Who is the best classical pianist alive?

Echo Schipo - they each bring unique talents to the piano. Another to add to your list is Jauna Zayas. Her interpretation of Chopin is beautiful.

Ivo Pogorelich must be mentioned. Please see:

http://www.unitel.de/uhilites/1998/101598.htm

There you have it: Lang Lang is morphing into Bang Bang - a rather ignorant thought - but people are different.
Talking of some won competition: we certainly forgot Ivo Pogorelich on the list who - as everybody knows - did NOT win and Martha Argerich subsequently left the jury....
Being a pianist myself I only can subscribe to what Czbbcl wrote and what I mentioned in my first answer to this thread.

Yup people are different. I guess all the people on a list I would make of the best pianists, would all be people who are great artists who happen to play the piano.

Lang Lang is obviously technically talented. He can play faster than anyone on the planet earth without making a single mistake. And he has lots of big gestures that add to the illusion. Interesting to watch, but not to listen to for long periods IMHO. I've heard him live in concert twice, and had the same impression both times.

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=8566

If you think I made Bang Bang up (and therefore ignorant), below is only one of very many articles to use it. He is also known as the Tiger Woods of the piano by others. This will only take him so far. If he is still this way past 30 years old, he'll be all done. It is cool now because he is so young. Later on it will just be weird. He'll be the new Liberace.

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/Esquire/2005/12/01/1078561

Here is someone's personal rating of all Rach 3 recordings available which is a good reference point. It lists a lot of the favorite pianists posted here. It also refers to you know who's nickname Bang Bang again.

http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/8618/TheRach3Page.html
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So many tremndous artists, those mentioned and others. Two to add: Brendel, Lupu. In recent years I heard each give recitals that were among the most satisfying, utterly captivating, bits of music making I've ever heard.