# Who do you feel are the most underrated and overrated pianists?



## S P Summers

I got the idea from that "pianist knockout" thread that was posted recently, so I hope this isn't too similar for people to respond to. Anyway...

Make a list- who do you *personally* feel are the most overrated and underrated pianists to have recorded music?

Please avoid discussion of 19th century pianists, since the only "recordings" they made are on piano rolls. Rolls are an unfair and inaccurate representation of the pianistic ability of 19th century legends, so please keep that in mind.

Any pianist who we have recordings of their actual playing, is fair game. It should be considered, however; that many of the greatest pianists of the early 20th century only made recordings at the tail end of their careers, after a significant decline in technique (Josef Hofmann post-1940, and Paderewski are two examples).

*_Please, no more than 25 names per list._*

* This is my list (random order):*

**Underrated**

-Moriz Rosenthal
-Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
-Cyprian Katsaris
-Konstantin Sherbakov
-Stephen Hough
-Emil von Sauer
-Radu Lupu
-Earl Wild
-Nikolai Petrov 
-Emil Gilels
-Josef Hofmann
-Nikolai Demidenko
-Georges Cziffra
-Markus Pawlik
-Jonathan Plowright
-Geoffrey Tozer
-Ignaz Friedman
-Josef Lhevinne
-Jorge Bolet
-Jack Gibbons
-Walter Gieseking
-Fredrik Ullén
-Stephen Coombs
-Joseph Moog
-Krystan Zimermann

* *Overrated**

-Lang Lang
-Liberace
-Yuja Wang
-Evgeny Kissin
-Piers Lane
-Glenn Gould
-Vladimir Horowitz
-Arthur Rubinstein
-Martha Argerich
-Sviatoslav Richter (He had his moments)
-Andras Schiff
-Alfred Brendel
-Mitsuko Uchida
-Daniel Barenboim
-Howard Shelley
-Valentina Lisitsa
-Boris Berezovsky

As an individual who has obsessively and passionately studied the piano for 21 of the 27 years I have been alive, this is my list as of August 2017. If anyone would like to discuss my reasoning for the way I have rated these pianists, (or why I have excluded some major names); feel free to ask.

I'm curious to hear opinions, thanks for reading!


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## johankillen

Hmm, I became curious when I saw Glenn Gould at the overrated list. Do people rate him high because of his piano skill or do people rate him high because of his way to be combined with his piano skill?
I do no think that people rate him higher that another, but people like him, I do like him. And thats because he stands out from the others, he got a unique style of playing piano and a unique personallity.


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## skateartguy

Underrated: 
- Elisabeth Leonskaja
- Paul Badura-Skoda


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## Oortone

johankillen said:


> Hmm, I became curious when I saw Glenn Gould at the overrated list. Do people rate him high because of his piano skill or do people rate him high because of his way to be combined with his piano skill?
> I do no think that people rate him higher that another, but people like him, I do like him. And thats because he stands out from the others, he got a unique style of playing piano and a unique personallity.


In my opinion Glenn Gould is sometimes absoluely fantastic and reveals the music in a new way but sometimes he is terrible. Like when he tries to make the pieces into somethoing they are not either playing extremely slow or extremely fast. I believe Horowitz sometimes has a similar problem.


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## Phil loves classical

Lang Lang and Yuja Wang aren't really rated so high critically, from what I've seen. You can say overrated by the concert goers. I'm really not a fan of Gould either. Gillels, Kovacevich and Richter are my favourites of all time.


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## wolkaaa

My knowledge is too limited to judge about that, but an underrated pianist who comes immediately to my mind is Sofronitsky.


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## chill782002

As with almost every opinion piece here, this a matter of personal taste so I don't mean to offend anyone with my choices. However, in my view:

Overrated:

Glenn Gould
Stephen Hough
Stephen Kovacevich
Lang Lang
Melvyn Tan


Underrated:

Paul Badura-Skoda
Nikolai Demidenko
Josef Hofmann
Vladimir Sofronitsky
Geoffrey Tozer


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## Guest

So does this mean that all the pianists in neither list are accurately rated?


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## Timothy

How must a pianist be rated and get a number on his soul? his heart leads the way to his true self, must this be compromised by arguing over art. Composers will always have the freedom society allows for. Is this what we really want?


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## S P Summers

Oortone said:


> In my opinion Glenn Gould is sometimes absoluely fantastic and reveals the music in a new way but sometimes he is terrible. Like when he tries to make the pieces into somethoing they are not either playing extremely slow or extremely fast. I believe Horowitz sometimes has a similar problem.


 This is correct. Being Canadian myself, I do not put Gould on the "overrated list" lightly. His Bach can be demonic, but I don't listen to baroque often. I have literally never heard a Gould performance of a composer other than Bach that I have enjoyed.

I've noticed people seem to get a little sensitive when I criticize Horowitz. My biggest problem with Horowitz was the way he played Moszkowski. Moszkowski has undeservedly been labeled a salon composer, and I think it is partially because of the way that Horowitz played his music. Moszkowski wrote some of the most elegant piano music in history, and to my ears; the way Horowitz played Moszkowski had a way of trivializing his incredible music.

Same with Piers Lane (especially his Moszkowski). His pianistic approach just has a way of making the music seem trivial and inconsequential.


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## S P Summers

chill782002 said:


> As with almost every opinion piece here, this a matter of personal taste so I don't mean to offend anyone with my choices. However, in my view:
> 
> *Overrated:*
> 
> Glenn Gould
> *Stephen Hough*
> Stephen Kovacevich
> Lang Lang
> Melvyn Tan
> 
> Underrated:
> 
> Paul Badura-Skoda
> Nikolai Demidenko
> Josef Hofmann
> Vladimir Sofronitsky
> Geoffrey Tozer


=O Please explain! You're spot on with all of the names on your list, but I can't believe my eyes seeing Stephen Hough on your overrated list! If you haven't heard the following recordings, please give him another chance... I believe Hough is one of the finest living pianists.

My top 3 recommended Stephen Hough albums (the first 2 include some of my very favorite piano recordings of all time):

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA66790
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67331/2
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67711/2


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## DeepR

Sofronitsky is indeed a marvelous pianist, often associated with Scriabin but from what I've listened to he's very good with other composers as well. 
In Scriabin he's great of course, but contrary to what some people seem to think, he doesn't have the last word or "best" interpretation on every piece... in quite a few instances I prefer Horowitz, Richter or other pianists myself.


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## hpowders

Underrated:

I don't think Wilhelm Kempff gets his due around here; a fine Beethoven and Schumann pianist.

I've never seen Cynthia Raim's name ever mentioned here, except when I do it, the first winner of the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition; a fabulous Schumann and Brahms pianist.

Another name I see infrequently on TC is Sergio Fiorentino, a terrific interpreter of Schumann and Chopin.


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## Bulldog

Overrated:
Piers Lane (Scriabin not so good)
Radu Lupu 
Stephen Hough (sounds great in Hummel, but has problems with the masters)
Murray Perahia - most overrated pianist of the past 50 years except for:
Lang Lang (a big zero)

Underrated:
Natan Brand
Vladimir Sofronitsky
Glenn Gould
Alicia deLaroccha
Rosalyn Tureck


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## Pat Fairlea

This thread is bound to be wholly subjective, hence the disagreements over Stephen Hough.

But I'll take the risk of nominating Shura Cherkassky as seriously over-rated, and Moura Lympany as an under-rated interpreter of mainstream Romantic works


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## eugeneonagain

hpowders beat me to it, but I wanted mention Wilhelm Kempff. I have a 10" vinyl of him playing Beethoven's 2nd concerto and it's marvellous. I can't believe Alfred Brendel is in the OP's overrated list. 

What about Stefan Askenase? Or John Ogden? Or.... Well in truth when this game starts it seems like one where every lesser known historical pianist is dredged up and claimed as a forgotten genius; while the well-known names are written off as overrated and almost everyone currently active is written off as possibly substandard and there for reasons other than skill.


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## Oldhoosierdude

Why you no like Perahia, Serkin, Andsnes, Hewitt?


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## S P Summers

eugeneonagain said:


> hpowders beat me to it, but I wanted mention Wilhelm Kempff. I have a 10" vinyl of him playing Beethoven's 2nd concerto and it's marvellous. I can't believe Alfred Brendel is in the OP's overrated list.
> 
> What about Stefan Askenase? Or John Ogden? Or.... Well in truth when this game starts it seems like one where every lesser known historical pianist is dredged up and claimed as a forgotten genius; while the well-known names are written off as overrated and almost everyone currently active is written off as possibly substandard and there for reasons other than skill.


John Ogden is marvelous, I forgot about him. His recording of the Busoni Piano Concerto is my favorite.

Stefan Askenase, I like what I've heard; but have not studied his recordings extensively enough to say much more than that.

Wilhelm Kempff is my favorite pianist for Beethoven (along with Claudio Arrau). I prefer A.B.Michelangeli for Schumann, although Kempff is my other "go to" for Schumann. I didn't put Kempff (or Arrau) on my underrated list because they *are* rather famous and highly regarded.

Alfred Brendel... I just don't feel his playing has anywhere near the emotional depth of Kempff, Arrau, or any of the other 25 pianists I mentioned. Truthfully, a little boring to listen to (especially his Beethoven).

I'm surprised that there hasn't been one mention of Vladimir Ashkenazy yet. I see him described as overrated ALL the time, and I honestly think it's a little undeserved. If you're judging Ashkenazy by his Beethoven, fine. However, Ashkenazy's Chopin and Rachmaninoff are very good IMO.


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## David9

I'll just add a few artists that, in my opinion, are under appreciated:
_Ingrid Haebler_
_Clara Haskil_
_Radu Lupu_
_Eugene Istomin_
_Horatio Gutierrez_


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## Mandryka

S P Summers said:


> This is correct. Being Canadian myself, I do not put Gould on the "overrated list" lightly. His Moszkowski has undeservedly been labeled a salon composer, and I think it is partially because of the way that Horowitz played his music. Moszkowski wrote some of the most elegant piano music in history, and to my ears; the way Horowitz played Moszkowski had a way of trivializing his incredible music.
> 
> Same with Piers Lane (especially his Moszkowski). His pianistic approach just has a way of making the music seem trivial and inconsequential.


I've heard Bolet, Cherkassky, Hofmann, Pletnev and Horowitz. What Bolet does makes me think you may be right, as indeed does the short etude that Pletnev plays, but this may be the pieces as much as the performances. Recommend me some Moszkowski please.


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## tom5678

Hi! I am a newcomer to this forum! 

My list of overrated pianists:
Vladimir Horowitz
Artur Rubinstein
Glenn Gould - his playing is robotic and pretentious, and lacks fluidity
Murray Perahia - sounds great on CDs, but not the case in live performance


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## hpowders

Cynthia Raim. First Clara Haskill International Piano Competition winner. Makes few recordings. Her solo Brahms and Schumann CDs are special. Underrated.


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## Oldhoosierdude

I'm listening to Ronan O'Hora performing Satie. He's one of many pianists you never heard of on the cheap Amazon downloads. Most are as good as anyone else.

The whole judging which Performer/orchectra is better thing is over rated. They Are all good. Even Gould has a few things I like.


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## DavidA

Phil loves classical said:


> Lang Lang and Yuja Wang aren't really rated so high critically, from what I've seen. You can say overrated by the concert goers. I'm really not a fan of Gould either. Gillels, Kovacevich and Richter are my favourites of all time.


Certainly Yuja Wang is rated highly critically from what I have read. Of course, there are some critics who can't bear anyone to succeed so will try and write them down. But they are usually musical failures anyway. And of course, they don't like her wearing miniskirts!


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## DaveM

My guess is that some of those in the underrated list are there because they have long passed away and are receding in memory especially the younger the listener.


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## Oldhoosierdude

eugeneonagain said:


> it seems like one where every lesser known historical pianist is dredged up and claimed as a forgotten genius; while the well-known names are written off as overrated and almost everyone currently active is written off as possibly substandard and there for reasons other than skill.


I had to laugh on this one. That exact thing happens at times in TC and in the music reviewing world at large. The obscure, eccentric,mentally ill, substance abuse challenged, long deceased, and those who died too young, are often revered as genius and the ones performing today are somehow not up to snuff. I would add that performances/performers whose recordings are cheap or free are also put in this category.

I'm not talking 100% so don't anyone freak out on me.


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## wkasimer

Woefully underrated: Sergey Schepkin.


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## Bulldog

wkasimer said:


> Woefully underrated: Sergey Schepkin.


Some of that has to do with his not recording for any major labels. It's hard to gain exposure when most folks never hear your artistry.


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## Mandryka

I wonder what the pianophiles here make of Hamelin. I've just been listening to him play Mozart sonatas, not sure what to think.


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## architecture

What's the point of this? When comparing with athletes, all pianists that are great are underratred

Poka poka


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## Gaspard de la Nuit

Perlemuter is the Ravel champion. Putting aside the fact that he learned Ravel's music with the help of Ravel himself, his interpretations have none of the totally ineffective level of speed and exaggerated dynamics that pianists seem to use.......it's as though pianists, even great, famous, legendary pianists, enjoy their own playing more than Ravel's music. They might have a lot of technical capacity but I wonder why they even bother to play it sometimes. 

The fact is that different people have a feeling or 'sense' for different sorts of music and Perlemuter has it in Ravel.

Wanda Landowska is the pinnacle keyboard musician. I had no taste for Bach's music until I listened to her recordings, but I really wish she had left behind more Couperin and Rameau. I guess that's on harpsichord instead of piano. Oh well, she has to be mentioned because in the words of one YouTube user (not myself): "Others klavier players (in Bach) are garbage, ****." I play J.S. Bach on the piano so I include myself in the ****-pile. I'm sorry to say that to all the pianists/ keyboard-players who give their heart and soul to Bach's music and I'm not saying they have nothing to offer but there is no comparison to Landowska among famous keyboard players. None.
﻿


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## MarkW

I don't know whether over-rated or just overplayed in his heyday: Van Cliburn


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## Couchie

S P Summers said:


> * *Overrated**
> 
> -Lang Lang
> -Liberace
> -Yuja Wang
> -Evgeny Kissin
> -Piers Lane
> -Glenn Gould
> -Vladimir Horowitz
> -Arthur Rubinstein
> -Martha Argerich
> -Sviatoslav Richter (He had his moments)
> -Andras Schiff
> -Alfred Brendel
> -Mitsuko Uchida
> -Daniel Barenboim
> -Howard Shelley
> -Valentina Lisitsa
> -Boris Berezovsky


I think it's silly to call them "overrated" on a comparison of recordings when most of these ones were known to be highly charismatic stage performers. That's been part of piano ever since Liszt turned his piano sideways on the stage. Classical music is live music. Recordings are merely a shadow.


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## Pat Fairlea

Just for the record, the most exciting, charismatic live performance I ever heard from a pianist was from John Ogdon. The following day (I think), he was committed to a secure mental hospital. Read whatever you wish into that!


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## Donna Elvira

Most Overrated: Vladimir Horowitz

Most Underrated: Friedrich Gulda

When I saw the question I conceived it as "the most" referring to one person, hence just one in each category.

The thread originator welcomed questions as to his choices.
I have one, if he'd kindly entertain it.
Why do you consider Arthur Rubenstein overrated?

I've always highly regarded his Chopin and his collaborations with the Guarneri Quartet in chamber music.

Also, I have to credit Glenn Gould for making me appreciate Bach's solo keyboard music, even though now I find many artists whose interpretations I enjoy.


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## Donna Elvira

Couchie said:


> I think it's silly to call them "overrated" on a comparison of recordings when most of these ones were known to be highly charismatic stage performers. That's been part of piano ever since Liszt turned his piano sideways on the stage. Classical music is live music. Recordings are merely a shadow.


Well you did say "most," but the description of "highly charismatic stage performer" could hardly apply to Glenn Gould. ;-)

Basically though, you are right about most. Arthur Rubenstein really felt inhibited in the recording studio, it's been said.


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## hsyfz

I feel opening a thread like this that has the potential to turn into a flame war is not such a good idea...

For what it is worth, I always felt Yuja Wang is vastly underrated. I've not heard a single piece of repertoire that is played by both Krystian Zimerman and Yuja Wang where I don't prefer Yuja Wang's performance. Same goes for Stephen Hough and Yuja Wang. Yet OP felt both Zimerman and Hough are underrated and Wang is overrated. It just goes to show how different tastes can be.


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## mbayssel

Hi

It's really hard to rate pianists. There are so many excellent pianists, both dead and alive. Comparing them would mean comparing different times, with different fashions and ways to play, with different pianos as well (modern piano are farly different from 20s or 50s ones) and various recording techniques and making-off. How would you compare Marcelle Mayer recorded on a 1930s Pleyel against Yuja Wang digitaly recorded on a 2010s Stenway?

I can have a few comments on your lists though.

Underrated pianists: 

Emil Gilels and Arturo Michelangeli are definitely underrated, Gilels being impressive for his power and his rightness, Michelangeli for his softness and delicacy.

Zimmermann is wonderfull too, but I believe he gets the reputation he deserves.

Maybe Alicia de Larrocha and Fazil Say could be included in this list of underrated pianists. I had the opportunity to hear Fazil Say in a concert in Paris and his rendition of the 3 Chopin nocturnes were by far the most original though moving interpretation I ever heard of these 3 well-known pieces.

Overrated pianists

Lang Lang is to my own opinion the most overrated pianist of all times. He has astonishing technique but he ruins everything he plays by wrong ornamentations.
Yevgeny Kissin is overrated too, his renditions are somehow fluffy.
Yuja Wang (along with Khatia Buniatishvili in the same sexy and brilliant style) is very good, but it may be too early to rate her. She is rather young and maybe we should wait a bit to see how she evolves. The astonishing point is how big her repertoire is at her age.
Martha Argerich is one of the greats, she is not overrated at all.
Rubinstein is one of the greats too, but his interpretations are out of fashion today, there are too many romantic ornamentations.
Horowitz is THE great to the extend that everything he recorded is just so right and perfect. But he had limited repertoire, I wish he add recorded more impressionist French music for example.

I would add Maurizio Pollini to your list of overrated pianists. His playing misses too much expressivity.

There are some very interesting Young French piano players who are Worth hearing: Alexandre Tharaud (his romantic music is so-so, but his baroque and Ravel are jaw breaking), Bertrand Chamayou, Lucas Debargues, François Dumont. They play the piano exactly the way I believe piano (and Classical music generally speaking) should be played, meaning with great sobriety and light touch.

Cheers


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## Pugg

mbayssel said:


> Hi
> 
> It's really hard to rate pianists. There are so many excellent pianists, both dead and alive. Comparing them would mean comparing different times, with different fashions and ways to play, with different pianos as well (modern piano are farly different from 20s or 50s ones) and various recording techniques and making-off. How would you compare Marcelle Mayer recorded on a 1930s Pleyel against Yuja Wang digitaly recorded on a 2010s Stenway?
> 
> I can have a few comments on your lists though.
> 
> Underrated pianists:
> 
> Emil Gilels and Arturo Michelangeli are definitely underrated, Gilels being impressive for his power and his rightness, Michelangeli for his softness and delicacy.
> 
> Zimmermann is wonderfull too, but I believe he gets the reputation he deserves.
> 
> Maybe Alicia de Larrocha and Fazil Say could be included in this list of underrated pianists. I had the opportunity to hear Fazil Say in a concert in Paris and his rendition of the 3 Chopin nocturnes were by far the most original though moving interpretation I ever heard of these 3 well-known pieces.
> 
> Overrated pianists
> 
> Lang Lang is to my own opinion the most overrated pianist of all times. He has astonishing technique but he ruins everything he plays by wrong ornamentations.
> Yevgeny Kissin is overrated too, his renditions are somehow fluffy.
> Yuja Wang (along with Khatia Buniatishvili in the same sexy and brilliant style) is very good, but it may be too early to rate her. She is rather young and maybe we should wait a bit to see how she evolves. The astonishing point is how big her repertoire is at her age.
> Martha Argerich is one of the greats, she is not overrated at all.
> Rubinstein is one of the greats too, but his interpretations are out of fashion today, there are too many romantic ornamentations.
> Horowitz is THE great to the extend that everything he recorded is just so right and perfect. But he had limited repertoire, I wish he add recorded more impressionist French music for example.
> 
> I would add Maurizio Pollini to your list of overrated pianists. His playing misses too much expressivity.
> 
> There are some very interesting Young French piano players who are Worth hearing: Alexandre Tharaud (his romantic music is so-so, but his baroque and Ravel are jaw breaking), Bertrand Chamayou, Lucas Debargues, François Dumont. They play the piano exactly the way I believe piano (and Classical music generally speaking) should be played, meaning with great sobriety and light touch.
> 
> Cheers


I love those two , outstanding for me, like Daniil TRifonov and Evegeny Sudbin, to namw a few.Welcome to Talk Classical by the way.


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## insomniclassicac

Well, David Helfgott seemed quite overrated by the public in the years following the release of the movie _Shine_...


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## Taplow

Howard Shelley and I crashed a party together after a concert in 1984. Can't say anything about his rating, but he's definitely a lot of fun! :tiphat:


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## DeepR

mbayssel said:


> Horowitz is THE great to the extend that everything he recorded is just so right and perfect. *But he had limited repertoire*, I wish he add recorded more impressionist French music for example.


Maybe a limited recorded repertoire. Not so much in performance.

http://vladimirhorowitz.com/1_12_Repertoire.html


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## Bulldog

Couchie said:


> Classical music is live music. Recordings are merely a shadow.


That's an opinion I don't share. Actually, I get much more from a recording than a live performance.


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## DeepR

mbayssel said:


> He has *astonishing technique*


People say this about Lang Lang all the time. I'm no expert but I'm not so sure that even his technique makes him stand out. Plenty of great pianists had/have astonishing technique. I wonder what makes Lang Lang's technique so special for people to say that.


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## eugeneonagain

DeepR said:


> People say this about Lang Lang all the time. I'm no expert but I'm not so sure that even his technique makes him stand out. Plenty of great pianists had/have astonishing technique. I wonder what makes Lang Lang's technique so special for people to say that.


He has marvellously clean accuracy with a lot of clarity. He is technically great, but some of his interpretations seem not from the heart.


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## silentio

*Overrated:*
Lang Lang-- enough said.
Arthur Rubinstein-- I still struggle to like his playing. 
Andras Schiff-- clean execution, but like a typist.
Alfred Brendel-- same as above.
Murray Perahia-- same as above
Daniel Barenboim--boring.
Valentina Lisitsa-- no comment.

*Underrated:*

*Artur Schnabel*: despite his secured fame as the pianist's pianist among many professionals, he is frequently dismissed as a hyped "pianist of the wrong notes", especially by younger listeners. Although he had the technical mishaps, his phrasing, dynamics, and musicality were almost unsurpassed. 
*Elly Ney*: a stable virtuoso (check out the recordings in her 70s and 80s!) and profound musician, used to be mentioned in the same breath with Schnabel and Edwin Fischer as the champions of German music. Sadly, her link with Nazi marred her legacy, probably forever. 
*Leonard Shure*: a favorite pupil of Schnabel. Like his teacher, he produced many extraordinary performances of the German repertoire(Diabelli Variations, Schumann's and Schubert's Fantasies etc.,). He didn't seem to promote himself well enough. 
*Samuil Feinberg*: a great composer in his own right, and one of the best performers of Bach and Scriabin. 
*Annie Fischer*: Another amazing lady of the piano, IMO better than Martha Argerich. Can you imagine that the series _Great Pianists of the 20th Century_ dare to omit her?
*Stephen Hough*: a creative pianist with a huge repertoire. I think he is a bit undermarketed.
*Ruth Laredo*:"America's First Lady of the Piano", one of the best Scriabin and Rachmaninoff pianists. I don't think her name travels well. 
*Paul Jacobs*: A pioneer of early music and 20th century music.


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## Rach Man

An interesting and unmentioned thought about over-rated and under-rated pianists is that a very over-rated pianist can still be worlds better than a very under-rated pianist.


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## Phil loves classical

I find Vladamir Ashkenazy underrated. Super prolific, and I never heard him do anything badly, while some of his interpretations are among the best, to me, in a lot of works, but don’t get much recognition, ie. his Beethoven Sonatas. I don’t really like Glenn Gould in anything he does, but that is just me. William Kapell is not underrated, but not well known enough, in my opinion. He has great technique and feel flr the music, at least to me. Richter can’t be rated highly enough to me. He is the alpha and omega.


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## andreas chenier

overrated:
Glen Gould
Edwin Fischer
Zimmermannn
Brahms
underrated:
Igor Shukov
Pinock(cemballist though)
Gilels
Maria Joao Perez


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## andreas chenier

overrated:
Glen Gould
underrated:
Igor Shukov
Pinock(cemballist though)
Gilels
Maria Joao Perez


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## Roger Knox

The following pianists were not underrated in their heyday, but perhaps are prematurely forgotten now:

Benno Moiseiwitsch
Solomon Cutner
Guiomar Novaes
Leopold Godowsky
Wilhelm Backhaus
Ignaz Friedman
Gina Bachauer


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## Phil loves classical

DeepR said:


> People say this about Lang Lang all the time. I'm no expert but I'm not so sure that even his technique makes him stand out. Plenty of great pianists had/have astonishing technique. I wonder what makes Lang Lang's technique so special for people to say that.


Lang Lang's technique is amazing, I don't think there is any dispute to that. His interpretive skill is the pits (for a world class pianist) in contrast. He can't even play the Chinese Yellow River Concerto slow movement in an engaging way.


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## eugeneonagain

Phil loves classical mentioned Vladimir Ashkenazy further up. I agree. He is a fantastic pianist and a fine conductor, of both Russian and French music particularly.


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## KenOC

eugeneonagain said:


> Phil loves classical mentioned Vladimir Ashkenazy further up. I agree. He is a fantastic pianist and a fine conductor, of both Russian and French music particularly.


And Bach, and Mozart... Ashkenazy is a paragon of taste and virtuosity. He never disappoints.


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## silentio

andreas chenier said:


> overrated:
> Glen Gould
> Edwin Fischer
> Zimmermannn
> Brahms
> underrated:
> *Igor Shukov*
> Pinock(cemballist though)
> Gilels
> Maria Joao Perez


Igor Zhukov is an amazing pianist. I find him more consistently inspired in Scriabin than Richter, Gilels and Ashkenazy. I am very fond of his complete Scriabin sonata set.


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## Pat Fairlea

Just a quick note, relevant to this thread.

I owe Craig Sheppard a considerable apology. Many, many years ago I heard him play Liszt and really didn't enjoy the interpretation at all. Even his technique seemed to be over-stretched. And for many, many years I have avoided recitals and recordings by Craig Sheppard. 

Yesterday, I picked up a CD that I was given long ago, of Craig Sheppard playing assorted Chopin (Cirrus CICD1010). And it was delightful. A clear, singing top line, beautifully voiced chords, just enough rubato without 'milking it'. 

Sorry Mr Sheppard, I had you all wrong.


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## DeepR

Phil loves classical said:


> Lang Lang's technique is amazing, I don't think there is any dispute to that.


Yes, but is it amazing compared to say, Marc-André Hamelin, or Yuja Wang for that matter? I don't doubt Lang Lang has great technique, I doubt his technique stands out compared to other virtuoso's. So when people highlight his technique, I don't think it says a lot, because great technique is a prerequisite.


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## Phil loves classical

DeepR said:


> Yes, but is it amazing compared to say, Marc-André Hamelin, or Yuja Wang for that matter? I don't doubt Lang Lang has great technique, I doubt his technique stands out compared to other virtuoso's. So when people highlight his technique, I don't think it says a lot, because great technique is a prerequisite.


I would say his technique is just below Hamelin's, who is the better than everyone else's. Cleaner than Argerich, Gilels, Richter, I thought.

Here is my tentative list of greatest technicians:
1. Hamelin
2. Horowitz
3. Lang
4. Argerich

Doesn't matter, Richter is above all in musicality.


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