[Video] Top 10 Greatest Pianists Of All Time

Limelight magazine has made a vote among young people and enshrined pianists on what they believe are the greatest interpreters of the keyboard of the history. Here are the names. Do you think that extra one or missing? Make your list


We know that whenever someone dares to make a list of the best at something, it gives like what is immediately out dissenting voices that bring your personal selection. Not long ago it happened with that said to Placido Domingo as the best tenor in history. In that list, made by BBC Musicmagazine, according to some experts, some names they unfilled and others were missing.

It has now been a Limelight Australian, publication, which has dared to list of 1 to 10, to the best pianists of all time. It has done so through a vote in which young and acclaimed pianists of our day have participated. You might find some absences (the list does not include nor to Claudio Arrau, Paderewski, Fischer, Argerich, Pollini, or Sokolov), or maybe not. After reading the 'Top-Ten', we encourage you to create your own list.

Top 10 Greatest Pianists Of All Time List 




10- Finally, for that of give a little mystery, appears Artur Schnabel (1882-1951). 

Musician born in Moravia but based in Vienna, he specialized in the German repertoire and was the first to record the complete Sonatas of Beethoven. It highlights its depth when reeleer a score and his technique. Among the pianists who voted for him are Jonathan Biss, András Schiff, Ronald Brautigam and Garrick Ohlsson.



9-Wilhelm Kempff(1895-1991).

German pianist, also specialized in this Repertory. He gave concerts up until the eighties of the last century. Of all his recordings, Cyprien Katsaris, who saw him at age 13 Act in in Paris, highlights some of Brahms, Beethoven, Schubert and Bach. Lyricism, elegance and spontaneity are adjectives that define your interpretation.

Also voted for him, Michael Endres, David Fray and Eldar Nebolsin...



8-Alfred Brendel(1931). 

Austrian musician, who has combined the facet of a concert with the teaching, currently living in London. It has been assessed the rigor with which deals with scores, without falling into the academic, and his capacity for the humorous side to some of the pieces. One of his pupils was Paul Lewis, who now vote him in this list. «I received his lessons in the 1990s, and was a great inspiration. «When I talked about music I thought: 'Yes, it really is pointless'».

Other pianists share the opinion of Lewis as Steven Osborne, Imogen Cooper, Till Fellner...



7-Glenn Gould(1932-1982). 

Highlighted by his eccentric performances, including their personal version of the "Goldberg Variations" of Bach. He abandoned the scenarios at age 31 to devote himself to the recordings and to experiment with sounds. Pascal Rogé highlights of its creative capacity rather than his interpretive quality: "the most important of his playing is its conception, its architecture and its personal approach to each piece that addressed. He was more a creator, as an interpreter».

They have also voted by Gould, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Fazil Say and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.



6-Alfred Cortot(1877-1962). 

The French musician was known as «the poet of the piano» by his way of playing Chopin, Schumann and Debussy, who left reference recordings. Stephen Hough describes as unfair that he be remembered for their technical errors and highlights of his deep commitment to the music, which the it provided full of inspiration, and that always went beyond what is established. Stresses its recording of Chopin and Schumann in the 20s and 30s of the last century years.

They have also chosen to be part of this list Alfred Brendel, Benjamin Grosvenor and Stanislav Ioudenitch, among others.



5-Emil Gilels (1916-1985). 

Born in Odessa, moved to Moscow in 1935. Along with Richter, were the two pianists in the Soviet Union. The violinist David Oistrakh and Gilels were the first musicians of the Soviet Union who was allowed to act in the West. The young French pianist Cédric Tiberghien speaks of «Golden sound» Giels was able to produce without, apparently, any effort. Unforgettable seem the recording of the «second concert» Brahms performed with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Also have voted you Alice Sara Ott, Olli Mustonen, Lars Vogt...




4 - Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982) 

Polish pianist who moved to the United States during World War I. Thomas Mann described him as a «virtuoso happy». Another pianist, Horowitz, would influence decisivamenet in his career. Highlights his interpretations of Chopin. Roger Woodward, remembers his encounter with Rubinstein. He said his interpretation of the "Nocturnes," taught him the key to address the rest of the works of Chopin.

Also have voted you Simon Trpceski, Jayson Gillham, Margaret Fingerhut...



3-Sviatoslav Richter(1915-1997). 

We have spoken some of it above. He was a prominent musician in the Soviet Union, with a solid technique, but at the same with a variety of sounds. Barry Douglas underscores his intensity and passion that Richter felt by the music-«he was obsessed, possessed by the she-». And also its ability to transform the sound of the piano in an orchestra or a choir». Among its milestones, remember the concert offered in Sofia in 1958, where he played Chopin and Mussorgsky

They have also chosen Howard Shelley, Anna Goldsworthy, and Piotr Anderszewski .


2 - Vladimir Horowitz (1903-1989). 

Abando Russia with 21 years to settle in the West. He was baptized as «unleashed tornado of the steppes». His career was focused on the romantic repertoire and Scarlatti. In 1986 he returned triumphant to Russia. It stood out for its virtuosity and the extraordinary use of color. For the young Austrian pianist Ingold Wunder, Horowitz combined the best kind of pianism and a taste for music and interpretation, which never was mediocre. «It was his everything that played».

They confirm his opinion Freddy Kempf, Gerard Willems, Konstantin Scherbakov...


1 - Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943). 

Pianist and composer, is the most universal of all the members of this list. Also born in Russia, he shared composition classroom with Alexander Scriabin. His "second Concerto piano" is one of the most popular works. Highlights of his technique impeccable, almost superhuman for its cleanliness of execution. The Australian Leslie Howard highlights 'honesty' and the absence of "cheap tricks" in dealing with a score «I think it is the greatest pianist of all time and I am convinced that it is the best pianist who never has recorded a disc», sentence Howard.