Life of a Virtuoso

[cadenza14224]

I find it highly elusive to find any information on how the greats live and experience life while touring. Of course there are some excerpts on wiki and such about the greats (Horowitz, Rubinsten, Argerich, etc.) and their lives on a macroscopic scale....but I still fail to understand how it is like on a day to day basis, and what those little extra things they do to inspire themselves to play their music so eloquently.

Also, I would like to understand such things as their income. How much money do they generate for themselves (in current times...where obviously the Classical scene isn't very much in the forefront of music sales)? By no means am I trying to be vain, but I'm just curious as to if past greats like Horowitz and Rubinstein died with considerable wealth; or if living greats and rising stars like Argerich, Kissin, Yuja Wang, Lang Lang, etc generate a good amount of money from their performances or not?

Also talent aside; does it take any sort of political personality to rise up the ranks in the classical world? I do not doubt any great pianist is where he/she is without considerable talent...but did any ever have an extra beneficial push to get where they are besides word-of-mouth?

Whereas the pop genre, lives and ascents to stardom are pretty transparent...the lives of greats in the classical world, especially the piano circuit, retains some sort of a mystical characteristic that make them ever so appealing...and make me extremely curious.

[j_menz]

Quite a number of the current crop have websites, blogs, facebook and/or twitter. That may give you some insight (just google any you are interested in); it is unlikely to answer all your questions, though. Nor, in my opinion, should it.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Quite a number of the current crop have websites, blogs, facebook and/or twitter. That may give you some insight (just google any you are interested in); it is unlikely to answer all your questions, though. Nor, in my opinion, should it.

A least give us some information about you!

I mean...  After all, you are a professional pianist.

[j_menz]

A least give us some information about you!

I mean...  After all, you are a professional pianist.

Evidently your little chat with your maths teacher hasn't improved your sanity. 

[perprocrastinate]

I know a fun thing we can do- count the number of times rach_forever has accused you of being a professional pianist.

[j_menz]

I know a fun thing we can do- count the number of times rach_forever has accused you of being a professional pianist.

And perhaps ring a bell every time that number is prime?

[perprocrastinate]

And perhaps ring a bell every time that number is prime?

And also whenever the number is the sum of two cubes!

[j_menz]

And also whenever the number is the sum of two cubes!

Given that 1 cubed is 1, that would be just every time the number is a cube + 1.

[perprocrastinate]

Given that 1 cubed is 1, that would be just every time the number is a cube + 1.

You just had to ruin the Futurama reference, didn't you?

[j_menz]

You just had to ruin the Futurama reference, didn't you?

I'm afraid popular culture references are completely lost on me.

I'm assuming Futurama is a bit of popular culture?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Evidently your little chat with your maths teacher hasn't improved your sanity. 

It went horrible!

She freaking tore me apart!!!

I'm not going there again...

[j_menz]

It went horrible!

She freaking tore me apart!!!

I'm not going there again...

That is what we call, when it's not happening to us, "character building".

[perprocrastinate]

It went horrible!

She freaking tore me apart!!!

I'm not going there again...

I think the experience could toughen you up in preparation for the more sadistic type of teacher. I was terrified of my chemistry teacher last year, but now that I realize, that besides his abrasiveness, there's really nothing worse. He was a good teacher just except for that quality.

[ajspiano]

That is what we call, when it's not happening to us, "character building".

Some might call it "character crushing"..  depends on the mental strength of the individual on the receiving end.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I think the experience could toughen you up in preparation for the more sadistic type of teacher.

No it won't.

[j_menz]

Some might call it "character crushing"..  depends on the mental strength of the individual on the receiving end.

I think r_f is up to it.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Some might call it "character crushing"..  depends on the mental strength of the individual on the receiving end.

WOAH!!!!!


You really might not be J Menz!  

But wait...  You might be doing that just for me to come to the conclusion that you're not.


Back to the drawing board!  

[ajspiano]

I think r_f is up to it.

I also agree with this, so you'll have to keep guessing rach.