What is a 'pianist'...

[perfect_pitch]

This is just a little topic I'd like to start to get peoples opinions on what defines a pianist - or more to the point: What IS the definition of a pianist?

Is it simply a loose term for someone who plays the piano...?

Is it someone who's reached a certain grade level...?

Is it simply just someone that can play a grade 3 piece, but plays it with perfection and deep emotion, allowing us to feel something emotionally as we listen to it...?

I mean take for instance this video, which in my opinion is a POORLY performed etude of Chopin's (Lucky the poor bastard is long dead and unable to hear this atrocity) which is probably about Grade 8 level:

Compared to this piece which sounds like a Grade 5 or 6 piece... (at best estimate), but is clearly much more perfected and played with feeling and thought:

Just something to think about since it is our profession!

[db05]

After pondering a bit (oh poor me, it was hard), I feel that such questions are a waste of time. We should be more concerned with our own piano playing.

[csharp_minor]

I don't really know, but I would consider myself a wanabe pianist in the making.

That picece that guy played ( the good recording ) sounds really cool. I don't usally like that kind of music but it looks like fun to play .

[allthumbs]

Compared to this piece which sounds like a Grade 5 or 6 piece... (at best estimate), but is clearly much more perfected and played with feeling and thought:

This piece by Shchedrin is a lot more difficult to play than it sounds. Here is Hamelin playing the same piece and with some humour. He makes it look easy.

BTW, this piece is listed as Grade 9 in the RCM syllabus.

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That picece that guy played ( the good recording ) sounds really cool. I don't usally like that kind of music but it looks like fun to play .

It does look like fun to play and looking at the music, it is tougher than it looks.

[omar_roy]

Haha, what's really funny is that I'm the guy in the video.  Yes, the piece is more difficult than it seems.  It's rather straightforward, but it's hard to pull it off well.  Great piece though.  It was a lot of fun to play, and the judges loved it too!

Regardless, I'm glad i fit your definition of a pianist!

[go12_3]

A pianist doesn't have to fit into a particular category.  There are different levels of pianists who are progressing towards a goal, from beginning  to advanced  pieces.  A pianist plays for enjoyment as well as for fulfillment of his dreams.  It takes time, practice and patience to be a pianist in which technique  defines the musicial aspect of his performance.  Even each pianist has their own unique way of touching the keyboard and how the fingers strike each key.  No two pianists are alike in the world.  It just depends upon the individual on whether he defines himself as a pianist....

best wishes,

go12_3

[csharp_minor]

Haha, what's really funny is that I'm the guy in the video.  Yes, the piece is more difficult than it seems.  It's rather straightforward, but it's hard to pull it off well.  Great piece though.  It was a lot of fun to play, and the judges loved it too!

Regardless, I'm glad i fit your definition of a pianist!

Hi enjoyed your video! Out of interest what level is that piece would you say? Of course I’m far off that level but its worth taking note.

[omar_roy]

To be honest, I have no idea what you guys are talking about when you talk about "levels."  Technically it's not terribly difficult.  It just takes practice getting the right sound and voicing out of the little clusters, and the jumps take a fair bit of practice.  I'd say the most difficult thing is getting into the right mood for this piece.  It should be surprising to the audience AND to the performer.  As far as technique goes, I thought it wasn't very difficult, but overall I'd say it really is a fairly difficult piece because of how you need to immerse yourself in it.  But then again, I don't think anything is "easy" to play.  If i have to though, I guess I could scale it off of a few things.

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being easy, 10 being superbly difficult.

Technical Difficulty: 4.5
Proper Sound/Dynamics: 8
Mentally and Physically getting into the right mood: 8

Take the average that and you get 6.833, round that up and you have a 7/10.

Overall though, the most difficult thing about the piece is really exaggerating everything physically and aurally.  It's about the mood, not so much the technique.

[perfect_pitch]

I think by Level he means Grade Level - Like Grade 6 or Grade 8...

Though it also depends on what system you're going by - ABRSM Grade 8 = about AMEB Grade 7...

Depends

[go12_3]

I truly don't know what *level* I'm on.  I know that I can be on the higher level, but not as a professional pianist though.  There are several pieces that I cannot even attempt to learn yet.  So levels varies from individual to individual, which depends upon the skills and abilities of the pianist.  For some may take a few years or a lifetime to attain that level he would want to play comfortably.

best wishes,

go12_3

[csharp_minor]

To be honest, I have no idea what you guys are talking about when you talk about "levels." 

Sorry I wasn't clear. When I mean level I mean grade or how hard is it, beginner, intermediate, advanced. Of course there are all kinds of examining bodies with different ideas of what ‘level’ or grade a piece is and it depends on the pianist’s ability also, so level or grade is subjective. I just wanted a rough idea, and you did give me a good idea about the piece in your last post.

[m19834]

Regardless of "level," being a 'pianist' is to have one's entire being functioning as a conduit (at least in the necessary moments) to express complete musical ideas in an instrumentally idiomatic way.

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[lmpianist]

Labels are usually meaningless or overgeneralized so I'd go with the philosophy that a pianist is simply anyone who wishes to call themselves one - anyone who enjoys the instrument and the music they create should be able to say, "I'm a pianist."  Playing the instrument is a deeply personal experience for many of us.  It shouldn't be about living up to others' expectations or assigning an arbitrary metric to your talent.  Just my humble opinion...
khurynn

[m19834]

Labels are usually meaningless or overgeneralized so I'd go with the philosophy that a pianist is simply anyone who wishes to call themselves one - anyone who enjoys the instrument and the music they create should be able to say, "I'm a pianist."  Playing the instrument is a deeply personal experience for many of us.  It shouldn't be about living up to others' expectations or assigning an arbitrary metric to your talent.  Just my humble opinion...
khurynn

omg  , I so can't believe you, like, call yourself a pianist  ... okay, sorry !  It's just a joke !!  I simply couldn't resist !

[lostinidlewonder]

Anyone can be a pianist just as anyone can be a painting artist. But to consider yourself a professional pianist is a different thing, are you professional from education or/and performance? If it is education which niche do you fit in, do you deal with a broad spectrum of students or specialize? If it is performance what do you fit into? A professional accompanist might not play top level solo pieces but can sight read any piece to accompany people. A concert pianist might not be as highly qualified sight reader but is excellent in polishing their pieces and tough technique at a good rate. A restaraunt performer might never have to play anything difficult just background music. Someone who jams with a band might have to only predominantly play fill ins.

Look at someone like Richard Cladermann, he didn't have to play difficult music but he is world known for his music. Look at pianists and song writers such as Elton John and Billy Joel who don't play technically demanding pieces (in classical terms) but their music is more successful and makes more money than all the top classical pianists today put together. Ok, it is probably their voice that makes the money for them, but they used the piano as a medium as well and are known for that instrument which they use so well to define their voice.

Anyone who plays the piano is a pianist. Anyone who cooks their own food in a kitchen is a Chef. But of course how good we really are always depends. If we compare ourselves to those who don't take piano seriously then we might find ourselves quite good! But if we compare ourselves to those who study the piano seriously we might reconsider our stance. If most compare ourselves to the top players we definately are humbled. But that doesn't take away from the fact that you are a pianist and if you can play and the people that listen to you enjoy it you are a good pianist! As db said, we should be more concerned about our own playing than others, that way we won't waste our time thinking how good we are or how good we have to get on other peoples terms.

[timothy42b]

Anyone who plays the piano is a pianist.

As db said, we should be more concerned about our own playing than others, that way we won't waste our time thinking how good we are or how good we have to get on other peoples terms.

Well, yes, but I think there is something very important about the decision to self-identify as a pianist.

You are if you say you are.  Or, better, you are when you decide internally that you ARE a pianist.

It isn't so much a matter of skill.  I am a pianist.  With a very low degree of skill, granted.  But I do play piano, however badly.

If you ask the majority of people who play better than I, they'll likely say no.  They don't play piano, they take lessons, or they're wannabe pianists, or they'll be a pianist someday, , or they used to study piano, etc.  There's a built-in hedge there. 

I think that self identification is more significant than we realize. 

[giannalinda]

I kinda agree with db...A piano player is a pianist and we should be practicing and being a pianist instead of thinking about what one is...