This is one of those unfair topics to write about because the task is daunting and almost impossible. Imagine having to sample just ten of the best pianists of all time from a list of hundreds if not thousands. We have managed to narrow down the list anyway, based on skill and ratings over the years. Ready? Here is the top ten list of the famous pianists of all time.
10. Artur Schnabel
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We begin the list of piano players of all time with one man born in the 1850s in Australia. His greatness is spoken far and wide mainly due to his wonderful German compositions. He is the guy behind the first ever Beethoven Sonatas complete recording. Artur was committed to making it big as a pianist during his lifetime and many describe his work as intellectual, spiritual, deep and very technical.
9. Billy Joel
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Billy Joel is another example of famous pianists of all time from around the world. He not only plays the piano but also writes songs of a wide variety of genres including classical, jazz, ragtime, pop and rock. He loves using the piano so much that his first song was titled Piano Man. If you aren’t so convinced Billy Joel deserves a place on the list of best pianists of all time, look at his achievements and the number of awards he received as a result of this amazing skill.
8. William Joseph
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When you win a music school scholarship at the age of eight, you are on your way to becoming one of the piano players of all time. This is William’s story, an American man who had the chance to study music alongside the Russian famous pianist Stella Saperstein. Many of his fans loved him for his music obviously but also for his ability to inspire joy to the world through his music.
7. Wilhelm Kempff
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Wilhelm hailed from Germany and was endowed with a talent of playing the piano into his eighties. He was born in 1895 and had the privilege of living a rather long lifespan (1895-1991). He features on this list of famous pianists of all time for his extraordinary abilities to write spontaneous piano themes that brought out charm and a high level of creativity.
6. Alfred Bredel
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Austria is not left behind when the topic of best pianists of all time comes up. The tiny European country has also produced a one-of-a-kind, super talented piano player named Alfred Bredel. He was born in 1931 in Austria but has since moved to London to keep chasing his dream of music. He teaches piano and as at now, he has managed to record four sets of the Beethoven sonatas. Many agree he is one of the piano players of all time because his pieces never run dry or boring; they are ever dynamic and humorous.
5. Vladimir Horowitz
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Vladimir Horowitz was yet another example of famous pianists of all time. He was born in Ukraine but later moved to America in his quest to compose timeless pieces on his piano. He is known far and wide as a great composer as well especially his infamous virtuoso technique of playing. The most memorable performance is his special one in 1951 at Carnegie Hall.
4. Frederick Chopin
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This is one of the popular best pianists of all time with a short lifespan of 39 years only. He was born in 1810 in Poland and went on to become a great composer on the solo piano. Although he died quite young than most piano players of all time, Frederick made the most of his time here on earth. He even wrote some great poems on the piano making him a big name in the romantic industry of the early 1800s.
3. Ludwig Van Beethoven
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You cannot possibly speak about famous pianists of all time without mentioning Ludwig Van Beethoven; it is just a crime. This guy was one of the original professionalpiano players. He lived between the years of 1770 and 1827 in Germany. Many are his achievements one of which is the transition between romantic and classical eras in music. He also greatly influenced the composition of music worldwide in a positive way.
2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Mozart is a widely known character probably because he lived in the 1700s with the supernatural ability to play the piano like no one before him. This guy was no joke; by the age of five he was already playing the violin and the piano. He would often entertain the European royalty with his immense talent. Although some of his pieces weren’t done to completion by the time of his death, there is no question about him being among best pianists of all time.
1. Yanni
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Finally the crown of piano players of all time goes to none other than the Greek-born talented man by the stage name Yanni. He doesn’t seem to stop wowing crowds every time he performs. He is not only a piano player but a music composer, music producer and keyboardist as well. Yanni’s skill is unparalleled in all ways imaginable-he is passionate, artistic, humble, able to connect well with the audience, a risk taker, full of technique, just to name a few; this is why he makes home to the number one position.
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