Who is Artur Schnabel from The Great Pianists and what is their importance?

Artur Schnabel is the name of a pianist who stood out above all other Beethoven specialists and became synonymous with him. Despite his skills with Mozart, Schubert and Brahms, Beethoven's music was his forte. Schnabel did not look like a pianist. He was short and stocky, smoked cigars had stubby fingers, a big head and played piano with a distinct lack of showmanship. His concerts brought a sacred silence to the auditorium like communion in a cathedral. Schnabel was a child prodigy who studied with Annette Essipoff before her husband Leschetizky who said he would never be a pianist because he was already a musician. He was analytical and one of few fully unromantic, modern pianists from the Leschetizky group. His fierce integrity and brilliant intellect enabled him to become leader of the German school of piano playing and a respected musician of the century.