One of the greatest pianists of our time
A pianist of wonderful technique and thrilling personality
Tremendously alive and full of energy
King of the Keyboard
Technically faultless and with such overwhelming passion
There is in his art something personal and exclusive, rare and imaginative, that cannot be defined in English, liberal as it is with words of fine meaning. I can only sit back after hearing him and badly express my appreciation by calling him a genius
The sensation of London. At the last evening concert in the Albert Hall it is estimated that 3,000 people were unable to gain admission, and there were scenes of wild enthusiasm
Brailowsky, Gabrilowitch, Fanny Davies, Moiseivitch and Spivakovsky all gave recitals last week. Spivakovsky’s recital
I enjoyed more than any. Since Carreno I have heard
no one play with such overwhelming passion
Supreme mastery of the instrument and brilliant
technique [and] that rarer quality to be described only
as soul … much as I want to hear Cortot, I want to
hear Spivakovsky again still more
Abounding vitality, splendid technical control, and a sense of youthful enjoyment in his performances
His technical skills, deep musicianship, maturity of intellect and vast repertoire have aroused astonishment everywhere
Extraordinary purity and clearness … crystal piano-playing
The fire and power of his playing were astonishing …
a musician of the masterly order, and the possessor
of a most sensitive style as well as a brilliant one
Depth of feeling combined with strength
and beauty and subtlety of expression
One of the greatest I’ve ever heard
The touch is crystalline; the rubato subtle but ingenious, illuminating tiny phrases ... Spivakovsky’s finger control
is so powerful that he can produce three or
four dynamics simultaneously