THE STORY OF THE PIANO

leading

pianists at work: Ferruccio Busoni at

the keyboard

exploiting

the mass popularity

the time,

known

Alkan, Gottschalk,
By the start

(below); Edwin Fischer and

Walter Geiskeing on record (sleeves, bottom

left); and Emil Gilels in concert (bottom

right).

dominate

of the piano as an instrument.

for their dazzling

technique

of the 20th

century,

piano rolls and early gramophone

a number

Thalberg,

although

the degree

Ignace
Minister

Pole, Leopold

(1860-1941),

the Romantic
Godowsky

who also became Prime

his loose tempi

and accompaniment.

(1870-1938),

composer

and

Another

was revered amongst

and tone. Josef Hofmann

testify to the subtlety

and

can

to surpass even Liszt in his astounding

famous for his spontaneity

pianist

intensity

the most famous of these,

style with

of melody

brilliance

Romanticism,

and expressive

was probably

pianists and considered

technical

to

remains steeped

of 19th century

of rubato

Paderewski

desyncronisation

had begun

to modern ears.

of Poland,

epiromizing

personalities

Their style of playing

and drama

sound exaggerated

of

Their legacy would last into the age of

recordings.

in the intensity

26

included

Tausig, von Bulow and Anton Rubinstein.

the world of piano performance.

8uSM.

Other great pianists of

and intensity,

and risk-taking,

and depth

of insight

Sergei

Rachmaninov

(1876-1957)

was

while recordings
that the Russian
(1873-1943)