Teasing the Korean Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 As I observed in the Peter Nero thread, which died a quick death, it is interesting when you think of how pianists as a category enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity in the 1950s and 60s. In jazz, you had Dave Brubeck, Erroll Garner, George Shearing, and Oscar Peterson. In pop, you had Ferrante and Teacher, Peter Nero, and Liberace. Regarding classical, there isn't a thrift store in the US that doesn't have the Van Cliburn Tchaikovsky album. Horowitz and Rubenstein were more or less household names also. What was it? Do you think that more houses had pianos at that time, and that the piano as an instrument was more imbedded in the culture? Did more kids take piano lessons then than they do now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabshakeh Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 Did this stop? Elton John is the first celebrity piano player who pops into my head. He flowered in the 1970s and was certainly a little bit famous. More recently, despite the overall decline in prominence of musicians who play instruments, Alicia Keys. There’s never been a shortage of singer songwriter pianists. I don’t think the A list piano player ever left, and certainly not by the end of the 1960s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub Modal Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 Billy Joel, John Legend, Stevie Wonder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 No mention of Frankie Carle killed it. He was "the man" back then and Bernie Niero tried to kill him off. Nothing happening here folks, move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted November 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 (edited) You guys are talking about singer songwriters. I am talking about instrumental piano players in multiple genres who enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity in the postwar era. Edited November 9, 2021 by Teasing the Korean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 2 minutes ago, Teasing the Korean said: You guys are talking about singer songwriters. I am talking about instrumental piano players in multiple genres who enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity in the postwar era. ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 36 minutes ago, Chuck Nessa said: ??? ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel A Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 From another genre: Victor Borge. Maybe this is just a side effect from that the format of instrumental soloist, with or without backing, has gone out of fashion? But it seems the desirability of pianos with the general public peaked around the late 50s/early 60s, at least in my country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 Roger Williams was very popular when I was young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Daniel A said: From another genre: Victor Borge. Maybe this is just a side effect from that the format of instrumental soloist, with or without backing, has gone out of fashion? But it seems the desirability of pianos with the general public peaked around the late 50s/early 60s, at least in my country. There was a time when Victor Borge was featured on a prominent Xmas special concert over here, every year without fail. Eurovision deal? By the mid-late 70s that had stopped I think. Edited November 9, 2021 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gheorghe Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 9 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said: What was it? Do you think that more houses had pianos at that time, and that the piano as an instrument was more imbedded in the culture? Did more kids take piano lessons then than they do now? Definitly yes ! In my childhood in the 60´s many houses had at least an upright piano, those of the upper class had a black Bosendorfer flugel, and many kids took piano lessons. We also had a piano, my father played some classical pieces, but using too much pedal to cover the mistakes, but he showed me the piano and told me the notes, the scales, the cromatic scales and let me say the right note if I turn my back and only hear it. That´s from were I have my perfect pitch. When I was 5 they tried piano lessons, but I was mad at it, I could play much stuff from ear and didn´t understand why I should play scales and boring sounding etudes.....so I cut it out and went on myself. Anyway I became interested in jazz.... The upper class usually listened to classic music, but as you say, if they had "jazz" they had one or two Oscar Peterson or Errol Garner albums, maybe Brubeck but I remember only Peterson and Garner. That was also the first "jazz" I heard , but after someone brought me a CBS- sampler to hear and on it was Davis´"Milestones" and a Mingus thing from the late 50´s , I knew where I have to go further.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabshakeh Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 7 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said: You guys are talking about singer songwriters. I am talking about instrumental piano players in multiple genres who enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity in the postwar era. If you are excluding singer songwriter piano players, then doesn't this just become a question of the decreasing popularity of jazz and classical and the rise of rock/pop? What changed into the 1970s was the style of piano playing, not the instrument. Anyway, one to add to your list is Solomon. A classical pianist who was the king of a certain sort of British classical music radio programming from the 1940s onwards. Now largely forgotten but still available in the discount bin at literally every single record shop or charity shop in the UK. My mother in law gets very nostalgic about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HutchFan Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Rabshakeh said: If you are excluding singer songwriter piano players, then doesn't this just become a question of the decreasing popularity of jazz and classical and the rise of rock/pop? What changed into the 1970s was the style of piano playing, not the instrument. I think it's also about the decreasing popularity of any music without words -- whether it's jazz or easy-listening or classical or whatever. 3 hours ago, Rabshakeh said: Anyway, one to add to your list is Solomon. A classical pianist who was the king of a certain sort of British classical music radio programming from the 1940s onwards. Now largely forgotten but still available in the discount bin at literally every single record shop or charity shop in the UK. My mother in law gets very nostalgic about him. How interesting. I didn't realize that Solomon was that popular/ubiquitous in the UK. ... I think his Beethoven recordings are AMAZING. Right up there with more famous musicians like Kempff, Gilels, Gulda, Brendel, et al. Seriously! @Daniel A - Victor Borge came to mind for me too. A comedy act based on (largely) non-verbal music? Impossible to imagine now. The context is no longer there. Edited November 9, 2021 by HutchFan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Kunz https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawicz_and_Landauer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winifred_Atwell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milestones Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 There is the whole factor of the rise of the guitar. It is the dominant instrument of rock music, any just about anyone can name a few guitar gods. Not to mention that it also dominates in country and folk. Even in jazz guitar may have just as much visibility as piano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabshakeh Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 33 minutes ago, HutchFan said: How interesting. I didn't realize that Solomon was that popular/ubiquitous in the UK. ... I think his Beethoven recordings are AMAZING. Right up there with more famous musicians like Kempff, Gilels, Gulda, Brendel, et al. Seriously! I think he was massive: a sort of celebrity of classical radio at a time when that was one of the main media. A bit like Errol Garner, his popularity at the time has meant that he is no longer so well regarded and is almost forgotten by even classical fans. I don't think I had ever heard him mentioned until I started buying vinyl and noticed his name showing up everywhere. I think he has a completely unfair reputation as a performer for a middlebrow audience, simply because the critics at the time thought his audience and repertoire was somehow beneath them. As with Garner I think that's sad, because I enjoy his performances. I agree on his Beethovens in particular, which I love and own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 The Solomon that I've heard has been delightful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted November 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 On 11/9/2021 at 6:25 AM, Rabshakeh said: If you are excluding singer songwriter piano players, then doesn't this just become a question of the decreasing popularity of jazz and classical and the rise of rock/pop? What changed into the 1970s was the style of piano playing, not the instrument. On 11/9/2021 at 10:05 AM, HutchFan said: I think it's also about the decreasing popularity of any music without words -- whether it's jazz or easy-listening or classical or whatever. I think these are both factors. Another is that you don't have variety TV shows, which must have been a major form of promotion at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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