsaris
Argerich
Ashkenazy
Berezovsky
Gavrilov (young)

Unfortunately too many of the greats are fallen.

[lohshuhan]

1) Maurizio Pollini
2) Li Yundi
3) Martha Argerich
4) Mikhail Pletnev
5) Ivo Pogorelich
6) Yin Cheng Zhong
7) Stephen Kovacevich
Murray Perahia
9) Stephen Hough
10) (can't think of any.  but if Alexei Sultanov were to be still alive, he would be high on my list)

[etudes]

10 of them no order?
Claire Huangci
Ingolf Wunder
Ivo Pogorelich
Martha Argerich
Marc-Andre Hamelin
Cyprien Katsaris
Boris Berezovsky
Nelson Freire
Pierre-Laurent Aimard.
the last one i dont know between Perahia,Pletnev or Hough....


edit...randomly i forgot Sokolov...how could i

[point of grace]

i´m toootally w/you...

why lugansky?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so, why soo many good pianists spent most of their time studying a lot if you al last take any pianist on youtube as your favourite?

[franz_]

why lugansky?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because he's a damn good pianist...

[swim4ever_22]

Because he's a damn good pianist...

Agreed. One of my favorites.

[point of grace]

Because he's a damn good pianist...

maybe... there´s nothing written bout tastes =)

[mcgillcomposer]

I can't come up with ten, but here is my list, in no particular order:

Pogorelich
Sokolov
Argerich
Zimerman
Bronfman

[kiwi_bd]

JUST Andsnes? You're missing out.

of course i know the rest of them..
but they are just not my cup of tea...i prefer mine
it doesn't mean that i'm ignorant, duh!

[m]

JUST Andsnes? You're missing out.

Sorry for my ignorance, but I don't know this name. Any free recordings to get a sense so I could justify jumping over all commercial recordings ever released?

[mike_lang]

Sorry for my ignorance, but I don't know this name. Any free recordings to get a sense so I could justify jumping over all commercial recordings ever released?

I don't know about free recordings, but if you can find somewhere his Grieg concerto (which I haven't heard, to be honest), it is probably advisable, as this was his "touring piece" for a number of years and the piece for which he initially became well known.

Best,
ML

[kiwi_bd]

I don't know about free recordings, but if you can find somewhere his Grieg concerto (which I haven't heard, to be honest), it is probably advisable, as this was his "touring piece" for a number of years and the piece for which he initially became well known.

Best,
ML

Check out his recording of the Grieg, Schumann concerto...
and Rach 1 and 2...they are fabulous
I find Andsnes' interpretation somewhat unique   

[Petter]

Keith Jarret 

[retrouvailles]

Keith Jarrett 

Not in terms of classical music. Jazz, yes. But I'm sorry, the man cannot play classical music as well as most of the other people mentioned.