What is a virtuoso?

[Derek]

When I hear the word "virtuoso" I simply think of someone who has a tremendous vocabulary at the piano, built up either through repertoire or improvisation (or both), who has an extremely strong command of touch and rhythm and expressive power. Am I missing anything here?

[Teddybear]

Charisma.

T

[lostinidlewonder]

Have to be interesting to watch and listen to both from their mouth and the piano keys. Lots of technical masters and emotional psychos at the piano all over the world, but they are not regarded virtuosos because they 1) can't combine the two, technique and emotion to a maximum. 2) have no communication with the audience. Although i do find it sad there are many examples of technical masters who have spurts of emotion in their playing and 0 audience communication and they are famous ,sell out concerts and are called virtuoso!

Why I say you need an audience? Because a real virtuoso can master their instrument in any given environment. Those that hide away are not practicing their art out of their bubble, hence are not really a complete virtuoso.

But I would think that the meaning virtuoso is flexible and can come in different disguses. Those that everyone knows, and the quiet achievers. There are a huge amount of virtuoso who cannot communicate with an audience, they are petrified about audience, or they just don't care for them at all. But I would have to say all virtuoso can absorb music at an unnatrual rate, and play any wild technical passage as if it where honey on the fingers and memorise and sight read both at a near maximum level.

[presto agitato]

This was said by Alfred Bredel:

"Many people think that I am a virtuoso because i can play all the Beethoven´s sonatas, all the Schubert´s sonatas  and Liszt´s etudes, however i do not consider myself a virtuoso because i can not play all the Chopin´s etudes."

Arthur Rubinstein said something similar.

[raymagini]

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,7322.0.html

[Siberian Husky]

i dont think virtuosity isnt about quantity..but rather..quality...

[solange]

A virtuoso is simply somebody who is amazing at the piano and could play ANYTHING if they were given it (not instantly, obviously... i just mean: no piece is beyond them)

But they also seem to have that added OOMPH, that command at the piano, and that certain je ne sais quo.... u know one when you see him

[rob47]

When I hear the word "virtuoso" I simply think of someone who has a tremendous vocabulary at the piano, built up either through repertoire or improvisation (or both), who has an extremely strong command of touch and rhythm and expressive power. Am I missing anything here?

Yes you forgot, "somone who's name is Rob47".
 

I sure hope none of my old piano teachers post on this board and see what a jerk I've become. 

[Derek]

from dictionary.com :

vir·tu·o·so    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (vûrch-s, -z)
n. pl. vir·tu·o·sos or vir·tu·o·si (-s)
A musician with masterly ability, technique, or personal style.
A person with masterly skill or technique in the arts.
A person with a strong interest in the fine arts, especially in antiquities.
Archaic. A very learned person.

I see no mention of Rob Kawasaki 

btw that photo kicks ass. what is that from?

[rob47]

Scarface

but it's gone now too big.