Spivakovsky's sound signature was not only unique for combining the hallmarks of the immortals Franz Liszt and Anton Rubinstein. His playing was also distinguished by exceptional clarity of texture, which critics noted from his earliest performances but always struggled to translate into words. Eventually the legendary British critic Sir Neville Cardus coined the descriptor crystal piano-playing to characterise this aspect of Spivakovsky’s playing, after hearing him perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A major.