Well, taking the cue from Piano World; my vote is for Keith. I had the opportunity to see Rick Wakeman in 1973 and then Keith Emerson in 1974 and although they're are both fantastic keyboardists, my opinion was that Keith was the better of the two performers. I still like him better but I could be a little biased, I believe he's the reason I began to think about learning to play the piano.

Now, please allow me to qualify this. I don't know how they would compare nowadays as I don't think Keith was quite the same after the surgery on his hand in the 90's.

I'd vote for Rick Wakeman, simply because he released a beautiful album of new-age-like solo piano pieces called "Country Airs" that is one of my all-time favorite piano solo albums. About as different from his keyboard work with "Yes" as you can imagine.

Celebrity Piano Match!! What fun! We used to do this with drummers when I was 12.

Personally, I think Keith Emerson is better. Everything Rick Wakeman ever did sounded exactly the same to me. Emerson has done some beautiful piano work, as well as being a groundbreaker with synthesizers.

Nonetheless, I say lock them both in the ring with no gloves and tell them only one will be allowed to leave.

As a keyboard-playing teenager in the 70's, Yes and ELP were my favorite bands. I've seen both live, have a bunch of sheet music, dozens of recordings, etc. I also have many of Keith's and Rick's solo albums. To my ear, Keith's music is more complex and more difficult to play. I guess that makes him better from that perspective.

I was a teenager in the 60's and saw Keith Emerson in the last tour of the Nice and the first tour of ELP. I saw Yes before and after Rick Wakeman joined the band, and also saw him in Strawbs. Much more recently, I saw him performing with one of his sons and had a chance to talk to him; a nice guy. I was always more impressed by Keith Emerson's playing, although it has to be said Rick Wakeman has played with a more top line-ups. They are both outstanding.

Both Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman are outstanding musicians.But as a lover of Classical music,and also as a Yes fan,Rick Wakeman is THE ONE for me.His solo piano works-especially Sea Airs and Heritage Suite-are music for the soul,that have touched my heart deeply.