Where there any classical composers who didn't know how to play the piano?

Question

I am a violinist but I love writing for piano and I don't know how to play this instrument. I am sometimes worried that my music isn't good enough since it is either too easy or too hard or that it isn't playABLE haha. Where there any famous composers from 1700-onwards who weren't pianists but wrote good piano music?

Answer 1

Nicolo Paganini

Answer 2

Probably, but the composer who does play the piano will in most cases write far better than the one who doesn't. Unlike say, strings, which most people with an understanding of music theory could write for decently, piano requires a sort of intuitive understanding to bring out the best in it. Just my opinion though.

Answer 3

     That one can write music for the piano, but can't play it, is most unusual.

     Has anyone ever played your music?  How about posting either one of your manuscripts, or a video of someone performing one of your pieces; we might then be able to offer some meaningful commentary.

     It would seem to me, for anyone to write music for the piano, that it would be an absolute necessity for them to be able to play one.

                                                    Am confused,

                                                            Alberich

      

Answer 4

ofcourse there were/are.piano isn't the be all and end all! many people wrote perfectly for instruments they can't personally play, purely by being educated in the way of composition. composition is nothing to do with your personaly skill in an instrument. a composer is like a conductor... you don't need to know how to personally play every instrument, you just need to understand how it all works. good luck with it, but i strongly strongly strongly suggest that if you are just trying to write music because you PLAY music, that you get smoe seroius tuition on composition. it takes years and years of education to be able to do at a  successful level.

Answer 5

Interestingly enough, Haydn wasn't very good at the piano.  He was a competent continuo player while accompanying his orchestra, but not a very good pianist.  Probably couldn't even play his last sontas very well!  In his own view, he was primarily an opera composer.  Strange that his lasting works are his symphonies, string quartets, and piano sonatas (an f minor piano variations).

Answer 6

If anyone composes anything, they know how to play piano

Answer 7

i write music for piano all the time, and i dont know how to play it

i just know some very basic piano theory