The 13 Most Famous Piano Players of All Time - Learn to Play the Instrument with Step-by-Step Lessons | Just a blog (2023)

Do you know who the most famous pianists of all time are? You can find the answers in this article.

What is your reason for playing the piano? Is it about winning over the audience and grabbing hold of them at every performance (game intent)? Then you can learn from the most famous pianists from all over the world.

These musicians became famous for their admirable technique, but also for their eccentricity. Gain insight into their lives and be inspired to adopt the habits of hugely successful musicians. Perhaps one day your name will appear on one of these lists.

1. Marta Argerich

Born: June 5, 1941

Martha is originally from Argentina and started playing the piano at the age of threePlay pieces by ear.

Five years later she gave her first concert. She won various competitions, including the 1957 Geneva International Music Competition.

Despite her success, she found herself in a personal crisis and didn't know if she should continue with her music career. She gave up playing the piano for three years, but a friend encouraged her to do so, after which she rose to fame at the age of 24 by winning the VII Piano Prize. to the International Chopin Piano Competition. When she battled and beat cancer in the 1990s, she faced another challenge.

He avoids the public, preferring concerts and chamber music to solo performances. Martha helps to promote other pianists by hosting the festival and being a member of the competition jury.

2. Claudio Arrau

Born: February 6, 1903

Died: June 9, 1991

Claudio, a Chilean piano virtuoso, could read music before he could read words. He mastered Beethoven's sonatas by the age of four and gave his first concert at the age of five.

His mother introduced him to the piano, but there were no professional musicians in the family. He was lucky enough to receive a scholarship from the Chilean government to study in Germany for ten years. He studied until he was 15, but stopped after the death of one of his mentors. His talent and skills allowed him to perform around the world, often averaging 120 appearances per season.

He played works by various composers, but was best known for his interpretations of Beethoven.

If you ever travel to Chile, look for an avenue named after him in Santiago.

3. Frederic Chopin

Born: March 1, 1810

Died: October 17, 1849

Chopin was a child prodigy, giving concerts and writing polonaises by the age of seven. He was valued as a composer, performer and piano teacher. Frederic was friends with another great pianist, Franz Liszt.

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He struggled with illness throughout his life and due to his physical decline he wrote fewer works as his years progressed. Nonetheless, in just 39 years, Chopin made an incredible contribution to the world of music. He composed concertos, chamber works and more, and all of his compositions contained piano parts.

4. Glen Gould

Born: 25 September 1932

Died: October 4, 1982

Glenn Gould was known as an exceptional interpreter of Bach's piano works. This respected Canadian pianist grew up in a musical family and learned to read music before he could read words. At the age of three people noticed that he had a perfect voice, and at the age of twelve he passed the exam at the conservatory and boasted the best grades among the candidates.

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Audiences remember Glen for his unique style and eccentricity. Interestingly, Glen practiced not only on the piano, but also mentally. Instead of just playing, he also hummed during performances. Glen insisted on using a special small chair made by his father for all performances. Being small, he pulled the buttons down instead of pushing them from the top. The upside was exceptional button control.

He only performed in concerts until he was 31 because he wanted to concentrate on studio recordings. Glen has posthumously won four Grammy Awards over the years. In 2013 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

5. Wladimir Horowitz

Born: October 1, 1903

Died: November 5, 1989

Vladimir's first teacher was his mother, and in 1912 he began studying at the Kiev Conservatory. Eight years later he performed at his first solo concert.

Vladimir's playing was unforgettable because of the quality of the sound he produced and because his playing was able to excite audiences.

Born in what was then the Russian Empire, Vladimir only achieved world fame in his twenties, beginning with performances in Berlin. Eventually he performed throughout Europe and the United States and became famous for interpreting the romantic works of Rachmaninoff and Chopin.

Although the audience loved him, Vladimir doubted his abilities and sometimes someone had to rush him on stage to perform physically. He developed depression and stopped performing for long periods of his career. Nevertheless, he made many live recordings up to the last week of his life. He was also a piano teacher, but he was very strict and would stop working with students unless they improved.

6. Lang Lang

Born: June 14, 1982

A cartoon with a composition by Franz Liszt inspired Lang Lang to play the piano. His lessons began at the age of three, and within two years he was giving public concerts and winning competitions.

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Surprisingly, he was kicked out by his teacher at the age of nine for lack of talent. But he continued his studies and in 1993 he won the Xinghai State Piano Competition in Beijing.

In 1997 his father brought him to America and soon musicians and critics became aware of his talent. Lang Lang's game is characterized by flair, exceptional technique and charisma. Earlier in his career he had sold out performances at venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.

He still performs at various events, has had numerous television appearances, and has published his autobiography, Journey of a Thousand Miles.

7. Franz Liszt

Born: October 22, 1811

Died: July 31, 1886

This pianist was from Hungary and was also a composer and music teacher. During his lifetime he knew other piano greats such as Haydn and Beethoven.

His fascination with the piano began at the age of six when he watched his father play it, who then taught him at the age of seven. At the age of eight he composed his first compositions, a year later he performed at concerts. Through his performances he found financial support to study music in Vienna.

Watching Paganini play the violin inspired Franz to become a pianist. Especially in the 1840s he appeared as a concert pianist. His facial expressions and body gestures amused the audience.

Since his father insisted he use a metronome, his ability to keep up was impressive. He was excellent toopage reader.

He has earned enough money from his performances to be able to help others and has been known to support charities.

8. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Born: January 27, 1756

Died: December 5, 1791

Famous enough to be known only by his last name, Mozart was a master of the piano and violin.

He grew up in Salzburg and began learning the piano at the age of three while his father Leopold taught his sister Nannerl. He played independently and at the age of four his father began teaching Mozart. Mozart's talent soon became apparent as he was already composing music at the age of five. Even as a child, his sister noticed how flawlessly he played and kept the beat.

Leopold began taking his children on tours in 1762 to perform as child prodigies. Over the next few years, Mozart traveled throughout Italy and elsewhere in Europe, performing before royalty and meeting other great musicians such as Bach.

His talent eventually earned him the honor of serving as court musician in Salzburg. In search of an alternative job with a better salary, he ended up in Vienna, where he lived until his death at the age of 35. He composed music up until his last days, creating over 600 compositions over the course of his life.

9. Arthur Rubinstein

Born: January 28, 1887

Died: December 20, 1982

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For eight decades, beginning in 1904, Arthur wowed audiences with his talent. Experts consider him one of the best Chopin players.

At the age of two he impressed his family by showing his perfect pitch while teaching his sister the piano. His father offered him a violin, but he really wanted to learn to play the piano. Even talented musicians of the time like Joseph Joachim were impressed by Arthur's talent when he was four years old. He made his debut at the age of seven and played with the Berlin Philharmonic at the age of 13.

This child prodigy performed in Paris in 1904 and at Carnegie Hall in 1906. Unfortunately, it wasn't well received in the US. The rejection led to a failed suicide, and then he found the beginning of a successful career in London.

Not only was Arthur exceptionally good at giving solo concerts, he also excelled at chamber music. He recorded a lot of music that he createdRomantic composers.

10. Sergei Rachmaninoff

Born: 1. April 1873

Died: March 28, 1943

Although Sergei Rachmaninoff is first and foremost a composer, experts also consider him one of the greatest pianists in the world. His love for the instrument shows how much of it is in his compositions.

Sergej began piano lessons at the age of four and by the age of 19 had a composition for piano and orchestra. Unfortunately, critics liked his Symphony No. 1, and the Depression years provided criticism. Luckily, therapy helped him overcome his mental health issues. As a conductor and pianist he eventually performed all over the world, but especially in New York, where he settled after leaving his native Russia in 1918.

He toured until 1942, but his health deteriorated due to melanoma and he died in California in 1943.

Although Sergei recorded a lot of music, there are not many videos of him in action.

11. Klara Schuman

Born: 13. September 1819

Died: May 20, 1896

Clara's husband Robert enjoyed more fame than her, but she was the piano playerGreatby herself. Her father taught her to play, which required one hour of instruction and two hours of practice per day. Already at the age of eleven she visited Vienna and Paris.

Her concert career spans over six decades, and she was also a sought-after piano teacher. Many institutions offered her positions, but she chose to work at the conservatory of Dr. Teaching high, where she was the only woman on the faculty.

12. Robert Schumann

Born: June 8, 1810

Died: July 29, 1856

Robert Schumann began studying law but dropped out to pursue music and hoped to become a virtuoso pianist. Unfortunately, he injured his hand and although people still remember him as a pianist, over time he became known primarily for his compositions.

13. Ludwig van Beethoven

Born: December 1770

Died: March 26, 1827

Beethoven was a German composer but was valued as a virtuoso pianist. He also played violin and organ. His father Johann began teaching him as a child. Christian Neefe was another important teacher, helping him create and publish his first work around the age of 13.

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Beethoven sometimes taught music, played in the court orchestra, and wrote music to earn money.

Unfortunately, he became partially deaf and could only hear low tones and deafening noises. Despite his hearing loss, he composed some of the most incredible pieces of music, including nine symphonies, a violin concerto and five piano concertos.

Famous world pianists come from all walks of life and each has their own characteristics. But it's clear that technique and practice are just as important as talent. If you dream of making playing the piano your profession - as a performer, teacher or composer - use itJust a pianoan application that will allow you to quickly improve your daily gameplay.

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