Female VS. Male pianists

[PianistSk8er]

It is true that there are substantially more men who have made it as big-time professional musicians, but why do you think this is? I've heard many recordings from women musicians as well and I think that they are starting to appear more and more. Especially these days (Argerich, Lisitsa, etc.)

What are your views on this? I'll post mine later.

[TheRach]

Well, it's that men tend to be more obsessive over one thing (science, for instance) and woman like to be more balanced out.
Women were also discouraged from doing these things in the past, I'm sure this plays into it.

[Max]

Women have a distinctly different approach to interpretion which sometimes works, but sometimes doesnt. Men are usually more athletic pianists as well.

[Goldberg]

Yeah, I've thought a significant deal on the topic but don't really have the energy to reply in length. Ultimately, I don't think it makes much difference in performance. Generalisations always abound, and there are frequent exceptions.....


However, I must say, I personally find it rather odd when women play Liszt. Don't lay down the "vile sexist" comments just yet, however; it's not so much that women CAN'T play Liszt (well, ok, some that I've seen most certainly can't, but then look at Argerich) but that it's weird when they play music written by such a....celebrity...who composed a lot of his music to seduce or otherwise affect females. To me, Liszt should be played with regards to its original spirit (and, btw, I'm not saying anything bad about Liszt's music, and not all of his music is that way) and it is more, eh, appropriate I think for men to play it. That being said, if I heard a recording of Liszt played by a woman, it wouldn't really bother me at all as long as it's quality playing. Just *watching* it is a little weird.

Would sunglasses be necessary here?

...

[lol_nl]

I think men and women should be equal and also at playing piano. But what is remarkable is that you see far more women who PLAY the piano but far more men who are PROFESSIONAL. Maybe it's just harder to become famous when you're a woman. Quite interesting

And another problem could be that women sometimes have not enough strength (with an exception to people like Argerich, etc.). Playing concertos with many fortissimos is quite hard for women I noticed. There was a discussion about the fact that Brahms 1 is almost never performed by women.

[dnephi]

A Woman Pianist said that it was just so much harder. She didn't have the stamina of her "weakest male colleagues" and so she had to work far harder to achieve the same level of intense virtuosity.

And by the way, I saw Olga Kern play and she's quite good. ... But she doesn't hold a candle to Zimerman

[johnmar78]

well, thast a good question. Indeed, man are physically stronger than woman. But when comes to piano playing I have to prove to myself that I will train hard as I can to my two kids.-Boy/girl. All comes down to mental agility regarless of male or female....In 10 years time I want to see my daughter doing better than what I were. Again, its come down to mental agility provided your hand span not below one octave. So far she is 7, she can just reached an octave. I am sure that traning using gravity playing at young age would be a XXXXX bonbus when she grows up.

Meantime, My son (5) is folloing the same suit.

Minds over matter??/

[Chocturne]

I think funnily enough I'm going to be the first girl to reply to this thread lol !
Anyway personally I think more generally guys can play with more strength, but I think alot of it comes down to talent and passion. For instance my favourite pianist is Idil Biret she has tremendous technique, strength, style and expression. (I'll just add as well that it's not because she is a woman, I don't really have those kind of considerations.) So when you hear some of her more powerful pieces you would think there is no difference between men and women. I think the only real disadvantage for a girl is size of hands, like my piano teacher........MY GOD she has the TINIEST hands seriously you look at them and wonder how she can play octaves at all but she has real strength, so just goes to show sometimes even that isn't a barrier.