There have been quite a number of unusual personalities in pianistic history, with Glenn Gould surely springing to many people's minds. But few have been as unusual and controversial as Vladimir de Pachmann. Considered a buffoon by more than a few, he acquired no short list of epithets, ranging from playful to downright abusive. Perhaps most tellingly was "The Pianissimist." He played almost exclusively the works of Chopin, though he was sometimes derided for performing "accompanied by Chopin's music." What sometimes gets lost is his quite special technique which, whether musically questionably appropriate or not, was prodigious. Listen to this month's clip as he performs the "Minute" Waltz in two different styles. Make sure to listen all the way to the end to hear his own special codettissima.