Famous Austrian Pianists

Austrian composer Franz Peter Schubert was one of the most prominent figures of the Viennese Classical and Romantic periods. He initially performed at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde. His compositions include over 600 vocal works and several symphonies, operas, and piano sonatas. One of his most-talked-about works is the Unfinished Symphony.

Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer who played a key role in the progression of chamber music during the Classical period. He is often referred to as the Father of the String Quartet and Father of the Symphony for his contributions to musical form. Joseph Haydn is also credited with mentoring and tutoring Mozart and Beethoven, respectively.

Born to Holocaust survivors, Hungarian-born pianist Andras Schiff began learning the piano at age 5. He is now best known for his interpretations of legends such as of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. His numerous awards include a Grammy. He was also knighted for his achievements.

Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart was the youngest son of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Constanze. He followed in the footsteps of his father and went on to become a pianist, composer, conductor, and teacher. However, unlike his father, Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart was introverted and often underrated his talent. He also had a constant fear of being compared to his father.

Carl Czerny was an Austrian composer, pianist, and teacher of Czech origin.  Born into a musical family, he started playing the piano as a toddler and began composing at the age of seven. He was prolific in his music production and composed over a thousand works, with his music spanning the late Classical and early Romantic eras.  

Rudolf Serkin was a Bohemian-born Austrian-American pianist who won a number of prestigious awards, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 and National Medal of Arts in 1988. Rudolf Serkin is considered one of the 20th century's greatest Beethoven interpreters.

Swiss pianist Sigismond Thalberg started performing at age 14 and soon became a court pianist in Vienna. Known for his signature melody that he played in the middle of the keyboard, he later toured to places such as Paris, London, and Brazil, mesmerizing audiences with his tunes.

Kurt Adler began studying music at age 6 and delivered his first public piano performance at 14. Though his parents were killed in a Nazi concentration camp, Adler fled to the U.S. and settled in New York. The master conductor is best remembered for his association with the Metropolitan Opera.