There have been many piano giants in history, with the title of the greatest being something of a cluttered list. To choose one greatest ever is impossible, but there are many people, regardless, who have shown a level of aptitude for this well-loved instrument that goes far enough to be deemed legendary. Here are a few examples of the best people that ever worked in this medium.
The jazz age was a massive age of development for piano music. Artists began to experiment with metre and dissonant notes in an effort to create a more soulful, vocal form of music. In the early days of pianos arrival on the jazz scene was the legendary Earl 'Fatha' Hines. Hines lead a colourful life and one that saw him become Al Capone's personal 'piano man,' and it was not just his contribution to early jazz, but also his influence of other jazz players that earns him the right to his place amongst the greats.
Art Tatum was a student of Hines. He came from a small city called Toledo, in one of the quieter, though industrialised, parts of Ohio. In his early life he was struck almost completely blind, but this didn't prevent him from picking up an incredible talent for music. From the churches of Ohio where he honed his talent he made his way to Chicago, the place where jazz was doing its thing. Tatum became probably the most skilled jazz pianist of all time, with a genius level of improvisation and a perfect ear for music.
Of course that's only the more recent piano greats. If you go further back, the granddaddy of them all is Beethoven. His almost insane level of creativity moved piano on from the instrument it had been, making for incredible performances, and songs that are instantly recognisable across the world today. He continued to conduct and compose well after becoming completely deaf due to lead poisoning.
With piano's early days you'll find the giant of Bach. As an amazing organist he also applied himself to piano with a fervour that produced incredible results. Bach's music feels ahead of its time when you listen to his contemporaries - he too was a piano pioneer.
There really are too many talents to talk about, but these figures are a great way to start looking at the great changes that have shaped piano music, and music in general, throughout history.
The jazz age was a massive age of development for piano music. Artists began to experiment with metre and dissonant notes in an effort to create a more soulful, vocal form of music. In the early days of pianos arrival on the jazz scene was the legendary Earl 'Fatha' Hines. Hines lead a colourful life and one that saw him become Al Capone's personal 'piano man,' and it was not just his contribution to early jazz, but also his influence of other jazz players that earns him the right to his place amongst the greats.
Art Tatum was a student of Hines. He came from a small city called Toledo, in one of the quieter, though industrialised, parts of Ohio. In his early life he was struck almost completely blind, but this didn't prevent him from picking up an incredible talent for music. From the churches of Ohio where he honed his talent he made his way to Chicago, the place where jazz was doing its thing. Tatum became probably the most skilled jazz pianist of all time, with a genius level of improvisation and a perfect ear for music.
Of course that's only the more recent piano greats. If you go further back, the granddaddy of them all is Beethoven. His almost insane level of creativity moved piano on from the instrument it had been, making for incredible performances, and songs that are instantly recognisable across the world today. He continued to conduct and compose well after becoming completely deaf due to lead poisoning.
With piano's early days you'll find the giant of Bach. As an amazing organist he also applied himself to piano with a fervour that produced incredible results. Bach's music feels ahead of its time when you listen to his contemporaries - he too was a piano pioneer.
There really are too many talents to talk about, but these figures are a great way to start looking at the great changes that have shaped piano music, and music in general, throughout history.
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