Who are the Greatest 20th - 21st century’s pianists ?

I realized there are so many great top level pianists all over the world and I still need much more time to see all the greatest pianists.

And I found that once the highest levels of piano playing are reached, at that point who you think is the best or is your favorite all depends on one’s taste and how the pianist performance and personality touches you.

Personally , I love mixture of a dynamic performer, wild and also with sensitivity plus elegance with masterful technique and emotion and musicality.

I’m surprised that it’s so different impression with same music depending on who is playing it , and also depending on the pianist’s mood at the time of the performance.


So far, my favorite pianists of the 20th to 21st century are below,
( no particular order )

Here is the list :


* Agustin Anievas (USA)
* Yukio Yokoyama ( Japan )
* Samson Francois (France) 
* Vladimir Horowitz (Russia)
* Yundi Li ( China )
* John Browning ( USA) 
* Sandor Falvay ( Hungary ) 
* Tomas Vasary ( Czech Republic )
* Sviatoslav Richter (Russia)
* Isador Goodman ( Australia )
* Aldo Ciccolini ( Italy)
* Kazune Shimizu (Japan )
* Martha Argerich (Argentina ) 
* Lang Lang ( China )
* Arcadi Volodos (Russia )

I’ve seen and read about people’s opinions about pianists, but mainly, my favorites were selected by my natural feeling and my taste.

The point for me is always, “ makes me feel good or not. “
For the most recent pianists,

I’m impressed with two Chinese pianists, Yundi Li and also Lang lang.
For Yundi Li, I really love his expressive, passionate playing. Very musical and entertaining.

I love his playing of Liszt’s La Campanella.

Actually perfection for me for that piece may be

Yundi Li + Lang Lang divided by 2 = the best
Also I watched Yundi Li Chopin “ Revolutionary Etude ” , and also Liszt’s
“Sonata in B minor“.

Especially his Liszt' Sonata in B minor is a breathtaking performance.

I haven’t seen him playing Hungarian Rhapsody #2 yet though ( because I couldn’t find it ) I’ve been very impressed with his performances, and all things considered, he may be my favorite right now.

Everything is so balanced and his performances really touch my heart every moment.
For Lang lang, his technical ability looks effortless, the way he plays piano and how he uses his hands and fingers looks like a great artist painting, easily , beautifully done.

He can make it seem like besides what he’s playing, there’s a second set of piano sounds hovering over the first set.

He plays differently with same music depending on his mood.
However, I’m not always loving how he shows his musicality and especially his expression and also emotion.
It sometimes doesn’t look natural and looks weird and arranging from original version and not always how I like, but I really loved his La Campanella and also the beginning of one of his versions of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody #2.

For Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody #2,
I’m still looking for pianists who can play Hungarian Rhapsody #2 , because I haven’t been completely satisfied yet for that piece.


Sergei Rachmaninoff
I must also write about Rachmaninoff who is considered as one of the piano masters & composers.

I’ve listened to him ( at least it’s claimed to be him ) playing his music “ Piano Concerto Number 3 “ on you tube at the link here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA0kXDMKiLg&feature=related

- Rachmaninoff plays Piano Concerto #3

I also watched his Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody #2 “ on Youtube.
It seems to have been recorded in 1939, so sound may not be so good, but ….

Honestly I can’t believe it’s really such a legendary pianist playing, because whoever was playing in that video, I wasn’t so impressed with his playing emotionally, and musically in that video.

If it was really played by the real Rachmaninoff, then I feel like maybe he was a better composer, than piano player. (?)

Because I really like his music “ Piano Concerto Number 3. “

In the music that is played on that youtube video, the pianist doesn’t use pedal, and some people say great pianists don’t use pedal, pedal is for pianists who want to hide their lack of technical ability. But I don’t agree with that.

Great sounds contribute to great artistry and depending on the part, it’s good to use pedal to express their musicality and emotion even more. How to use the pedal well is a part of technique.

Of course, using pedal all the time also doesn’t make great artistry, but
playing with no pedal sounds too dry to me and can be boring.

There are also some reviews of a Rachmaninoff’s CD on Amazon which is said to be performed by Rachmaninoff.

I didn’t buy this CD and so I’m not sure, but some of the reviews are writing about almost same feeling as I felt when I first time watched and listened to whoever was playing piano on that you tube video .

One of the reviewers said, it’s not even him playing, because he said he had the real Rachmaninoff on a CD which he had purchased in London, and he said the real Rachmaninoff is really passionate and emotional, and you can hear it in the “London” version of this CD.

I must purchase that CD if I can find the import from London. Because the other one, if it’s the same as on that you tube, I really didn’t feel it’s amazing or even performed by Rachmaninoff, a legendary master.

It looks to me many people seems watching his “ fame “ ? and not even listening from their own soul.

While reading the many glowing reviews, I felt like in the twilight zone, until I read the review by the one I mentioned above talking about the real Rachmaninoff playing the same music, but full of dynamics and passion on the London CD.

Anyway, I need to listen to that CD from London , until then I will hold his piano playing review because it's still not sure.
It's so fun to see pianists world and listening to beautiful music everyday !



We've just purchased Franz Liszt's greatest hit CD today. It's a CD for newbies to Liszt.



There is orchestra version of Hungarian Rhabsody #2, and also La Campanella played by Kazune shimizu.



They are really awesome !!!