Who is the best pianist ever?
 

my favourite is Franz Lizst
Who's yours?

I'm not much into piano's nor listen to them, but from what I have heard, I think Elton John is very talented.

Art Tatum (sp?). He was blind and heard Dueling rag time pianos, thinking it was one person, he learned to play that sound as one man. He is usually considered the definitive piano player.

Beethoven. His Moonshine Sonata is incredible.
But Stevie Wonder is quite good, too.

Classical: Sergei Rachmaninoff
Jazz: Thelonius Monk or Bill Evans
Rock: Jerry Lee Lewis or Elton John

I've got to go with monk on this one. but there aren't recordings of most classical composers actually playing their music, so i dont know

May not be the best, but I like Tori Amos and Jamie Cullum.

Tori owns any ivory she touches. Jamie has a good rhythem section and some song writing skill.

Without a doubt, Ray Manzarek.

^ Though I love Ray's sound I don't know that I'd personaly rank him highest for technical proficiency. Those honors got to go to:

• Thelonious Monk
• Sun Ra
• Charlie Mingus

(known primarily for Bass, which he is IMHO the best bassist, he did play some excelent piano stuff)

and who could forget:

• Art Tatum

Yeah they're all jazz musicians. It's hard to choose classical music I listen to that's not by dead guys. You know guys that play their own stuff.

Lewiscode you just got an A$$load of credit in my book for including Charlie Mingus in your list. Not a lot of people know who he is, that he did'n't just play upright bass, and,let alone, what an wonderful piano player Mingus was.

Thank You. What can I say. I likes Jazz. and you can just call me Lewis.

I just like that he supported my vote for Art Tatum (are we spelling that correctly?)

My personal favourite pianist has to be, Earl Van Dyke.

Known as 'Gorilla Piano' for his style of playing. His contribution to the Motown sound was immense.

Unless you're using the royal we I asume you mean to include me in the question. and the answer is yes we are spelling Art Tatum correctly.

yo son, yall niggaz wanna talk jazz, keif jarret yo man. bill evanz an felonious monk too.

fo classical yall should be checkin out my nigga alf brendel, an rachmaninoff an vlad horovitz were hella ganxta too. ya feel?

beethoven or jerry lee lewis(sorry)

Mozart was awesome, too.

me.

If you really live in Mass, I'll duel you for that title.

Let's do it up.

Oh god yes, you pikck the format.

My girlfriend's got a remastered recording of a Rachmaninov concerto, with the piano part being played by Rachmaninov himself and its absolutely amazing. Judging by the piano parts that they wrote Rachmaninov and Liszt must have been phenomenal pianists, although I'd say Chopin actually wrote the best piano music.

For modern music, I'd say jazz pianists all the way. There are loads of them so I won't name names. Elton John really isn't a great pianist, no more so than Bryan Adams is a great guitarist.

Oh, don't bother with my opinion bit on the above post. Just remember that there is a CD around somewhere with Rachmaninov playing his own concerto. Buy it! Now! Get some real music into you.

And buy the Brooke (sp?) violin concerto while you're at it.

Im going to ignore that last sentence and ask the question "Didn't he live in the 13th century?"

Not unless he lived a very, very long time. To my knowledge he was born in the 19th century and died in the 20th. Had he been around in the 13th century and had a typical human lifespan its very unlikely that he would have written any piano concertos at all as the piano was invented some time during the 17th (I think) century. In the 13th century he would have been limited to sackbutts, viols and eunuchs singing soprano.

MINE. Oh sorry, I thought the question was best penis ever

Nice. 16 years playing the piano and I still find that kind of thing funny.

I was actually surprised in 3 pages nobody beat me to it

my favorite would have to be Page Mcconnell or Roddy Bottom, And yes im aware neither of the two are nowhere near the best.

Good God
 

Without doubt Mike Oldfield.

For all you Americans, hes the one who does the music in the Exorcist - The Album is Tubular Bells.

I'm going actual proper classical recording pianists. I am currently listening to Dinu Lipatti who is amazing and I also love Murray Perahia.

i would have to take it back a couple centries and say Beetoven

Nice to meet you, welcome to the boards, it looks as if you'll fit in well.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...gicalnises.jpg

nigel.

"these go to 11"

I'd say the best pianist ever is Wladyslaw Szpilman

Horowitz, Murray Perahia, Alicia deLaRocha and me haha

You like Faith No More too? COOL!