The piano is one of the most famous musical instruments that commands immense respect to date. To be honest, it’s impossible to find an accurate list for the world’s best pianist as there are so many successful individuals who are world renowned. In addition, there are many factors you have to consider before classifying pianists. For instance, the nature of composition may tend to favor some pianists more than others. In addition, evaluating a pianist on a solo performance isn’t the same as when they play with a group of symphonic orchestra. As time continues, a new generation of pianists has come into the scene with new styles. In this list, we tried to blend in younger pianists as well as classical and jazz pianists.
Benjamin Grosvenor
Born in 1992 and at the tender age of 26, Benjamin Grosvenor is a world famous pianist and undoubtedly among the best in the younger generation of pianists. He started studying the piano with his mum when he was only 6 and started performing at the age of 9. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music emerging amongst the top students in his class. He’s highly respected for his impeccable and admirable command of the piano which has seen him grace international stages. Benjamin is surprisingly comfortable and at ease even with the most difficult musical pieces. At just 26 years, he stands out as an outstanding classic piano player who has collaborated with numerous high-profile professionals. His electrifying performances demonstrate his in-depth understanding of music and everyone who has attended his performances identifies his distinctive and exemplary sound. Currently, he’s among the most sought after young pianists in the world.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Beethoven is a famous pianist and German composer who played a major role during the transition between Classical and Romantic eras. To date, he still remains among the top influential composers of all time. He is credited for his work that includes 9 symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, 5 piano concertos, 16 string quarters, 1 violin concerto, Fidelio opera and Missa Solemnis. Beethoven’s musical talent began at an early age before moving to Vienna at the age of 21 years where he lived until his death. His father was instrumental in shaping his musical career as he trained and mentored Beethoven who later become a renowned virtuoso pianist. Unfortunately, he began developing hearing complications in his late 20s and was almost completely deaf in his last decade of his life. He stopped public performances and compositions in 1811 but still went on with composing. He died in 1827 at the age of 57. Today, his work is still admired by music enthusiasts across the world.
Sir Elton John
Sir Elton John is a famous and talented pianist, singer and composer. Since 1967, he has worked closely with Bernie Taupin, a lyricist and together, they have over 30 albums to their names. There is no doubt Sir Elton John’s talent is astounding as he ranks highly among the best pop and rock pianist ever. His in-depth knowledge of music and its interpretation is admirable. At the tender age of 11, Elton was admitted at the Royal Music Academy after he successfully played Chopin’s thirteen sheet piece that he’d never encountered before without making any single mistake. It was ordinary of him to excellently play numerous pieces he wasn’t familiar with. Sir Elton is a piano genius whose skill and creativity knows no boundaries.
Tigran Hamasyan
Tigran is a famous Armenian Jazz pianist who learnt how to use the family piano when he was only 3 years. At the age of 6, he was admitted into a music and even though he hoped to become a metal guitarist, he went into a different field. When he was 9 years, Hamasyan started to learn jazz with his focus being to do something creative and adventurous. For this reason, he regularly included folk melodies from his home region into jazz compositions. As a teenager, he drew inspiration from Armenian composers which increased his interest in national motifs. Tigran loves to play original compositions infused with folk melodies. Thelonius Monk, jazz piano master inspire Hamasyan to be a unique and outstanding. Aside from being one of the world’s best pianists, Tigran Hamasyan is an accomplished performer of global music.
Murray Perahia
Born in New York City, Murray began learning the piano at the tender age of 4 years. As a trained composer and conductor, he has charmed many users with his amazing works. He’s known for his unique style and passion and dedication to every piece he plays. During performances, he fully embraces the compositions and takes them to an entirely new level. As a result of his immense talent, Murray Perahia is ranked among the best pianists we have today.