Who would you be if you could be any famous pianist. Alive or deceased? Sandy B ...

Myself. Even though I'm not nearly as good a pianist and composer as, well, name anyone, I'm still my favorite pianist and composer. There is no music I like listening to more than my own. And that's the way it should be.

Yourself is just fine mahlzeit. You have a great attitude to be grateful as to who you are in music and I too am very grateful. Just for fun... I will say...In a perfect Clara Schumann world... she would the closest for me. Robert would not go mad, insane. I would write compositions just as famous as his. Would this to a beautiful romantic biography to read? A happy ending for them. Sandy B

for curiosity's sake, if i had the choice to be anyone for ONE day , i would like to be Liszt or Chopin perhaps. maybe even beethoven and see what really went on in his head when he was in society.
but nothing beats being me. same as above.

brian13...Beethoven...His music can be so very beautiful, other compositions I seem to hear and feel his anger. Does anyone think they also feel and hear his anger in his later compositions? Maybe because he was going deaf? It would indeed be an experience to enter his world and go though various stages of his life. This would a musical journey I would undergo myself if possible. Sandy B

I think I'd be anyone with bigger hands than mine--I want to experience the strength and power of being able to play full on chords without having to roll them or make amends for them.

Also, George Gershwin...because I want to experience his music so much more.

And...Billy Joel--such passion and truth!

This is a difficult question. My immediate instinct was to say Rachmaninov, but would I really want to struggle to that extent with depression? Having been there, done that, I think the answer has to be no. I think I'm content to be me, even knowing I shall never play the piano very well, or write music that can send shivers down the spine.

sweet_melody...Gershwin...In a perfect George Gershwin world what other excellent music would he have written if he had not died so young? A high school band musicial history book said this,"George Gershwin was challenged by Paul Whiteman, a conductor of popular music, to write a serious piece of music , when he was already famous. He wrote Rhapsody In Blue, very quickly for Whiteman and Whiteman said he was brought to tears when his orchestra played Rhapsody In Blue for the first time. As you know it is so very long, 30 plus pages, if memory is serving me here. You have my vote for George Gershwin . I play Piano Man by Billy Joel very often for the residents here at my assisted living. One of their favorites and mine too. Great choice sweet melody... Sandy B ...

Donna R. Yes me too... Rachmaninoff... Good one as his Rhapsody, 18th Variation, is my very favorite classical style composition. Indeed I am content to be me too. I love game associations though. One of my very favorite games for artisic people is this one. This came from an acting conservatory in New York... in the early 90's. A friend's son brought this to us while a student there, Michael Parducci, and, "Yes the wine family..." Michael has been in TV movies,etc. Starring role one I remember. "Hit and Runway"... What a voice he has too. I do not know the name of this game but here goes. If They Were? If they were a tree what tree would they be? What animal? What car? What broadway play? What famous actor? On and on...You get the idea. Also this could be used at a party. Laugh at ourselves with others. Not taking ourselves too seriously is good for the blood pressure and attitude as we all know. Sandy B

Ah, yes, so, to move O/T:

tree: paper birch
animal: beaver (probably cutting down the paper birch!)
car: Ferrari (red, of course)
Broadway play and famous actor: Not sure. My Fair Lady? What I'd really love to be would be Margo Channing in Aged in Wood, before Eve Harrington showed up.

You are funny and will probalby live long with your fun attitude. Love your beaver as they are fun looking and productive. The only one that women have problems with is the dog. If she was dog what dog would she be? I would a poodle for certain. Famous actress many of my friends say Julia Roberts and I really like her so this is fine with me. Monica would be an oak tree and a labador dog. Stable and friendly... Sandy B

Ah, a poodle is way too svelte and elegant to be right for me (unless I was in my Margo Channing reincarnation). It would have to be my favorite breed, the Norwegian elkhound. (We're on our second. Independent, stubborn, exasperating, and capable of getting away with it all because they're just so darn lovable.)

I was going to say Rachmaninoff but he was scared to death of performing. so I'm going to go with me and hopefully I live up to who I see myself being as a pianist. perhaps slightly bigger hands would be nice.

Hands down, Clementi. He is my pianistic idol
and the shining light of my piano world.
I consider him the greatest pianist who's
ever lived--Liszt is a clown by comparison--
a no-nonsense, coin-on-the-back-of-the-
student's hands, iron-bar-in-his-hand
technician who had conquered
the instrument in every technical sense.
Were he alive today any piece would
be child's play for him, and people would
be beating a path to his door for
instruction, because you'd get results
from him, not mere showboating.

Rachmaninoff was scared of performing?

I did not know that Rachmaninoff was afraid of performing...That surprises me as he looks so composed and in charge of himself and his music compositions too are in charge to my ears, in control. Do you recall please where you read this? I do not doubt you... just wanting to read this and other details of Rachmaninoff's life and personality. I thank you in advance. Thank Sandy B

Clementi...Gryro I will research Clementi for awhile... as... you have me curious now... Your words,"He is the shining light of my piano world."Sandy B

I got dibs on Glenn Gould. I love his sense of humor and wit. His facial expressions make it seem as if he is in a totally different world when he is playing on the piano.

Hello Tuan Vo...The only Glenn Gould I know of is deceased 1982 born 1932, pianist... is he the one? Sandy B

There have been many stories about how he would practically have to be pushed out onto the stage. I will find something over the internet to back myself up.

ok... perhaps I'm wrong. but I did read that somewhere. I'm pretty sure. and he openly admits his fear of recording.

Yep. He's the one. The Canadian pianist with perfect posture.

Stevie Wonder, without a doubt.

Bill Evans..with better posture

"Who would you be if you could be any famous pianist. Alive or deceased?"

Diana Krall.

Randy Newman, for starters. : )

Don't know, Sandy. The 2nd movement of the 7th Symphony is *very* sad. I wouldn't be surprised if he had been constantly depressed. I know I would be had I been in his position.

Really? Why not Thomas? A much more intriguing musical mind, IMHO of course.

Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty, Erin Brokovich, Road To Perdition are all very interesting soundtracks that he wrote.

Considering only the piano aspect, Chopin.

Otherwise, Bach, for his faith.

I'd like to be Josef Hofmann for a few days (or maybe a few weeks...or months... ). Considered by many to be one of the greatest pianists of all time, Hofmann had a colossal memory, extraordinary technical skill, and a complete grasp of the entire repertoire of his day. I'd like to know what it feels like to be an uber-virtuoso like this!

From the Wikipedia entry on Hofmann:
"Once Hofmann had learned a piece of music, it was apparently in his mind and fingers for good. This was fortunate for Hofmann, for he reportedly never practiced. In the diary his wife kept during his 1909 tour, she mentions his raising his eyebrows when he saw Brahms' Handel Variations on a program—a piece he had not played or even looked at for two and a half years. He played the work at the concert without a thought or hesitation.

Hofmann, reportedly, also had the ability to hear a composition just once and play it back flawlessly without seeing the printed note. Again, this was fortunate—Hofmann was a poor sight reader. Rosina Lhevinne, wife of pianist Josef Lhevinne and a virtuoso pianist in her own right, claimed Hofmann heard her husband play Franz Liszt's Lorelei, a piece Hofmann had supposedly never studied or heard. Hofmann played it as an encore at his concert that evening."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3zef_Hofmann

Hey Strat,

I haven't seen any of those movies yet, but with 6 grandkids, I bet I've seen Randy Newman's "Toy Story" work at least 1000 times : ). Kids aren't satisfied to see a movie once, they have to see it four times per day. "Cars" is the hot one right now and with an 8 month old waiting in the wings, we'll be doing it all over next year. But it's worth it.

Randy's a Louisiana guy too / New Orleans.

But, I will make it a point to listen to Thomas' work.

Wish I could figure out how to do the quotations thing here at PW. Thanks for the Thomas tip.......