Pianists with autism spectrum disorders?

[sevencircles]

Some of the greatest pianists seems to have some kind of autism. Kissin, Pogorelich, Helfgott, Gould etc. Hamelin also talks like he has Aspergers syndrome or something. Seems like he has got of bit Goulds spirit in him.


For some reason it seems like the great pianists want to remain very private when it comes to their disorders.

Anyone agree?

[pbryld]

What do you base this on?

[sevencircles]

What do you base this on?

Video interviews mostly, It´t not very hard to notice that for instance Evgeny Kissin has got some kind of autism.

[minor9th]

Could they possibly be shy or just socially awkward? Unless one is a trained specialist, I think it would hard to deduce such an affliction merely by watching a video.

[sevencircles]

Could they possibly be shy or just socially awkward? Unless one is a trained specialist, I think it would hard to deduce such an affliction merely by watching a video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-g311FZBo8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE2TC3Lz97E&feature=related

[nyiregyhazi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-g311FZBo8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE2TC3Lz97E&feature=related

in the case of Kissin, I think borderline-autism might be a reasonable possibility. However, to state that these people are autistic, as if it were clear-cut fact, suggests relatively little understanding of what autism is. Indisputable cases of autism involve vastly more severe personality traits- often involving difficulty in communicating at all. Mild awkwardness does not mean autism. Hamelin seems extremely normal to me.

[pbryld]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-g311FZBo8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE2TC3Lz97E&feature=related

You get autism from that..? That's ridiculous IMO.

[pianowolfi]

I admit that I'm not really fond of online-diagnoses by hobby-physicians/-psychologists

[furtwaengler]

^Or offline for that matter. I once had a teacher that emailed my mother saying he thought I might be a high functioning autistic. I am not (high functioning).

(Or autistic).

(For that matter I have a close friend who's daughter is autistic. It's a challenge they've met and grown through.)

[sevencircles]

in the case of Kissin, I think borderline-autism might be a reasonable possibility. However, to state that these people are autistic, as if it were clear-cut fact, suggests relatively little understanding of what autism is. Indisputable cases of autism involve vastly more severe personality traits- often involving difficulty in communicating at all. Mild awkwardness does not mean autism. Hamelin seems extremely normal to me.

Asperger´s syndrome for instance is an autism spectrum disorder, Kissin might have something similar.

Hamelin seems normal I agree, he talks a bit like Glenn Gould but that doesn´t mean anything.

[matmilne]

I make no secret of having Asperger's (very mild), but it makes no improvements to my performance or writing.  It makes playing infront of people more of a challenge.
Also manic depressive too.  The mania comes in handy for those 20-hour scoring sessions, but the depression makes the crash a bit harder once a project is completed.

autistic or not, depressed or not, if music makes you feel alive, it's the best thing for you.

[akasimone]

in the case of Kissin, I think borderline-autism might be a reasonable possibility. However, to state that these people are autistic, as if it were clear-cut fact, suggests relatively little understanding of what autism is. Indisputable cases of autism involve vastly more severe personality traits- often involving difficulty in communicating at all. Mild awkwardness does not mean autism. Hamelin seems extremely normal to me.

Asperger´s syndrome for instance is an autism spectrum disorder, Kissin might have something similar.

A lot of people with Asperger's do go undiagnosed; everyone just thinks they're really shy and awkward. Which doesn't necessarily mean we can diagnose them ourselves just by watching interviews, but as long as we know we're being speculative, I guess it's okay to wonder.

I've actually read, recently, that people on the Autism spectrum tend to be hyperemotional and sensitive, rather than aloof and uncaring as people tend to think they are. The theory is that they're so over-sensitive to emotion that they have to just "turn off" because it's too painful. (And there are personal accounts from patients who seem to agree with that.) So from this perspective, I think it would be sort of interesting if there were a correlation between the Autism spectrum and artistic talent--not just in the conventional "idiot-savant" sense where they can play memorize lots of notes instantly, but in the fuller sense of making really affective art.

[collectivecolors]

It's a good possibility of Aspergers or some other kind of autism, it seems to be something that a lot of artists have symptoms of whether or not their diagnosed. And, even if you really think about it you can normally think of a lot of people you know who have at least 2 or three symptoms.

[pianowolfi]

There might even occur some cases of diagnosism disorder nowadays...

Actually it's already quite an old trend. Since more than 200 years many people were eager to diagnose Goethe, or Schubert, or Beethoven, and many more outstanding artists, philosophers, writers etc. with all kind of syndromes, or declare them outright crazy.  They can't comprehend outstanding and inspired art, so perhaps they're desperately looking for explanations.

I go with Brendel here, representatively for all similar approaches: "If it had been Beethoven's deafness that caused the extraordinary and sublime style of his later works we should actually be grateful for it" (Of course he doesn't think that it really was the cause )