Arrogant pianists

[Nightscape]

Does anybody have any stories about arrogant (or arrogant appearing) pianists?

[i_m_robot]

  Rhymes with HongKong (well almost)

An arrogant pianist is a foolish pianist

An arrogant person is just kidding himself

[Rach3]

I have a hilarious story about a particularly arrogant concert pianist, except he would recognize himself immediatly if he saw it, and I really cannot afford to take that risk. Hmm, now I wonder why I even bothered to write this.

-Rach3

[possom46]

If this counts:- Was playing at a high school concert years ago with another pianist. One of the younger ones went up to me and the other one at the end of the concert and said how much they enjoyed our playing, I was very gracious, but the other one said in a very condescending voice "do I know you?", I was really irritated!!!

This one probably doesn't count, met Myleen Klass in a nightclub a few years ago and congratulated her on getting a part in Les Miserables (I think, we come from the same town and music teacher), she looked at me as if I were a piece of dirt 

[galonia]

I don't mind so much if a pianist is arrogant, but I can't stand the arrogance when a performer is giving a terrible performance.  I'm irritated enough by the wasted time and money, without the added annoyance of putting up with expectations of undeserved respect.

[dlu]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves...arrogant musicians....BLAH...I have too many stories...

[Kohai]

There was a moment when I felt as though I truly knew the piano and how to express it.

Kohai

[Siberian Husky]

?? you guys serious?..grow up..all of you

your all jealous because i can pick up etudes like you all pick up bad habbits of playing wrong notes....talk to the hand *puts hand up*..whatever...

LOL

no but seriously i agree with you..its hits even harder when your just an upcoming pianist and because one guy can play somethin better than you..your not worth his time..even though everyone knows he has a small dic..tionary and needs to update it for a more thorough examination of the english language...*cough*..yeah

[Glyptodont]

I am not sure if this is arrogance, or perhaps just eccentricity.

I was just reading a bio of Myra Hess.  According the the bio, the final few years she was playing concerts she would insist on peculiar programs -- such as playing ONLY Beethoven's late sonatas.  Nothing else on the program.

She still packed them in.

[rob47]

I have a funny story about this.

One time while I was practicing, another student came in to my practice room and told me I sounded good.  I told him to F*** off.

Rob

[dlu]

If the pianist is better than me I will acknowledge it...some show off and you can see right through that...that is arrogance...

And I don't think eccentricity has to do with it...quite the opposite really

[pianonut]

sometimes people think pianists in general are arrogant, but no more than a librarian concentrating and forgetting to look up at the person waiting at the reference desk.  pianists have to enjoy concentrating.

perhaps the hardest thing to do is to switch from an intense practice session to phone ringing or someone (as mentioned above) intruding at a bad time (especially without knocking or valuing your practice time).  pianists have to be (by nature) a little bit more capable than the average person of being happy by themselves.  this seems arrogant to others, but may not actually be the intent.

and, then, there is the really arrogant pianists (who is probably an amateur  wanna-be) who thinks that they are the best until they get into a decent school and they end up on the bottom and have to climb back up.  or, the one on the top that gets tendonitis and has to sit it out.

usually, the better the player, the more relaxed in EVERYTHING (keeps you from getting tendonitis, too).  there is no rush to get from here to there, to cut people off, or be rude.  just as in driving - the few seconds of rudeness might not be worth the hours worth later of regret.

[lostinidlewonder]

I don't know if this is rude or arrogant, probably more rude, but I remember when I was younger I met with a pretty well known International concert pianist and was talking to him about the piano concerto (Beethoven's 3rd piano Concerto) he just played that night . After a few minutes he said to me, hold on a second I'll be right back, and he walked away to the bar and started drinking with some of the people from the orchestra and never came back. 

No one really has the right to think they are any better than anyone else. I remember when I was a kid no one around my age I knew could play the piano at my level, so I really had a big head back then. That was further fueled by constantly winning competitions, even in events many years past my own. I find that pianists, especially those that win competitions to make a career for themselves, are constantly told they are good, constantly have people complimenting them etc. They get this through their whole life it becomes hard for them to really appreciate it. I know I find it tough to really appreciate it after the 1000th time someone says, oh that was beautiful, but i wouldn't be a snob about it. Everyone who comes and says you played well for them, pro musican or just part time listenerer to piano music, should be thanked because without them your public events are nothing.

[pianonut]

exhaustion is often a factor (i think) after a long concert. i wonder if he (the performer of the beethoven concerto) simply had a drink and then got asked a question on the other side and was sidetracked and tired. 

  

[rob47]

Speaking of senses of humours I hope no one took my post seriously. 

I would never say f*** off to a compliment given and I dont think many people would.

But if you want a story that does involve me in a practice room here it is. I was practicing something with a lot of notes a while ago and a fellow student, notorious for his condescending/arrogant/'holier than thou' behavour, came in without knocking, and asked what it was.  Before I could answer he was talking about what he played, and managed to evict me from the bench and bring his rendition of Op. 10 no. 1 upon me.  I didnt care, it's just he didn't leave for a while, and then went on to play some rachmaninoff preludes, and then leave before I could really say anything. But I'm sure every music faculty has someone like that.

Anyway, back to my original post, please understand most of what i say on this board is rubbish.

Rob 

[Steve T]

met Myleen Klass in a nightclub a few years ago and congratulated her on getting a part in Les Miserables (I think, we come from the same town and music teacher), she looked at me as if I were a piece of dirt 

You're right I don't think it counts. Myleen Klass is only one job away from going back to stacking shelves in Safeways. She's a failed classical musician and a failed wannabe celebrity, currently on the 'd' list if she's lucky. She has nothing to be arrogant about.

Isn't it a shame when someone is that rude and arrogant. Even more so when their talent is, at best, average.

I witnessed avery arrogant and rude Leslie Howard at an RCM masterclass. He is clearly a great pianist, but how can you respect anyone that will be rude and condescending to others.

Rude, arrogant people and negative or pessimistic people are, sadly the dregs of our society, there to try to bring others down to their miserable level of mental existence. Avoid them like the plague!!

Actually, reading back on it, this is quite a negative posting for someone who advocates positive, optimistic attitudes. Perhaps they are getting to me LOL !!

[i_m_robot]

Speaking of senses of humours I hope no one took my post seriously. 

I would never say f*** off to a compliment given and I dont think many people would.

But if you want a story that does involve me in a practice room here it is. I was practicing something with a lot of notes a while ago and a fellow student, notorious for his condescending/arrogant/'holier than thou' behavour, came in without knocking, and asked what it was.  Before I could answer he was talking about what he played, and managed to evict me from the bench and bring his rendition of Op. 10 no. 1 upon me.  I didnt care, it's just he didn't leave for a while, and then went on to play some rachmaninoff preludes, and then leave before I could really say anything. But I'm sure every music faculty has someone like that.

Maybe he wants to be your friend and has no real communication skills (overwritten by countless hours of practice)

[cziffra]

I witnessed avery arrogant and rude Leslie Howard at an RCM masterclass. He is clearly a great pianist, but how can you respect anyone that will be rude and condescending to others.

Oh, that's dissapointing.  He had such potential to be cool.

What did he do?

[pianomann1984]

I like Horowitz's way of dealing with critics:

After a particularly successful performance, a female critic came up to him and said that she adored his playing.  He turned to her and said "lady, you can say what you like - it doesn't make any difference!" 

I think that as pianists we so often have to display the courage of our convictions because we are so often subjected to critisism.  The difference is that when we play badly enough for that criticism to be deserved, then we can become arrogant.  When I recieve criticism for a good performance, I simply gesture to the piano and say "by all means, show me how you would have done it!" That will usually silence an arrogant critic!

Rubenstein said that "the best musicians are the best personalities."  You will find, I think that the best pianists are the most humble.

A friend of mine worked as an usher at the Royal Festival Hall for a while.  Pletnev came to perform Rachmaninov 3, and kicked up a fuss about everything - the lighting, piano stool, even the piano was changed for him and he still moaned.  My friend told me that despite having his own way, he kept the audience waiting 30mins late, before eventually playing - BADLY!!!  Now that's arrogance, but I say what goes around, comes around:  he got what he deserved! 

[Derek]

I used to be as passionately into writing computer programs as I now am in playing piano music. I met several VERY arrogant programmers...and I got swept up in the competition and bitterness of it all. It pretty much ruined my passion for programming.

I haven't met a single arrogant pianist. I suppose I've witnessed some arrogance on the forum, but so far none has been directed towards me. :-) Perhaps because I haven't invited any? That would be encouraging if that were the case. Er no---I think its because I've built up some sort of immunity to arrogance...I find it impossible to react to it anymore.