Piano Forum

First of all, what is technique? First of all, what is technique?

In my opinion, technique is the ability to create a wide variety of sounds with the proper physical movements required.

Some great technicians can thus produce amazing sounds with much ease.

Therefore, for me, a great technician does two things:

1.) Create a wide variety of sounds, and
2.) Do so with easy physical movements.

For me, a great technician may NOT NECESSARILY be a great "musician". I have heard many Asian kids play with a technique at par with conservatory students, for instance. But you can identify a great technique without much musicality by noticing that they play the instrument primarily with their muscles, not their mind or heart.

Now on to Hamelin.

I haven't heard much from him, but what exactly is technically amazing about this guy? Is it simply the fact that he doesn't make mistakes? Or the fact that he tackles Alkan?

Just to let you know, Claudio Arrau who is not usually mentioned in "greatest virtuoso" threads, is known to have recorded the entire Alkan Solo Concerto in his youth.

And Horowitz on my hearing superbly satisfies both number one and number two of my criteria for being a great technician.

And I think Horowitz, by far, could produce far more distinct sounds than Hamelin.

Yet I don't know why many don't consider him to be one of the greatest technicians. Is it because he made mistakes when he was older? To me, this is irrelevant. I think pianists make more mistakes when they get old, generally. And this argument flatly ignores the fact that Horowitz had an amazing tonal control. I have heard few pianists play with the ease and control of Horowitz.

So if Hamelin did something that Arrau already did, and Hamelin doesn't demonstrate as much of a wide variety of sound as Horowitz, why is he considered superior to all in terms of technique?

Just my humble yet honest observation, for now. I'll admit I get to be biased.

Regards,
Cuberdrift