Jordan Schweigel writes:

>I am just curious as to how the different members of this list rank
>Claudio Arrau among the great pianists of the 20th-Century, although
>this is very subjective, I would most appreciate everyone's input.

I'm a conscientious objector to lists of the greatest this or that, but
Arrau would have to rank high both as a pianist, and an influence on other
pianists, regardless of one's taste.  While I sometimes don't find that his
interpretive style resonates with what I hear in my inner ears, he played
what was probably one of the two or three most memorable recitals I ever
heard.  It was in Ann Arbor's Hill Auditorium ca.  1973.  My mother had
given me third row seats as a 16th birthday present, and the experience
was quite overwhelming.  The program consisted of the Beethoven Sonta in
E-flat, Op. 27#1, the Liszt Sonata, and Schumann's Carnaval.  It was
the first time the Liszt had ever made sense to me, and the Schumann was
marvellous, note-perfect along with the rest of the recital except for the
very top of the very last chord.  Somehow, that one little flaw made Arrau
seem more human, and took nothing away from the dignity and depth of the
evening.

DPHorn, wishing he could play that way.