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While classical music might not resonate with everyone, we make a strong effort to create lists that appeal to all musical preferences! This one takes a fresh perspective on classical music—piano face-offs! If you have other memorable piano duels in mind that we might have missed, don't hesitate to mention them in the comments.
7. Abbe Gelinek vs. Ludwig van Beethoven
This duel earned its place on our list thanks to the bold remark Gelinek made when asked if he believed he could defeat Beethoven in a piano battle. His response? “I’ll make mincemeat of him!”
It turned out to be the opposite of what was expected. Gelinek, despite initial anticipation, wasn’t a particularly tough rival, although his nerves might have hindered his performance. After the first round, where both players presented their most challenging and finest pieces, the audience noticed Gelinek looked somewhat drained, likely due to Beethoven's choice of Sonata 19 in G minor, Op. 49.
As soon as the improvisation rounds began, Gelinek struggled to stay focused, and Beethoven easily dominated him. Gelinek eventually left the room when Beethoven started the third round.
6. Josef Lhevinne vs. Alexander Scriabin
This duel never actually happened. However, it was supposed to, had Scriabin not injured the tendons in his right hand while preparing for it. He was practicing Liszt’s Reminiscences de Don Juan, inspired by Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Islamey by Mili Balakirev. Both pieces are strong contenders for the title of the most challenging piano compositions ever written.
Lhevinne is remembered as one of the greatest pianists in history, having recorded several piano rolls that left even legendary figures like Josef Hofmann and Vladimir Horowitz in awe. Some of these recordings can be found on YouTube.
In a way, it was fortunate that Scriabin injured himself, as he composed his F minor Sonata as an elegy for his right hand. Although his hand fully recovered, he never again competed with Lhevinne.
5. Daniel Steibelt vs. Beethoven
Was Beethoven under 31 years old? If so, he could still hear himself play. It's best not to challenge him. If only Steibelt had the foresight we have now. Known as 'a most unvirtuous virtuoso,' Steibelt earned a notorious reputation in his time for spreading rumors, cheating, stealing from concert earnings, having affairs with married women, and, among other things, claiming that Beethoven was a poor performer who feared him.
Beethoven wasn’t particularly concerned with what Steibelt had to say until the latter finally summoned the courage to challenge him to a duel. This occurred in May 1800 when Steibelt arrived in Vienna, determined to outplay Beethoven at his own game. The question that often arises in history lessons is: 'What in the world was he thinking?!'
The two musicians gathered at the residence of Count von Fries, a prominent patron and enthusiast of the arts, particularly music, who also appreciated Beethoven’s fiery temperament. While he favored Beethoven, he remained neutral, wishing both men well as did the 100 guests in attendance, most of whom were part of the Count’s inner circle.
The duel adhered to conventional rules: the first round allowed each musician to perform a piece of their choice, selecting the most technically demanding works they knew. Beethoven chose a sonata by Mozart, while Steibelt opted for one by Haydn.
The second round was a two-piano contest, in which each pianist would alternate improvisations on themes that the other created on the spot. Beethoven decisively triumphed in this round.
The final round, and the most crucial for assessing the performers' true brilliance, involved sight-reading a brand new composition written by the other. Steibelt went first, performing Beethoven’s freshly composed Piano Sonata in B Flat Major, Op. 22. He did admirably, earning considerable applause after his improvisations. The Count reportedly noticed Beethoven rolling his eyes at the applause.
Steibelt attempted to throw Beethoven off balance by presenting him with a brand-new cello sonata, intended for both cello and piano. Although this violated the established rules, Beethoven wasn’t the type to lose over a technicality. He simply took the score, flipped it upside down on the music stand, and proceeded to sight-read it backward. He then improvised on one of the themes for approximately 30 minutes.
Steibelt was utterly humiliated and, without waiting for Beethoven to finish, he stormed out, never to meet Beethoven again.
4. Louis Marchand vs. Johann Sebastian Bach
This tale has been shared by nearly every biographer of Bach, with each version growing more embellished over time. The most definitive biography of Bach was written by Phillip Spitta, who recounts the story as follows.
By September 1717, Bach had already earned widespread recognition across Europe, particularly for his exceptional skills as a keyboard virtuoso in Germany. However, his compositions were not as highly regarded, as the Baroque era was on the decline and Bach's work remained firmly in the classical, rich, and substantial style typical of that period.
Louis Marchand, also celebrated as a renowned French organist and keyboard player, was similarly well-known throughout Europe. Upon hearing about Bach's extraordinary skill, he journeyed to Germany with the intent to meet and best Bach in a musical contest.
At the time, Bach was working in Weimar. When the two musicians met, Frederick II, King of Prussia and an avid admirer of Bach's music, arranged for a harpsichord competition. Bach arrived first, early in the morning, to warm up and prepare his fingers. Upon hearing Bach's warm-up exercises, Marchand immediately turned around, exited the palace, climbed into his carriage, and returned to France, never to set foot in Germany again.
3. Franz Liszt vs. Sigismond Thalberg
The intense rivalry between Liszt and Thalberg spanned from 1836 to 1842. During this time, Thalberg embarked on as many European concert tours as Liszt, performing in the same venues, either just before or just after Liszt, in an effort to prove to the world that he was the greatest pianist alive.
The longevity of their competition is a testament to Thalberg's extraordinary skill, as it’s universally acknowledged by classical pianists of the 20th century that none could rival Liszt, not even the legendary Vladimir Horowitz.
Unlike traditional duels, Liszt and Thalberg initially sought to outshine each other’s popularity through their extensive concert tours across Europe. Both were highly respected in the musical world. Finally, they decided to meet and settle their rivalry. The decisive moment arrived on March 31, 1837, when both pianists had prepared a new composition, each designed to test the other's technical abilities, unaware that the other was doing the same for their confrontation.
Upon meeting and realizing their mutual plans, they both laughed and prepared for a fierce contest. About two dozen of their closest friends and admirers witnessed the event in Princess Cristina Belgiojoso's Paris salon. They each performed a few familiar pieces they had often played in concerts. Liszt performed his Grand Galop Chromatique, while Thalberg countered with his fantasy variations on Bellini’s 'Norma.'
They then presented their final pieces, the new compositions. Thalberg’s was 'Fantasy,' Op. 33, based on themes from Rossini’s 'Moise,' while Liszt played 'Reminiscences de Robert le Diable' by Meyerbeer. Both pieces are still performed today, though Liszt’s has gained more recognition. The duel ended in a draw, with both pianists receiving standing ovations. Despite Thalberg’s long pursuit of Liszt’s title as the world’s greatest pianist, he never again challenged Liszt to another direct competition. They both continued to tour and enjoy success, though Liszt’s prominence endured longer.
2. Joseph Wolfl vs. Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven had a knack for excelling at everything he did, which made him an easy target for others hoping to elevate their own reputations at his expense. Wolfl and Beethoven were once friends and had even dedicated works to one another. However, Wolfl grew dissatisfied with being considered second best to Beethoven in terms of piano prowess and decided to challenge him to a duel in 1799. The contest was arranged at the home of Count Wetzlar, a patron of Beethoven and other artists.
By the time the duel took place, Wolfl had made a name for himself by performing extensively across Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria, knowing that word of his growing fame would reach Beethoven. His strategy succeeded. Beethoven was informed by his friend, Anton Schindler, that he now had serious competition. Wolfl, standing around six feet tall with enormous hands capable of spanning a thirteenth on the piano, had a notable physical advantage. In contrast, Beethoven, at just 5'3" and three-quarters, could manage only a tenth. To compensate, Beethoven skillfully employed the pedal to sustain the first note while quickly striking the second, a technique that made wide intervals sound nearly seamless.
The duel unfolded similarly to Beethoven’s later contest against Steibelt the following year. After the first round, Beethoven and Wolfl were well-matched, but in the second and third rounds, Beethoven dominated. When it came to improvisation and sight-reading, Beethoven had no rival in his lifetime. After this encounter, Wolfl’s name became far less prominent in Austria.
1. Mozart vs. Muzio Clementi
On Christmas Eve in 1781, Clementi and Mozart met at the court of Emperor Franz Joseph II. At this time, they were friendly rather than rivals, and Clementi’s keyboard skills were strong enough to hold his own against Mozart. The Emperor declared the event a draw. Both were tasked with improvising variations on a theme the Emperor had created on the spot, and Clementi received equal applause for his performance. They each improvised fugues, waltzes, and variations in both minor and major keys.
Afterward, both Mozart and Clementi agreed that Mozart had won the contest, although this was a somewhat questionable conclusion. Clementi, being naturally polite, likely downplayed his own performance, while Mozart, who generally disliked Italians, did not think highly of their musical abilities. Mozart wrote to his father: “Clementi plays well, as far as execution with the right hand goes. His greatest strength lies in his passages in thirds. Apart from that, he doesn’t have a kreuzer’s worth of taste or feeling. In short, he is a mere mechanic [robot].” Later, Mozart wrote, “Clementi is a charlatan, like all Italians. He marks a piece presto but ‘plays’ only ‘allegro.’”
Clementi, on the other hand, had this to say about Mozart: “Until then I had never heard anyone play with such spirit and grace. I was particularly overwhelmed by an ‘adagio’ and by several of his extempore variations, for which the Emperor had chosen the theme and which we were to devise alternately.”
