Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Is Evolution dead?? Not if you've checked out the beauties playing pro piano today!

Okay, now I'm gonna go out on a limb and say something here and please don't take it as male chauvanism, or anything like that cause it's all done in good fun, though I think I've got a valid point somewhere in here. I just heard a news report: Scientists say that human evolution has stopped. Yeah, we have it too easy now so we've stopped evolving, according to the experts. But that's not the case if you've seen any of the lady pianists out there who are breaking into the professional circuit. Any of you guys heard of Naida Cole? Or Katrine Gislinge? Or Noriko Ogawa? Or Laura Manzani? Or Chitose Okashiro, to name just a few? These young ladies are beautiful enough to be professional models, not to mention the fact that they can play rings around some of their better known peers. In the old days we had Gina Bachhauer, Clara Haskil, and some others that weren't exactly candidates for the Miss Universe pagent. So what happened? How is it we have so many talented and gorgeous ladies now who are burning up the keyboard? Any thoughts? Are woman pianists still evolving - getting more and more beautiful as time progresses?

[ February 18, 2002: Message edited by: JoeTownley ]

[ February 18, 2002: Message edited by: JoeTownley ]

[ February 18, 2002: Message edited by: JoeTownley ]

Well, d'uh: they weren't American.

On the subject of Naida Cole, have a look at the comments by Violaboy on her bulletin board at naidacole.com. Quite funny.
http://www.naidacole.com/indexPERSON.html

[ February 17, 2002: Message edited by: yok ]

I saw it and thought it extremely low-class and totally inappropriate for a BBS. Naida Cole didn't put the board up for silly remarks like that. Violaboy ruins things for the rest of us.

I can't honestly say that I've heard of any of those people, but there are some very good female pianists out there that I have heard of. One of my top favriotes has become Martha Argerich. Another is Sylvia Capova. Thats all I can think of for now, but I'll post again once other names come to mind. Its 1/2 hour to midnight where I'm at, its too late to think of names.

Another pianistic beauty whose artistry I admire is Helene Grimaud.

I disagree about Okashiro's playing; it's cautious at best (at least it was when I heard her live).

As usual, Andrew is right on the money. Helene Grimaud = !!!!!!!!!!

You're right! How could I have forgotten Helene Grimaud, the first female pianist I fell in love with!!

How about another 'beauty & piano' Cecil Licad? Her rendition of Saint-Saens 2nd with Andre Previn is really a gem! To my ear, of course.

Yes, Cecile IS beautiful. The only reason I did not include her is because she is pushing forty and is getting ready to join that fabulous collection of "Grand Dames of the Pianoforte" (heh heh)

No offense taken, Joe. I also think Helene Grimaud is the best, but it has nothing to do with her looks. It has to do with how she "speaks" through her playing. She's awesome.
I realize that in you "youngsters", hormones rule, but just in case you need to be reminded, beauty comes from the INSIDE. And it has no age limits. Pushing 40, indeed. I will slug the next person who refers to ME as a Grand Dame of anything! Jodi

Jodi -- here, here!

now, who are the hot studs in male pianodom?

penny

Guess I started playing too late.... ;-)

Penny,
That would definitely be ME!

RIGHT HERE, BABY.

Penny,

I'm reluctant to describe exactly how good-looking I am because it would probably cause female synapses to implode...



Dave (pretty average-looking really)

We need the ladies on this forum to chime in to answer this, right?

Why are we giving space and importance to a discussion (?) of a pianist's "good looks"? Only in America, I guess... <Sigh!>

Regards,

Bruce,
Because the music world, in the final analysis, is no different than the movie world. Both are forms of entertainment. It's just that classical music has gotten this lofty Olympian reputation as entertainment strictly for highbrows. But beauty is beauty. No denying that. Whether on a calendar or at a piano bench, we like to watch beauty as well as listen to some beautiful music being made. If the female looks like Tripple H, or Triple Sec, or whatever the heck that wrestler's name is, then we more or less close our eyes and just indulge ourselves in the music. But make no mistakes. The two have to go together. You cannot have beauty along with a dog of a performance as we get with that Zoltan Teszleri, who I refer to in another post on this board. That is some of the worst playing I have ever heard. I'd be ashamed to leave a musical testament like that behind to besmirch my former good reputation. But, of course, he's a man, so the point of this post does not apply (boy, am I gonna get it from the females on this board with that one!!) But it's only because most men are more driven by hormones than musical tastes and prefer to look at the likes of Naida Cole or Katrine Gislinge or Laura Manzini while listening to excellent playing than having to feast their eyes on all 400 pounds of Gina Baucher spilling over the piano bench.

Jodi and Penny, I have great internal beauty.

Have you SEEN my pancreas?

[ February 20, 2002: Message edited by: kenny ]

Boy, the pea****s -- oops, that word won't pass the censor! -- sure like to strut their stuff.

I was just teasin' guys, but if you INSIST, you can always mail your photos to me for completely fair arbitration!

penny