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Who is your favourite pianist? Mine would have to be the French pianist Helene Grimaud. She has unbelievable talent and clearly has a feel and a love for what she does which is apparent when she plays. I would love to have her keyboard skills but sadly that is never going to be the case.

This describes many pianists. Surely it cannot be your only reason.

I'm having a hard time having a favourite tv show, composer, film, or other and you're asking about favourite pianist and why?!?!? Yikes...

But some pianists are better than others. Even at professional level. Leonard Bernstein was a one of a kind artist. I was never fond of his flamboyant conducting ways, but he was one of the finest pianists around. Helene Grimaund is another such pianist. Some pianist play well but show they have no feeling and look like programmed robots.

It depends on the piece

I like Helene Grimaud's Rachmaninov.

Sokolov has some wonderful Rameau

Brendel plays Liszt excellent

etc

Alicia de Larrocha.

Her Mozart is enough for me. And so his her Iberia.

I really really enjoy Horrowitz on a number of pieces and composers, particularly his Chopin, Rachmaninoff, & Liszt. I find his musical ideas so sensational and original. Amidst so many piano player that simply have technique, horrowitz seems to be able to dream at the piano. I think overall, he's my favorite pianists simply because of how much imagination is found in his playing.

I love Arrau's Beethoven, mostly. I do enjoy Barrenboim's a lot, but I haven't listened to all the Sonatas by him.

I absolutely love Katchen's Brahms recordings. Such perfect voicing, in my opinion.

France Clidat for Liszt and Glenn Gould for Bach. Trifonov for everything else. He's really only a child compared to the other people mentioned, but as Argerich said: "He has everything and more."

Each of us have our own favourites. It would be boring if we all liked the same. We all like who we like for our own reasons

I don't have one. Why would I? The idea seems limiting to me, and for no good reason.

Limiting indeed. I think John O'Conor's remark about recordings applies here: "People who are not pianists can have favourite recordings of things; but people who are pianists need to keep their own integrity."

[quote=HNBLimiting indeed. I think John O'Conor's remark about recordings applies here: "People who are not pianists can have favourite recordings of things; but people who are pianists need to keep their own integrity." [/quote]

Huh, interesting. I consider myself to be a pianist, and I count a couple of John O'Connor recordings among my favorites......Like most of us, I have strong views and think deeply about various facets of/in my work (whether, or not, I'm any good at it - that's not for me to decide) but I'm still a fan of many other pianist's recordings.

Even when their interpretive viewpoints are much different than mine.

I'd feel kind of glum if I ever lost the ability to be a fan (of a recording, or of individual pianists). I hope that I'm not mis-reading his statement.

The "why's," for me, are usually ephemeral in this matter. My current favorite pianist is Andras Schiff.

I love Ivan Moravec's Chopin.

if, upon capture by the CIA, i was waterboarded and forced to pick one, it would probably be murray perahia for his clarity of purpose. if allowed to recant, it would be martha for her vivacious performances. if they still didn't believe me i would change my pick to gilels, whose transcendent expression surely the CIA would have to accept. if they still didn't believe me i'd go with horowitz for all the obvious reasons, but given he was russian i might have to pick another, and they surely couldn't argue with van cliburn who, after all, beat the ruskies at their own game.

Not a view shared by many world class concert pianists, though when asked they usually answer with the name of a long-deceased pianist. From the many, many interviews I've heard or read, the names of Horowitz, Richter, Cortot and Schnabel come up most often....often followed by their teachers.

Or not.

What does having favorite pianists have to do with keeping integrity? A silly statement IMO. I feel the same about saying that having favorite pianist(s) is somehow "limiting".

The waterboarding will continue until you pick ONE!!! Now... who is your favorite???

mMuwahahahahaaa!!! >: )

Still want to recant? Go ahead. Make my day...

PL is right. My favorite color is red but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the rest of the spectrum.

It depends on what is being played and the quality of the recording or performance.

Happy Birthday Gerard12!