Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
What is the point of paying hundreds of dollars to see a concert with a featured soloist if you are basically watching a robot play piano?
Reminds me every time I see Suzuki beginner violin students (up to 50 or more) all playing "Twinkle" at the same time in a mechanical (almost machine-like) fashion with every note repeated 4x. When you get 50+ students all playing perfectly in sync, some people would call it raw talent while others would think this is playing without emotions.
Daniil Trifonov would be an example of someone whose expressions I think actually add to his performances. He is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed pianists in the world.
Trifinov's playing is amazing but I can't stand his grimacing. It's like he is suffering tortures. I prefer to just listen.
What is the point of paying hundreds of dollars to see a concert with a featured soloist if you are basically watching a robot play piano?
If you mean appearing rather stationary while playing, then I don't remember that many people complaining about Horowitz or Rubinstein, to name but a couple.
I saw Mitsuko Uchida playing the other day. She hardly moved at all. Didn't hear anyone complaining that she seemed like a robot.
I watched a few minutes and I am already tired of his histrionics. I find the one you think is a very bad pianist much easier to watch playing that piece:
across the stone, deathless piano performances
"Discipline is more reliable than motivation." -by a contributor on Reddit r/piano "Success is 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration." -by some other wise person "Pianoteq manages to keep it all together yet simultaneously also go in all directions; like a quantum particle entangled with an unknown and spooky parallel universe simply waiting to be discovered." -by Pete14
I watched a few minutes and I am already tired of his histrionics. I find the one you think is a very bad pianist much easier to watch playing that piece:
My doctor to me to cut back on sweets and she is too much eye candy
Well, I have a sneaking feeling that the 'romantic' composers / pianists are to 'blame' for starting the fad for 'emotional' pianists, that and the changes made to the piano that which 'introduced' (well, perhaps) different techniques. I'm a fairly still 'pianist,' but found that to get anything out of the old Casio DP (unweighted keys) that I have exaggerated movement is necessary. Anyway, my contribution:
Well, I have a sneaking feeling that the 'romantic' composers / pianists are to 'blame' for starting the fad for 'emotional' pianists, that and the changes made to the piano that which 'introduced' (well, perhaps) different techniques. I'm a fairly still 'pianist,' but found that to get anything out of the old Casio DP (unweighted keys) that I have exaggerated movement is necessary. Anyway, my contribution:
He is a hoot. I always get a kick out of watching his videos and his "stare".
Whatever facial ticks, choreography, flat fingers or curved, emotive gyrations, clothing, jewelry, humming, conducting or any other actions the pianist takes to play musically is fine with me.