Pianism |

from ital. piano, abbr. from pianoforte or fortepiano – piano

Pianism is the art of playing the piano. The origin of pianism dates back to the second half of the 2th century, when two schools of pianism began to take shape, which dominated at the beginning of the 18th century – the Viennese school (W. A. ​​Mozart and his student I. Hummel, L. Beethoven, and later K. Czerny and their students, including 19. Thalberg) and London (M. Clementi and his students, including J. Field).

The heyday of pianism is associated with the performance activities of F. Chopin and F. Liszt. In pianism, the 2nd floor. 19 – beg. 20th century representatives of the Liszt schools (X. Bulow, K. Tausig, A. Reisenauer, E. d’Albert, and others) and T. Leshetitsky (I. Paderevsky, A. N. Esipova, and others), as well as F. Busoni , L. Godovsky, I. Hoffman, later A. Cortot, A. Schnabel, V. Gieseking, B. S. Horowitz, A. Benedetti Michelangeli, G. Gould and others.

Emerged at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. so-called. The anatomical and physiological school of pianism had some influence on the development of the theory of pianism (the works of L. Deppe, R. Breithaupt, F. Steinhausen, and others), but it was of little practical importance.

An outstanding role in the pianism of the post-List period belongs to Russian pianists (A. G. and N. G. Rubinstein, Esipova, S. V. Rakhmaninov) and two Soviet schools – Moscow (K. N. Igumnov, A. B. Goldenweiser, G. G. Neuhaus and their students L. N. Oborin, G. R. Ginzburg, Ya. V. Flier, Ya. I. Zak, S. T. Richter, E. G. Gilels and others) and Leningrad (L. V. Nikolaev and his students M. V. Yudina, V. V. Sofronitsky and others). Continuing and developing on a new basis the realistic traditions of the major representatives of Russian pianism, Kon. 19 – beg. In the 20th century, the best Soviet pianists combined in their playing a truthful and meaningful transmission of the author’s intention with high technical skill. The achievements of Soviet pianism brought world recognition to the Russian pianistic school. Many Soviet pianists received prizes (including first prizes) at international competitions. In domestic conservatories since the 1930s. there are special courses on the history, theory and methodology of pianism.

References: Genika R., History of the piano in connection with the history of piano virtuosity and literature, part 1, M., 1896; his, From the annals of the pianoforte, St. Petersburg, 1905; Kogan G., Soviet pianistic art and Russian artistic traditions, M., 1948; Masters of the Soviet pianistic school. Essays, ed. A. Nikolaev, M., 1954; Alekseev A., Russian pianists, M.-L., 1948; his own, History of piano art, parts 1-2, M., 1962-67; Rabinovich D., Portraits of pianists, M., 1962, 1970.

G. M. Kogan