If you're a big baseball fan (like me), maybe you know that today the yearly Hall of Fame voting results come out. Probably at least a couple of new guys will make it.

Has there been a discussion here on who would/should be in the CLASSICAL PIANIST Hall of Fame, if there were one?
(And why isn't there? It could be good. As with the baseball HOF, there could be a museum and library connected with it.)

How about we mention one person at a time (so that we don't have someone doing the whole Hall of Fame and not leaving room for anyone else to say anything but also because then we probably think about it more) -- trying to at least start with people who are "no-doubt"?

I'll start: LISZT.

I'd rather hear about the Pete Roses of the piano world whose scandalous behavior would keep them out of the Pianist Hall of Fame in spite of their being deserving because of their on stage accomplishments!

Well that might be almost everybody.

I heard a recording by some guy named "Horowitz" once. He might be a good candidate

.....and I think there was also a guy named Rubinstein.

Actually in this case I think I better "cheat" and name two people:

Art(h)ur Rubinstein
Anton Rubinstein

Treating pianists like ballplayers would give a new meaning to "runs batted in."

Oh......can it be pianists who are still active?

In baseball, you have to be retired for at least 5 years.
I think we don't need to follow anything like that. Ballplayers retire pretty young; pianists don't.
How about we say living and active pianists can be HOF'ers, if they seem to have really earned it already. And that's what the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame and other things like that seem to follow, but usually they're not too quick to give it to someone real young.....

My nom for HOF is:

Martha Argerich.


~mstrongpianist

Friedrich Gulda!

Oh........I thought that was a kind of mustard.

Never heard of him, but.....this thing in the Wiki article caught my eye:
"......In 1982, Gulda teamed up with jazz pianist Chick Corea....."

Cool!

P.S. Argerich looks pretty good to me......

You should listen to Gulda on YouTube, particularly playing Beethoven or Mozart. He was one of Argerich's teachers as well as a huge influence on her.

If that interests you, there is a video called "So What?! Friedrich Gulda" in which Gulda talks about learning jazz as a classically trained pianist.

I'll nominate one of my favorites:

EDWIN FISCHER

Argerich.

-Daniel

I guess she's in!

Since I didn't say we can't come back again and say someone else......
Let's see.......Josef Hofmann.

But of course!

Sviatoslav Richter!

In case anyone's wondering about the baseball, Andre Dawson got in but nobody else. Roberto Alomar, who a lot of people thought was an easy in, fell just short, as did Bert Blyleven. Both will almost certainly get in pretty soon.

BTW.....I think we're doing pretty good here on picking people who are no-doubt, except maybe for the mustard guy that I never heard of before.

(Just kidding, Rachel, don't worry, just kidding! I mean, how can I know anything, I never heard of him......)

Abbey Simon.

He lives in these parts (NYC, probably Upper West Side). I've seen him around town quite a bit, but not lately. Last time I saw him, he was having trouble with one of those stupid SUV taxi doors, the kind that you have to "slide." I ran over and helped him, saying, "Please allow me, your hands are important."
I struggle with those doors too....

I think he's a no-doubt Hall of Famer.

Martha Argerich is my favorite!
But because she has been mentioned a few times, I'll add Glenn Gould.

Two words: KRYSTIAN ZIMERMAN

You helped Mr. Simon into a taxi?

He's now Professor of Piano at the University of Houston.

http://www.music.uh.edu/people/simon.html

Everyone named on this thread is Hall-worthy.

George Li is worthy of a long look-see - already. Hope he keeps his interest

Beethoven Mvt3 Moonlight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Kq9P74mo8

Hungarian Rhapsody
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7A94KdU8C8

Chopin Nocturne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk6p5pzGsZg


Glen

Because nobody has named him yet.... Maurizio Pollini

I'm guessing the veteran's committee would put in Beethoven, Chopin, and Liszt for sure.

I suggest that a Hall of Fame nomination should assume some track-record of longevity, range of repertoire and artistic maturity.

I respectfully nominate Murray Perahia.

Regards,

Friedrich Gulda. In fact, I'd take everybody else except Gulda off the list. GuldaGuldaGulda.

Okay, maybe not. But Gulda must be there.

Also, Simon Barere is worthy.

one more for Sviatoslav Richter

Vladimir Ashkenazy deserves mention for what he contributed to the performance and discography of Chopin in the 1960s and 70s. The revered, much-loved and well-deserving Rubinstein's contributions notwithstanding, Ashkenazy brought a new level of technical polish and a fine musical sense to Chopin's œuvre.

Regards,