In the world of classical music, the greatest composers are often accomplished instrumentalists and vice-versa. To be able to compose music, you're likely to have studied music theory extensively and also learned how to play at least one musical instrument.
In the case of classical music, it was very common for the greatest composers to also be the greatest pianists of the time, too. After all, they were often writing pieces that only they and the other greatest musicians on the planet could play.
Speaking of the other greatest musicians, that's who we'll be learning about today. Rather than talking about the greatest composers and pianists who created the most beautiful classical music hundreds of years ago, who are the greatest pianists playing these wonderful works today?
For this list, we've chosen incredibly accomplished pianists who are also alive today. Naturally, many of them are on the older side since becoming the best takes time and most of these have had long and illustrious careers.
Alfred Brendel (1931- )
Alfred Brendel is an Austrian pianist who's widely considered to be one of the greatest of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Like many of the other pianists you'll learn about throughout this article, Brendel is considered one of the greatest because of his technique and when he plays the piano, it's precise and clear, no matter how complex the piece.
Speaking of the pieces that Brendel plays, his repertoire is broad and he's known for playing classical music from a range of eras from Baroque to contemporary. He's probably most famous for his interpretations of works from Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms, to name a few.
Born in 1931, Brendel retired from performances in 2008. Fortunately for you, he made many recordings of his playing which you can listen to. His performances of Beethoven's piano sonatas are a particular treat and perhaps a good place to start if you'd like to hear his talent with your own ears.
Brendel is a recipient of many musical honors and awards including the Hans von Bülow Medal and the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize.
Daniel Barenboim (1942- )
Daniel Barenboim is an Argentine pianist and composer whose talent was recognized from an early age. He's likely most famous for his interpretations of Beethoven and Mozart as well as other classical composers.
Another technically brilliant pianist (like every pianist in this article), Barenboim is also an accomplished and respected conductor having conducted orchestras and operas including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin State Opera, and La Scala in Milan. For these, he was most well-known for Beethoven's symphonies and Wagner's operas. After all, a lot of classical music was written for dancing or stage performances.
As for his piano repertoire, Barenboim is also famous for his interpretations of Romantic music by Liszt, Brahms, and Chopin. He's also a decorated pianist, Barenboim has received the Praemium Imperiale and the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal.
Outside of music, he's also involved in several philanthropic and charitable causes and uses music to promote peace and bridge cultural divides.
Lang Lang (1982- )
Lang Lang is a Chinese piano prodigy who was born in 1982. His first piano recital performance was at the age of 5 and he was very quickly recognized as a special talent both in his native China and around the world.
Lang Lang's big break was arguably when he had to perform at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as a last-minute replacement in 1999. At just 17, Lang Lang's performance was critically acclaimed.
As one of the younger great pianists alive today, Lang Lang has recorded a lot of solo works and concertos that you can listen to.
Lang Lang was included in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2009, just another of his many incredible achievements.
Leif Ove Andsnes (1970- )
Leif Over Andsnes is another one of the "younger" pianists on our list having been born in 1970 in Norway.
Obviously, he's really good on the piano, and as well as being famous for his interpretations of Beethoven and Mozart like the other pianists we've seen so far, his performances of Chopin, Grieg, and Rachmaninoff are also critically acclaimed.
He's also famous for his work playing piano concertos by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Shostakovich as well as playing with chamber ensembles and as a solo performer.
His piano playing hasn't gone unrecognized and he was the recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Instrumentalist of the Year and the Peer Gynt Prize in his native Norway.
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Maria João Pires (1944- )
Maria João Pires is a Portuguese pianist and the first (but not only) woman on our list. In case you hadn't noticed, we've put our top pianists in alphabetical order by first name for simplicity rather than taking on the herculean task of trying to rank them.
Pires is most famous for her interpretations of Mozart's piano concertos, but her diverse and broad repertoire includes works from composers such as Beethoven, Chopin, and Schumann, too.
Her piano playing and contributions to classical music have been recognized with awards and accolades including the Polar Music Prize and the Légion d'honneur from the French government.
Even as Pires approaches 80, she's still performing and touring with performances across South America and Europe in 2023 and 2024!
Martha Argerich (1941- )
Martha Argerich is the second Argentine and the second female pianist on our list.
Technically brilliant, quick, precise, and powerful, not to mention the fact that her repertoire is as broad as her piano playing is brilliant. Her recorded works include interpretations of works from Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Prokofiev, and Lizst, but she's also a chamber musician.
Argerich is another pianist with an impressive trophy cabinet including 3 Grammy Awards and the first and only South American winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition in 1965.
She also still performs live, which is good for you because she's famous for her stage presence and memorable live performances, which aren't to be missed if you ever get the opportunity to attend one! Aspiring pianists seeking to refine their technique might consider exploring piano lessons atlanta for expert guidance.
Maurizio Pollini (1942- )
The Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini is famous for his interpretations of the greatest classical composers like Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin.
Pollini is also known for his performances of the works of contemporary composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Boulez, George Benjamin, Roberto Carnevale, Gianluca Cascioli, and Bruno Maderna. His recordings of contemporary classical music have also helped promote the genre and the contemporary piano repertoire.
Much like the other pianists of his generation and those in our list like Argerich and Andsnes, Pollini also plays with chamber musicians and ensembles.
He's also a Grammy Award-winning artist, having won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist (without orchestra) in 1980 and nearly 3 decades later in 2007!
Murray Perahia (1947- )
Murray Perahia is a pianist and conductor from New York City whose repertoire includes both classical composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, and Shubert as well as contemporary composers such as Sergei Prokofiev and Benjamin Britten.
This is another classical pianist who's collaborated with chamber music ensembles as well as conductors like Sir Simon Rattle, Claudio Abbado, and Bernard Haitink.
In the 1990s, Perahia's career was nearly ended by a paper cut! The cut on his right thumb became septic and a bone abnormality led to several operations before he could start playing piano again.
Though he'd recovered by the late 1990s and was able to play again, he had to cancel shows in 2005, 2007, and 2008 because of the problem coming back.
In addition to playing the piano wonderfully when he's physically able, Perahia also has conducted classical and contemporary orchestras.
Stephen Hough (1961- )
Stephen Hough is a British-American pianist who also composes. His piano repertoire covers classical composers such as Liszt, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff as well as contemporary composers and his own compositions. His recordings have earned him critical acclaim, awards, and Grammy nominations.
Beyond the world of music, he's also a successful writer who's contributed to publications like The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Telegraph.
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Vladimir Ashkenazy (1937- )
Last but not least, we have the Russian-Icelandic pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy. Ashkenazy knows how to play the piano and like all of the other pianists on our list, has a wide-ranging and diverse repertoire.
In his repertoire of works from both classical and contemporary composers, his interpretations of Russian composers such as Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich are particularly popular, but he's also known for performing Beethoven and Prokofiev.
Ashkenazy is another pianist who's also conducted and as a conductor, his interpretations of the Russian repertoire are highly acclaimed, especially the music of Stravinsky.
There are also plenty of great contemporary pianists who don't play classical music, but the history of the piano and classical music are inextricably linked so it's worthwhile knowing who they are.
If you want to learn how to play the music that they play or just get better at playing the piano, don't forget that there are plenty of talented and experienced private piano tutors out there who can help you!
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You forgot the greatest pianist ever, Evgeny Kissin. This list is sorely incorrect. I will agree Martha Argerich is one of the best but the rest are ok.
Hello Dasha! Thank you for your comment. Given the length of this article, it’s challenging to list all influential pianists. Nonetheless, Evgeny Kissin is a remarkable pianist.
Where have you been? Haven’t you heard of YUJA WANG?