The Best Pianist of all Time: Top 10!

Have we ever wondered – who is the best pianist of all time? At Between The Keys we wanted to answer just that question, so we compiled a list of the top 10 pianists across multiple genres!

Related:

The Best Classical Pianists of All Time (Top 30)

The Best Jazz Pianists of All Time: Ranked (Top 32)

The Best Pianist of all Time: Top 10!

1. Sergei Rachmaninov

Rachmaninov was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor born on April 1, 1873, in Semyonovo, Staraya Russa, Novgorod Governorate, Russian Empire (modern-day Russia).

Rachmaninov is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music.

Early influences of Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and other Russian composers gave way to a thoroughly personal idiom notable for its song-like melodicism, expressiveness, dense contrapuntal textures, and rich orchestral colors.

Rachmaninov began learning the piano at the age of four and studied piano and composition at the Moscow Conservatory, from which he graduated in 1892, having already written several compositions.

Rachmaninov’s most famous works include his Piano Concerto No. 2 and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

2. Vladimir Horowitz

A Ukrainian-born American pianist who was known for his electrifying performances and technical brilliance. 

He studied piano and composition at the Moscow Conservatory, from which he graduated in 1892, having already written several compositions. Horowitz went on to become conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre from 1904–06.

He later embarked upon his first tour of the United States as a pianist in 1909. After the Russian Revolution, Horowitz and his family left Russia permanently, settling in New York in 1918. 

Following this, he spent most of his time touring as a pianist through the US and Europe, from 1932 onwards spending his summers at his villa in Switzerland. Horowitz was known for his interpretations of the works of Chopin, Liszt, and Scarlatti.

3. Sir Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John CH CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; March 25, 1947) is a British singer, pianist, and composer. He is one of the most successful musicians of the 20th century, with over 300 million records sold worldwide.

John has also composed music for several musical films and theatre productions, including The Lion King, Aida, and Billy Elliot the Musical. He is an HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser and established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992.

Elton John is famous around the world and one of the best pianists of the 20th and 21st centuries. He has numerous hits including ‘Tiny Dancer’ and ‘Your Song’.

4. Glenn Gould

Glenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian classical pianist born on September 25, 1932, in Toronto, Canada. He was one of the most famous and celebrated pianists of the 20th century, renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard works of Johann Sebastian Bach.

His playing was distinguished by remarkable technical proficiency and a capacity to articulate the contrapuntal texture of Bach’s music.

Gould rejected most of the Romantic piano literature by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and others, in favor of Bach and Beethoven mainly, along with some late Romantic and modernist composers.

Gould was known for his eccentricities, ranging from his unorthodox musical interpretations and mannerisms at the keyboard to aspects of his lifestyle and behavior.

5. Sviatoslav Richter

A Soviet pianist who was known for his powerful and intense playing style. Richter was one of the most celebrated pianists of the 20th century and was known for his interpretations of the works of Bach, Beethoven, and Schumann.

Richter was largely self-taught and an excellent sight-reader. He developed a lifelong passion for opera, vocal, and chamber music that found its full expression in the festivals he established in La Grange de Meslay, France, and Moscow at the Pushkin Museum.

Richter’s father, Teofil Danilovich Richter, was a pianist born to German expatriates, who from 1893 to 1900 studied at the Vienna Conservatory.

6. Bill Evans

Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist and composer born on August 16, 1929, in Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential pianists of his time, known for his lush harmonies and lyrical improvisation.

Evans began learning the piano at an early age, initially from his mother, who was herself a pianist. He studied classical music at Southeastern Louisiana University and the Mannes School of Music, in New York City, where he majored in composition and received the Artist Diploma. 

Evans went on to become a leader of his trio and recorded over fifty albums as a leader, receiving five Grammy Awards.

7. Herbie Hancock

Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. 

He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd’s group and later joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the post-bop sound.

In the 1970s, Hancock experimented with jazz fusion, funk, and electro styles, using a wide array of synthesizers and electronics. It was during this period that he released perhaps his best-known and most influential album, Head Hunters. 

Hancock’s best-known compositions include “Cantaloupe Island”, “Watermelon Man”, “Maiden Voyage”, and “Chameleon”, all of which are jazz standards ¹. During the 1980s, he enjoyed a hit single with the electronic instrumental “Rockit”.

8. Hiromi

Hiromi Uehara (上原 ひろみ, Uehara Hiromi) is a Japanese jazz composer and pianist. She is known for her technique, energetic live performances, and blending of musical genres such as stride, post-bop, progressive rock, classical, and nu-jazz.

Born on March 26, 1979, in Hamamatsu, Japan, Hiromi started learning piano at the age of six and was introduced to jazz by her piano teacher Noriko Hikida when she was eight. At age 14, she played with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

When she was 17 years old, she met Chick Corea by chance in Tokyo and was invited to play with him at his concert the next day.

There, she was mentored by Ahmad Jamal and had already signed with the jazz label Telarc before her graduation. Anthony Jackson, who was previously a guest on the Brain album, joined Uehara along with drummer Simon Phillips for Hiromi’s album ‘Voice’.

The Trio Project went on to make the albums Move (2012), Alive (2014), and Spark (2016). Spark reached the number one position on the US Billboard Jazz Albums chart for the week of April 23, 2016.

9. Ray Charles

Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as “The Genius”. 

Charles was blinded during childhood. He pioneered the soul music genre during the 1950s by combining blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic Records. 

He contributed to the integration of country music, rhythm and blues, and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, notably with his two Modern Sounds albums. 

Charles had multiple singles reach the Top 40 on various Billboard charts: 44 on the US R&B singles chart, 11 on the Hot 100 singles chart, and 2 on the Hot Country singles chart.

He was one of the inaugural inductees at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He has won 18 Grammy Awards (five posthumously), the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, and 10 of his recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

10. Franz Liszt

Franz Liszt was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, and teacher of the Romantic period, born on October 22, 1811, in Doborján, Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire (modern-day Hungary).

With a diverse body of work spanning more than six decades, he is considered to be one of the most prolific and influential composers of his era and remains one of the most popular composers in modern concert piano repertoire.

Liszt first gained renown during the early nineteenth century for his virtuoso skill as a pianist. Regarded as one of the greatest pianists of all time, he toured Europe during the 1830s and 1840s, often playing for charity.

During this period and into his later life, Liszt was a friend, musical promoter, and benefactor to many composers of his time, including Frédéric Chopin, Charles-Valentin Alkan, César Franck, Richard Wagner, Hector Berlioz, and Robert Schumann.

Liszt left behind an extensive and diverse body of work that influenced his forward-looking contemporaries and anticipated 20th-century ideas and trends.

FAQ

1. Who Are the Top 10 Pianists?

This question has no definitive answer, as it is subjective and depends on personal preferences. However, according to a poll conducted by LedgerNote, the top 10 pianists of all time are:

1. Sergei Rachmaninov
2. Vladimir Horowitz
3. Artur Rubinstein
4. Sviatoslav Richter
5. Yanni
6. Alfred Cortot
7. Emil Gilels
8. Franz Liszt
9. Martha Argerich
10. Vladimir Ashkenazy

While this list is not exhaustive, it provides a good starting point for exploring some of the most talented pianists of all time.

Q2. Who Is Technically the Best Pianist?

It is difficult to determine who the best pianist is, as it is subjective and depends on personal preferences. However, according to a poll conducted by Piano Street, the following pianists were voted as the most technically skilled:

1. Franz Liszt
2. Vladimir Horowitz
3. Sviatoslav Richter
4. Gyorgy Cziffra
5. Glenn Gould

Q3. Who Is the Best Current Pianist?

Again, this is subjective and depends on personal preferences. However, according to a poll conducted by Ranker, the following pianists were voted as the best current pianists:

1. Fazıl Say
2. Franz Liszt
3. Vladimir Horowitz
4. Martha Argerich
5. Arthur Rubinstein

Q4. Who Is the Best Chinese Pianist?

There are many talented Chinese pianists, but some of the most famous ones include:

1. Lang Lang: Born in Shenyang, Liaoning, Lang Lang is considered one of the best pianists alive today. He’s famous across the world for his mastery of an extensive repertoire.

2. Yundi Li: Known as the “Prince of Piano” in China, Yundi Li is a masterful pianist who was the youngest winner of the International Chopin Competition at only 18 ¹.

3. Yuja Wang: Born in Beijing, Yuja Wang is known for her exceptional talent and has become one of the preeminent pianists touring the world ¹.

Q5. Who Is the King of Pianists?

The title of “King of Pianists” has been used to describe several pianists throughout history. One of the most famous pianists to be given this title was Louis Moreau Gottschalk, an American pianist who was known for his technique and showmanship.

Q6. Who Is the Best Self-Taught Pianist?

There are many famous self-taught pianists, including Thelonious Monk, Alfred Brendel, and Joey Alexander.

Q7. Who Is the Best 11-Year-Old Pianist?

Jude Kofie is an 11-year-old pianist who has achieved viral fame for his piano performances on the Internet, become the lead keyboardist at his local church, and appeared on primetime US television shows, despite never having lessons.

Q8. Who Is an Advanced Pianist?

An advanced pianist is someone who has surpassed the intermediate stages of piano playing and has developed an advanced technique and musicality. Some of the best digital pianos for advanced pianists include the Yamaha P-515 and the Roland FP-90X.

Q9. What Is the Hardest Piano Piece to Play?

The hardest piano piece to play is subjective and depends on personal preferences. However, some of the most challenging pieces include Franz Liszt’s “Transcendental Etudes,” and Frederic Chopin’s “Piano Sonata No. 2”.

Q10. Which Celebrity Plays the Piano?

Many celebrities play the piano, including Ryan Gosling, Hugh Laurie, and Alicia Keys.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this list has enlightened you about the best pianist of all time, and perhaps inspired you to learn some of their beloved music! Happy practicing!

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