We have all heard of the great Pianist Vladimir Horowitz ( 1903 -1989 ), but was he the best pianist to have lived? Or would that be Rubenstein or the more modern Lang Lang?

I think you have to be careful here. Horowitz could play Rachmaninoff and Schubert and Chopin like no-one else, and in fact made Rach 3 harder by adding more notes. His recording of that piece is monumental, and I think beats Argerich or Pletnev into the ground.

Horowitz and Rubinstein were of the same school of playing. Big, masculine, romantic playing that was on the edge of being dangerous and falling apart, but just about held it together and became quite magical.

It's funny you mention Lang Lang, who is one of my least favourite performers. Argerich, Steven Hough, Lupu, Pletnev and Lars Vogt are much more solid players.

I remember hearing a story. Argerich had just played Rach 3, and Horowitz was in the audience. He rushed backstage and said to her, 'Thank God there will be a pianist to take over from me when I am gone' or words to that affect.

I just don't think it is possible to decide who is the greatest pianist to have ever lived. We would need to hear them all and for those who have past, that is not possible of course.

I think it is important to remember when we are talking about pianists such as Lang Lang that he is a youngster. I believe that it is about the test of time. Pianists who still have thriving careers into their 60's and 70's etc have a maturity about them (or not as the case may be) that a younger pianists doesn't yet have and I think this adds to their quality.

For me, John Lill's Rachmaniniov is truly exceptional. This is my personal opinion based on years of listening to him both in the concert hall and his recordings.

I don't think there's ever a best - different pianists interpret pieces in different ways and have their strengths and weaknesses with regard to interpretation of different composers.....and you can hear 2 completely different interpretations of even the same work, both equally valid and both musical and convincing yet different........and as Hammerklavier said, we can't judge the pianists who have now died. Liszt was reputed to have been phenomenal as a pianist - but we can't judge that for ourselves.........and there are a lot of pianists out there who may not be so famous due to not getting the lucky break which winning a prestigious competition can provide, who could give many of the really famous names a run for their money........