Oh here we go with that nonsense again. Sigh. When will people learn to not say this rubbish?

“The best performer” is subjective and based on certain criteria, in some cases which has nothing to do with music, or piano playing, in this instance. For example, with some shallow people, they’re so impressed by a pianist’s needless theatrics and that’s how they determine “the best performer.” Related: The Dracula Pianist.

But people in comments state “the best performer” as if it’s a fact, rather than their (ignorant?) opinion. Then five commenters come along and name-drop the names of their favourite celebrity pianists (in this case). Is that intended to give the impression they know something about music? Reminds me of “the greatest pianist” nonsense. How can anyone list “the greatest pianist” when one has not heard all pianists (recorded or non-recorded) to determine which pianist was/is “the greatest pianist?” (Oh that’s right. You know, you have a point there.) Doh. I can’t stand stupid people and unfortunately one cannot fix stupid. One of my piano professors would be in the running for “best performer” or “greatest pianist” but she never recorded so only certain people have heard her. She’s well-known regionally. She chose to go into teaching at a major University’s School of Music and became the Head of the Keyboard Department, but most people have never heard of her so they wouldn’t list her because she’s not a celebrity pianist. And celebrity pianists are the only ones these self-appointed classical music armchair critics name-drop.

Usually the pianist people name-drop is one of the celebrity pianists and not a lesser-known artist.