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Poll

Who is the most overrated pianist? Pick 3 at most.

Lang Lang
Hamelin
Jorge Bolet
Emmanuel Ax
Van Cliburn
Other (Specify)


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Topic: Most overrated pianists?  (Read 8515 times)

Offline rubinsteinmad

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #50 on: September 23, 2015, 10:10:50 PM
no, there's a lot of good Scarlatti out there on YouTube... here's an old one but Clara Haskil??

For this particular sonata?

When I meant "everyone", I meant everyone who played it, when they played it.

Offline outin

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #51 on: September 24, 2015, 02:21:19 AM
But everyone else sounds SO HARD TO LISTEN TO!

Could you elaborate a bit more? Hard in what way?

There are great many pianists that I enjoy playing Scarlatti and not hard to listen to at all.
But unfortunately the YT videos often have a pretty bad sound quality, so you will not get the same experience as from the original recording.

Offline rubinsteinmad

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #52 on: September 24, 2015, 02:40:57 AM
Could you elaborate a bit more? Hard in what way?

There are great many pianists that I enjoy playing Scarlatti and not hard to listen to at all.
But unfortunately the YT videos often have a pretty bad sound quality, so you will not get the same experience as from the original recording.

Well, you'll find out when you listen to/read that Sonata. It is not a typical sonata- it is very free. I think many pianists make it sound really "just the notes", even though they are VERY accomplished pianists. It just is one of those pieces. That's why I think Pletnev stands out.

Offline outin

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #53 on: September 24, 2015, 03:08:46 AM
Well, you'll find out when you listen to/read that Sonata. It is not a typical sonata- it is very free. I think many pianists make it sound really "just the notes", even though they are VERY accomplished pianists. It just is one of those pieces. That's why I think Pletnev stands out.

It's not really one my favorite sonatas... but I see what you mean.

Have you heard the recording of Yevgeny Sudbin of this piece?

Offline outin

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #54 on: September 24, 2015, 04:42:43 AM
Well, you'll find out when you listen to/read that Sonata. It is not a typical sonata- it is very free. I think many pianists make it sound really "just the notes", even though they are VERY accomplished pianists. It just is one of those pieces. That's why I think Pletnev stands out.

Wait...are you sure you are not confusing sonata K24 with K39? These are two different sonatas, and K39 is the one usually played. They are very similar, but different pieces anyway.

Offline rubinsteinmad

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #55 on: September 24, 2015, 08:05:08 PM
Wait...are you sure you are not confusing sonata K24 with K39? These are two different sonatas, and K39 is the one usually played. They are very similar, but different pieces anyway.

I have no idea what K39 even sounds like ;D No, I meant K24. The hard one. I know there's another A Major sonata that has the same beginning, but that one is WAYYYYY easier. I think its K391 or something, but I forgot.

So I meant K24. I think it's one of the hardest Scarlatti Sonatas technically.

Offline kevonthegreatpianist

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #56 on: September 24, 2015, 08:33:18 PM
I have no idea what K39 even sounds like ;D No, I meant K24. The hard one. I know there's another A Major sonata that has the same beginning, but that one is WAYYYYY easier. I think its K391 or something, but I forgot.

So I meant K24. I think it's one of the hardest Scarlatti Sonatas technically.
i like his K1, but I'm not really fond into Scarlatti
I made an account and hadn't used it in a year. Welcome back, kevon.

Offline rubinsteinmad

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #57 on: September 24, 2015, 08:36:32 PM
i like his K1, but I'm not really fond into Scarlatti
So ur fond of Beethoven but not Scarlatti?


YOU FAIL

Offline kevonthegreatpianist

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #58 on: September 24, 2015, 08:50:13 PM
So ur fond of Beethoven but not Scarlatti?


YOU FAIL

no, i dont know Scarlatti that well
I made an account and hadn't used it in a year. Welcome back, kevon.

Offline outin

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #59 on: September 25, 2015, 03:53:03 AM
I have no idea what K39 even sounds like ;D No, I meant K24. The hard one. I know there's another A Major sonata that has the same beginning, but that one is WAYYYYY easier. I think its K391 or something, but I forgot.
That's the K39.
I was just wondering because there really aren't that many recordings of K24 by well known pianists but quite a few of K39. So I wonder where you got the idea that the others play "just the notes".

And yes, it's one of the most virtuoso no doubt.

Offline rubinsteinmad

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #60 on: November 01, 2015, 07:39:37 PM
Alicia de Larrocha is overrated. She is so famous, but she has a terrible sound quality, and has a very thin understanding for music, no soul.

If you wanna listen to Albeniz, listen to Guillermo Gonzalez or Daniel Baremboim.

Offline schumaniac

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #61 on: November 01, 2015, 08:54:14 PM
^what even

Offline transitional

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #62 on: October 09, 2023, 01:03:38 AM
All my 3 are not on this list.

The Piano Guys, all of the people on AuthenticSound (they shouldn't be known at all), and Gould.
Advanced pianist and beginner composer. The Schubert sonatas are amazing and I want to learn all of them eventually!

Offline liszt-and-the-galops

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #63 on: December 06, 2023, 10:41:37 PM
Necropost, but also:
Lang Lang is obvious. My next two picks may suprise you...

Ludivico Einaudi (or however you spell his name lol); he claims to play classical and is famous for being a new classical pianist. I have no taste for it, so he gets a spot.

I figure I have to include one of the absrudly popular synthesia musicians on here, so I'm going to say Rousseau. He mainly uploads overplayed pieces at a slightly slower tempo with basically no variation from what's already up there. Compare that to someone like Traum, who made stuff that doesn't even HAVE any synthesia videos (e.g Galop Chromatique & Petrushka, among others), or SeeMusic, who is an actual concert pianist and made his own app from his videos, and I'd say Rousseau is pretty overrated.

As usual, feel free to disagree with my opinions.  :)
Amateur pianist, beginning composer, conqueror of the Last post wins thread, creator of the Musical Madness tournament (2024).
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=70741.0

Offline convincing

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #64 on: December 25, 2023, 12:08:11 AM
Honestly I'm writing here partly because I just joined and wanted to see if I could post.
I was reluctant to choose any of those in list as 'most overrated.' First, while Lang Lang sometimes bothers me (e.g. maybe showing off by playing Chopin Etude E major too fast and thus losing musicality), I think some of his playing is very beautiful. Did Hamelin move me much? Well,maybe some.. and I know pure 'technique' gets less high marks but his playing seemed to effortless I found that along fascinating. I've heard some people find Pollini a bit cold, but some of his interpretations are among my favorite, though some might say my (inexpert) "wow, he just played Chopin's prelude in D flat major a lot like I like to play it!" (but better) is irrelevant. Schiff? Yah, I recall finding some of his stuff  cold, e.g. maybe some Chopin, and actually not in love with some of his Bach either, but I heard a bit of his Mozart the other day and thought, "Well, that's quite nice, perhaps Mozart suits him best."
The conclusion? Like most, they have their strengths and weaknesses, and thus to say 'they are so overrated' seems downright... cruel.
But perhaps some people get tired of so much hype about some people. But another side of that i saw here is a teacher saying 'one student was inspired by LL to play.' Sounds good to me! And if you don't like the hype, one could response as I do to people who are irritated by LL's gyrations - just close your eyes and listen, that's why we're there anyways ;)
Peace, and happy holidays - Marc

Offline ahinton

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #65 on: December 28, 2023, 05:30:53 PM
laying Chopin Etude E major too fast and thus losing musicality)
It might be worth remembering Chopin's initial ideas for tempo in that étude - first Vivace, then Vivace ma non troppo; I can only assume that he reduced these on account of the central section that, as it needs to be faster than the first one, he might have thought to risk being too fast...
Alistair Hinton
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The Sorabji Archive

Offline ahinton

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Re: Most overrated pianists?
Reply #66 on: December 28, 2023, 05:32:37 PM
[duplicate: deleted]
Alistair Hinton
Curator / Director
The Sorabji Archive
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