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All of the following?

I don’t know how hard/easy this “quiz” will be, but I request that you don’t give the answer away and ruin it for everyone else if you know it. of course, anyone can answer, but please don’t say something like “I read that statement in Mr. X’s bio yesterday”.

(Some of the quotes are adjusted for simplicity)

“I hesitate to play Bach in public because the halls are too big for his more intimate piano music.”

“Among playing, teaching, and composing I definitely prefer composing.”

“Mere dexterity is not enough. It is not music-it is athletics.”

“You must not underestimate the part Nature plays in the creation of gifted individuals. I think Nature selects who will be amateur or professional.”

“I could never prove that Bach was a superior composer to Irving Berlin.”

“I don’t like transcriptions and never play them.”

“Today pianists know Beethoven’s Sonatas better than he did. When he was finished composing them he was finished with them.”

“Paderewski and Kreisler always appeared as if Atlas had an easy time compared to them.”

“Initially I was labelled a Brahms player in Munich and a Schubert player in Leipzig.”

Is it the same pianist, or a different one for each quote?

I'm only sure of the last one, which I won't say because you asked us not to.

All said by the same pianist.

I would guess Schnabel.

SO are we supposed to answer or not????
I would second Schnabel (based on his quote regarding transcriptions)..

You're supposed to answer(otherwise there's no thread) but if you're positive of the answer (for whatever reason) not phrase things so that no one else would want to try.

I don't know any of those, and I'm especially interested in who said:
“I don’t like transcriptions and never play them.”

.....because I have a feeling it was someone who did transcriptions. :-)

Good guesses (I think):
Busoni
Horowitz
Rachmaninoff
or even LISZT

Huh......I understood it the opposite way, even though the syntax of the beginning of the post made it sound like one pianist.

Yes -- since it's all by the same person, Schnabel would seem to be a great guess.

Not just because they could all fit him, but because he did say a lot of stuff (much of it preserved in a great book of his lectures in Chicago), and he often said it picturesquely and/or provocatively.

Love it, quoting myself.

Since you really ARE asking us to proclaim the answer ....

Schnabel, of course.

Would Liszt (d 1886) have known Irving Berlin (b 1888)? Perhaps he was also a prophet lol

I would back Rachmaninov, out of the shortlist as he was very in with Paderewski and Kreisler. He also had a very sharp wit which is often misinterpreted [in my opinion].

The outside horse is Erno Dohnanyi, although he is a renowned teacher more than anything, but I believe had a wit as sharp as Rachmaninov's!

LATE PRESS....I remember reading about Eugene D'Albert rating himself as a composer amongst other things. He also was renouned for his interpretation of Beethoven. Now I have changed my selection to D'Albert!

I know that Horowitz began as a composer in Russia and ended up performing as a pianist because he could make more money.

My guess: Vladimir Horowitz

Tenuto
You are thinking of Rachmaninov may be.
Horowitz.. not much of a composer, AFAIK and transcriptions excluded

PLUS
When do we get the answer to your latest quiz

Andromaque - read Horowitz's biography - his greatest dream was to be a composer. He didn't start out wanting to be a great pianist. But, fortunately for us, he didn't pursue his dream.

It is a different story if you are talking about dreams . I am well aware of his biograph(ies) (luckily his playing was far more interesting )
The other guy (SR) really was a composer from an early age and ended up notoriousy having to concertize almost against his will and for purely financial reasons.. Not surprising that he jumped to my mind first..

P.S> I am sure you know taht. I am just explaining myself..

Yet, Tenuto was right!!
Not right that Horowitz said those quotes, but right about what the post said.

YES

yes that he dreamed of composing or that he didn't pursue it??

Egon Petri.
Wild and unsubstantiated guess.

Ok, I'm ready for a few good hints.

Is this a very very famous pianist/composer?

Would it give too much away to name his/her country of origin?

Or, can you give some small piece of interesting information?

Don't keep us on pins and needles too long, or everyone will just lose interest!

regards,
Valerie