Horowitz in Concert

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The concerto recordings that Horowitz made with his tyrannical father-in-law, Arturo Toscanini, are depressingly rigid, and others are disappointing in their currently available versions. APR's well-transferred pairing of these two concertos closely associated with Horowitz is, however, highly desirable. They're live recordings from 1940 and 1941, capturing him in full flight, playing with spontaneity, feverish energy, and stunning brio. --Dan Davis

Tracks:

Leonore Overture No.3
Trio for Piano, Violin & Cello in A minor, Op.50: I. Pezzo elegiaco
Sonata for Cello & Piano in G minor, Op.19: III. Andante

Tracks:

A Poet's Love, Op. 48: In the lovely month of May...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: From my tears spring up...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: The rose, the lily, the dove, the son...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: When I look into your eyes...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: I will dip my soul....
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: The Rhine, the holy river...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: I bear no grudge...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: And if the flowers knew, the little ones...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: There is playing of flutes and fiddles...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: When I hear the song...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: A boy loves a girl...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: In the bright summer morning...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: I cried my dream...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: Every night in my dreams I see you...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: Out of the old fairy tales...
A Poet's Love, Op. 48: The old evil songs...
Concerto for 2 Violins & Orchestra in D minor, BWV 1043: I. Vivace
Concerto for 2 Violins & Orchestra in D minor, BWV 1043: II. Largo ma non tanto
Concerto for 2 Violins & Orchestra in D minor, BWV 1043: III. Allegro
Pater Noster
'Hallelujah' Chorus from Messiah

Customer Reviews:

Most neglected Dichterliebe by Fischer-Dieskau.......2001-04-06

All lovers of Lieder seem to have a certain passion and veneration for Fischer-Dieskau's interpretation of Schumann's Dichterliebe. It is appearant that this singer's understanding of the music, his vocal capacity, his beautiful phrasing, clear diction, and his general (outstanding) musicianship enable him to communicate these Lieder in a way nobody else has done before (save maybe Hotter) or since.

In this live-recording he is supported by no other than Vladimir Horowitz! And the inspiration between these two artists works wonders. Horowitz' playing in crucial moments of the cycle fx "Ich Grolle Nicht" adds a spiritual dimension to the interpretation that you do not get from Moore, Brendel or Demus. We are dealing with the best interpretation of this cycle ever conveyed to disc.

Tracks:

Dumka, Op. 59 - Vladmir Horowitz
Liebestotschaft - Vladmir Horowitz
Carmen Vars - Vladmir Horowitz
Etude in e flat, Op. 10, No. 6 - Vladmir Horowitz
Etude in c, Op. 25, No. 12 - Vladmir Horowitz
Danse Macabre, Op. 40 - Vladmir Horowitz
Flirtation in A Chinese Garden - Abram Chasins
Rush-Hour In Hong Kong - Abram Chasins
A Shanghai Tragedy - Abram Chasins
Liebeswalzer, Op. 57, No. 5 - Shura Cherkassky
Rigoletto Paraphrase - Shura Cherkassky
Prld Pathetique - Shura Cherkassky
Polka De W.R. - Shura Cherkassky
Var On La Ci Darem La Mano, Op. 2 - Robert Goldsand

Average customer rating:

What do you expect from 1941? It's still GENIUS!
Best ever Rach 3 cadenza
Great performance if you can hear it
Yes, the sound quality isn't great, but ...
Horrendous Disappointment

Horowitz in Concert

Manufacturer: Apr UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Horowitz plays Chopin vol.3

ASIN: B000004ACC
Release Date: 1997-03-18

Tracks:

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23: Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23: Andante semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23: Allegro con fuoco
Rachmoninov Piano concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: Allegro ma non tanto
Rachmoninov Piano concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: Intermezzo (Adagio)
Rachmoninov Piano concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: Finale (Alle breve)

Amazon.com

The concerto recordings that Horowitz made with his tyrannical father-in-law, Arturo Toscanini, are depressingly rigid, and others are disappointing in their currently available versions. APR's well-transferred pairing of these two concertos closely associated with Horowitz is, however, highly desirable. They're live recordings from 1940 and 1941, capturing him in full flight, playing with spontaneity, feverish energy, and stunning brio. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

What do you expect from 1941? It's still GENIUS!.......2006-06-29

This has to be one of the best Rach 3s ever performed, recorded or not. It has a similar intensity to it as did Vladimir Ovchinikov's Rach 2 in the final of the Leeds 1987 competition (for those lucky enough to have seen/heard this). Totally mesmerizing. And for those who quibble at the quality, what do you expect from a 1941 recording? We are so lucky to have this recording AT ALL! Buy, and recommend like crazy!

Best ever Rach 3 cadenza.......2006-01-13

Concerning the Rachmaninoff 3rd Concerto with Horowitz and Barbirolli...

The reviewer who said this is a recording for Horowitz fanatics who want to punish themselves is clearly not a pianist. They also never made it to the cadenza (wow!).

However, because of the aged audio quality, I do not recommend this CD for someone who does not appreciate music for its own sake. If your recordings have to be perfectly clear, then you might try the very good recordings by Byron Janis or Martha Argerich. There are also some minor cuts made here which are somewhat irksome when you know and enjoy the entire piece.

It is the difference between fast piano playing without a strong sense of purpose (e.g. Argerich) and fast piano playing with great power that makes this recording worth listening to. Horowitz does not give us a senseless reading of virtuosity here. He pours out his heart in much the same way Rachmaninoff did in his own recording of his first concerto (which I also highly recommend, noise and all). It is almost like the soloist and the music became one, a rare occurrance in a multitude of recordings.

Great performance if you can hear it.......2005-03-14

I have no problems with the musical performance, and was thrilled to be able to hear something performed by such a master. Although there is a disclaimer, as mentioned, I have to agree that the recording quality is awful. The popping and hissing is so bad in places that it is nearly impossible to hear the performance. I have since purchased other recordings so that I can hear the music without interruption. If you want this recording to be able to hear how Horowitz performs these pieces, I would recommend this CD. If you want this to be your only recording of these pieces, get another CD.

Yes, the sound quality isn't great, but ..........2003-04-02

frankly, the rachmaninoff recording that is on this disc, is, in my opinion, the most impressive musical performance I have ever been privileged to hear. In contrast with his other recordings of the work, which are all very special, horowitz plays with with true fire, not holding himself back like he did in the celebrated '51 recording. The coda of the finale is absolutely breathtaking. Not without reason did Gramophone describe this as the Rachmaninoff's third to end all Rachmaninoff's thirds. The intensity is simply astonishing. The Tchaikovsky is another fine performance, but personally I prefer his 1943 recording with Toscaninni. Now, about the sound quality, it is slightly off-putting in the coda of the Tchaikovsky finale, and for a moment in the Rachmaninoff intermezzo. But, for goodness sake, to quibble about this when presented with such brilliance is petulence itself.

Horrendous Disappointment.......2001-07-24

This recording includes a disclaimer [...] Although the manufacturer claims to have expended considerable technical effort in resurrecting this performance, the results are horrid. There are loud pops, whizzes, cracks, and snaps. At times, the pitch wavers monumentally. Horowitz is not even at his best in the Tschaikowsky--if you want to hear that, you need the Bruno Walter recording. Purchase this recording at your own risk--and then only if you are a die-hard Horowitz fanatic willing to suffer greatly for your devotion.

The Complete Masterworks Recordings, Vol. 4: The Legendary 1968 TV Concert

Average customer rating:

Horowitz on Television
My personal All Time Favorite

The Complete Masterworks Recordings, Vol. 4: The Legendary 1968 TV Concert

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Vladimir Horowitz, Complete Masterworks Recordings 1962-1973, Vol. VI: Horowitz Performs Beethoven
Vladimir Horowitz, Complete Masterworks Recordings 1962-1973, Vol. I: The Studio Recordings 1962-63
Vladimir Horowitz, The Complete Masterworks Recordings 1962-1973, Volume VII: Early Romantics
Late Russian Romantics
Horowitz: A Baroque & Classical Recital

ASIN: B00000290D
Release Date: 1994-06-14

Tracks:

Ballade No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 23
Nocturne In F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1
Polonaise In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 44
Sonata In E Major, K 380 (L23)
Sonata In G Major, K55 (L335)
Arabeske In C Major, Op. 18
Etude In D-Sharp Minor, Op. 8 No. 12
No. 7 From 'Kinderszenen', Op. 15: Traumerei
Variations On A Theme From Bizet's Opera 'Carmen'

Customer Reviews:

Horowitz on Television.......2003-02-27

Volume Four of Sony's Horowitz reissue contains the audio portion of the pianist's first of many appearances on television. Horowitz had been approached numerous times since the 1940s by network executives looking to televise the pianist. But it was not until 1968, the 40th anniversary of his American debut, that Horowitz approved the idea.

Knowing that he would be performing for more people in one night than he could possibly reach after years of touring must have put the pianist under pressure. But Horowitz rose to the occasion and this is some of the tightest, most disciplined playing of his later career, helped by a program which suited his unique gifts perfectly.

The two contrasting Scarlatti Sonatas are played with Horowitz's usual uncanny control of pianissimo, fleet fingerwork, and perfect pedaling. However, L. 23 is a perhaps bit "precious" compared to his sprightly 1986 Moscow performance.

Horowitz made four (approved) recordings of the Chopin's Ballade in G-Minor. Truth be told, he was never entirely successful in the work, finding difficulty in balancing the episodic and structural elements. This version, along with the epic sounding performance from his 1965 return concert, is the most successful technically and musically.

Less successful is the Nocturne in F-Minor. Horowitz's playing here is too large dynamically, overly focused on detail at the expense of the whole, and the piece emerges as a collection of details.

The F-sharp minor Polonaise is given a performance which is downright diabolical, even nerve-wracking. Yet Horowitz holds the work under a rhythmic control that even Arthur Rubinstein never achieved. It is no exaggeration to say that this may be the greatest F-sharp Minor Polonaise ever recorded, certainly it is one of Horowitz's greatest achievements in Chopin.

It's interesting to compare Horowitz this version of Schumann's Arabeske with Horowitz's studio recording. The 1962 version features swifter tempos, more delicate colors, a more structural approach, which contrasts with the comparatively laid-back, yet somehow bolder performance given here. Both approaches are equally valid. Träumerai is performed with Horowitz's usual attention to detail.

Scriabin's ubiquitous Etude in D-Sharp Minor, a work open to many interpretations, is given a truly demonic performance here which threatens to run off the rails during its climax. Yet Horowitz manages somehow to hold the work together in this compelling recreation.

Horowitz was constantly revising his variations of the Gypsy Song from Carmen. Over the years this version seems to have become the most popular. Horowitz's revisions are less repetitive than in earlier versions, more inventive pianistically, and the overall approach is more relaxed.

This is one of three Horowitz videos which remain commercially unavailable (Horowitz's disastrous 1983 Tokyo concert has wisely been kept from distribution, the other is the 1978 White House recital, which CAN be obtained from the Jimmy Carter Library). Portions of the 1968 concert have been shown on various documentaries, and they offer a tantalizing glimpse of Horowitz in his late prime. Sony should aquire the video rights to this recital and release it on DVD immediately. No complaints about the sound.

My personal All Time Favorite.......1998-10-22

I first recorded this concert off our black and white TV in 1968, onto a reel to reel tape recorder, and have listened to copies of that tape probably 1000 times. Despite the poor fidelity and the intervening years, simply put, nothing else even comes close. Horowitz is the greatest pianist I have listened to, and this is one of his greatest, if not greatest concerts. It has an eternal quality found in very few other places in the world. Love it!

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Pearl Gets These Classic Horowitz Reissues Right

Horowitz-Solo Recordings 1928-36

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000WRU
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

Carmen: Variations On Themes
Mazurka No. 21 In C# Minor Op. 30 No. 4
Capriccio In E Major, L. 375
Serenade For The Doll
Capriccio In F Minor (Concert Etude In F Minor Op. 28 No. 6)
Valse Oubliee
Paganini Etude In E Flat Major: Paganini
Paganini Etude In E Flat Major: Danse Excentrique
Prelude in G Minor Op. 23 No. 5
Pastourelle
Toccata
Toccata Sonata No. 52 In E Flat: Allegro Moderato
Toccata Sonata No. 52 In E Flat: Adagio
Toccata Sonata No. 52 In E Flat: Finale (Presto)
The Flight Of the Bumble Bee
Petrouchka: Russian Dance
Sonata In B Minor: Lento Assai
Sonata In B Minor: Allegro Energico
Sonata In B Minor: Grandioso
Sonata In B Minor: Recitativo - Andante Sostenuto - Quasi Adagio
Sonata In B Minor: Allegro Energico - Pui Mosso - Stretta Quasi Presto - Prestissimo
Sonata In B Minor: Andante Sostenuto
Sonata In B Minor: Allegro Moderato
Sonata In B Minor: Lento Assai

Tracks:

Presto Passionato
Funerailles
Mazurka In F Minor Op. 7 No. 3
Etude In F Major Op. 10 No. 8
Traumeswirren (Dream Visions) Op. 12 No. 7
Mazurka No. 27 In E Minor Op. 41 No. 2
32 Variations In C Minor G. 191
Choral Prelude
Etude XI Pour Les Arpeges Composes
Arabeske, Op. 18
Toccata In C Op. 7
Etude Op. 25 No. 3 In F
Mazurka No. 32 In C# Minor Op. 50 No. 3
Etude Op. 10 No. 4 In C # Minor
Etude Op. 10 No. 5 In G Flat
Sonata In B Minor KK 87
Sonata In G Major KK 125
Scherzo No. 4 In E Op. 54

Customer Reviews:

Pearl Gets These Classic Horowitz Reissues Right.......2007-05-11

Vladimir Horowitz's earliest recordings, believed by some to be his finest, have been reissued numerous times since their initial appearance over 70 years ago.

Horowitz's first recordings were made in RCA's Camden, New Jersey studios in 1928. They consisted of short, "encore" type works such as his own Carmen Variations and Danse Excentrique, Debussy's Serenade, and Dohnanyi's Capriccio. From 1930-1936, Horowitz concentrated his recording activity in London (RCA's European affiliate, HMV, had not been as decimated by the Great Depression than its American counterpart).

This reissue contains some classics. The Liszt Sonata has never been equaled and is a must for any serious collector, as is the Funerailles. But the Hungarian composer's Valse oubliee is played more captivatingly in Horowitz's 1985 recording. It's hard to imagine in this day and age that Horowitz's version of Haydn's E-flat sonata was a world premiere recording, but indeed it was. Its relaxed elegance continues to charm, and it remains more musicologically "correct" than Horowitz's 1951 live version. Horowitz was also an early champion of Scarlatti, and recorded the composer's Capriccio as transcribed by Tausig. The two sonatas included here are among the first recordings of "pure" Scarlatti. The pianist preferred his Bach "un-pure", and the Choral Prelude as transcribed by Busoni is a miracle of line separation and clarity. Horowitz's early foray into Beethoven, the 32 Variations in C minor, is more straightforward and successful than many of his later attempts with this composer.

Horowitz's early Schumann, though technically impeccable, did not quite plumb the depths as in his later recordings. So much the better then, that the pianist limited himself to recording shorter works, including an Arabeske with unmatched legato, an effortless Toccata, and whimsical Traumeswirren. Originally intended as the finale for Schumann's G minor sonata, the Presto Passionato was rejected by the composer's wife as unplayable. Horowitz makes it sound like child's play. (Pearl's is the only reissue that I know of that gets the 78RPM side change right in this piece.)

Horowitz once referred to Chopin and "the only truly great composer for the piano" and he invariably included a selection of the Polish master's music in his recitals. The sampling here includes four technically impeccable Etudes, four Mazurkas, and a remarkably up-tempo Scherzo in E major.

Horowitz also championed "modern" composers like Rachmaninoff and Poulenc. It says much about the changing mores of performing that Horowitz (often condemned these days for violating composers' intentions) received nothing but praise from the many composers he knew personally. While the Poulenc Pastourelle and Toccata are gracious and dazzling, the Rachmaninoff G minor Prelude is disappointingly sloppy. A thrilling Russian Dance from Stravinsky's Petrouchka is also included.

Pearl has handled these old recordings with care, and they sound better than in any other issue thus far. Highest recommendation.

Average customer rating:

Better than the Robots of Today...
Mechanical Indeed
How Some of the Greats Played (Almost)

Welte-Mignon Piano Rolls, 1905-1927

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00009WQU4
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Tracks:

Minuet, Op.14 No.1 - Ignacy J. Paderewski
The Blue Danube, Arabesque - Josef Lhevinne
Rapsodie D'Auvergne In C Major, Op.73 - Camille Saint-Saens
Polonaise In F Sharp Major, Op.44 - Josef Hofmann
Paganini Etude No.5 In E Major - Egon Petri
Military March In D Major, Op.51 No.1 - Telemaque Lambrino
Dinner Waltz - Alfred Grunfeld
Gaspard De La Nuit, No.1 (Ondine) - Walter Gieseking
Andante - Rudolph Ganz
Minuet In A Minor - Hans Haass
Virtuoso Fantasy - Vladimir Horowitz
La Nuit - Rudolph Ganz
Staccato Caprice In F Sharp Major - Yolanda Mero

Customer Reviews:

Better than the Robots of Today..........2004-04-27

In a depressing world of classical recordings where performances are so stiff and mechanical (to the point that the performers themselves may not be able to pick their own recordings out in a group), this set of CDs is a must own for anybody interested in really touching souls by creating music.

The people recorded on these CDs took the words of CPE Bach to heart when he said, "one should play from the soul, not like a trained bird." These are truly heart-felt and inspired performances that any musician can learn from and any non-musician can enjoy.

Mechanical Indeed.......2003-10-03

Many critics dismiss piano rolls and, sadly, this album will persuade new listeners that they must sound clangorous and mechanical. This we know is not true. Wayne Stahnke did an outstanding job with his Rachmaninoff discs. Granted, he used computer reconstruction, but Kenneth Caswell, on the small Pierian label, did not, and his Granados and Debussy albums are uncannily realistic. The latter impressed even Charles Timbrell, an expert on French pianists. Equally musical is a more varied collection on the Phonographe label, which seems to include recordings made many years ago. Perhaps the piano used did not have to be "restored" but had been kept in good condition -- but I'm just guessing. In any event, this Naxos album is, unfortunately, a thumping failure.

How Some of the Greats Played (Almost).......2003-09-05

Periodically recordings like this surface--transfers from the Welte-Mignon piano rolls recorded early in the last century (mostly from around 1905; Horowitz in the 1920s). Similar to the more familiar piano rolls that were the 'software' for the ubiquitous player piano of old, the Welte-Mignon rolls used a very different mechanism and it is generally agreed that they did a better job of preserving the dynamic, tempo, rhythmic and touch nuances of the pianists who recorded them.

Here we have what is labeled Volume I of what presumably will be a series coming to us the Naxos label. They are recorded on a restored Steinway-Welte reproducing piano that has come down in the family of this series' producer, Richard Simonton jr. And the list of famous pianists recorded here is pretty impressive: Paderewski, Lhevinne, Saint-Saëns, Hofmann, Gieseking, Ganz, Egon Petri and Horowitz, as well as some lesser-known artists like Alfred Grünfeld, Télémaque Lambrino, Hans Haass and Yolanda Mero.

The sound is, of course, modern because the reproducing pianos were recorded in 2000 with modern sound equipment.

The primary drawback of these piano rolls is that they, though more lifelike than the old Aeolian piano rolls, do sound just the slightest bit mechanical. Still, one gets a good idea of how many of these pianists--some of them never recorded in modern sound otherwise--must have sounded in their prime. One notes, for instance, a very great use of rubato by such stars as Paderewski and Hofmann. It was certainly true that those old guys had personality!

Presumably Amazon will soon list the contents of this CD on this page --although they haven't done so yet--but suffice it to say that some outstanding selections are Paderewski playing his own 'Minuet,' Lhevinne playing the Strauss/Schulz/Evler 'Blue Danube,' Gieseking playing 'Ondine' from Ravel's 'Gaspard de la nuit,' and Hofmann playing the F-sharp minor 'Polonaise' of Chopin (a wonderful performance). One novelty is Rudolph Ganz playing a delightful Saint-Saëns arrangement of the familiar Andante from Haydn's 'Surprise' Symphony, something I'd never heard before. Another rarity is Hans Haass playing a Rameau minuet as arranged by Leopold Godowsky. We also get Horowitz playing his own 'Carmen Fantasy,' a crowd-pleaser that he recorded later more than once in the 'electric' era of recording. This performance, however, is a barn-burner and I frankly couldn't tell that it was from a piano roll.

So, if this is your meat, go for it. At this price, you can hardly miss.

Tracks:

Sonata, K. 531 (L.430) In E
Sonata, K. 87 (L.33) In B Minnor
Sonata, K.380 (L.23) In E
Sonata, K.455 (L.209) In G
Sonata, K. 322(L.483) In A
Sonata, K. 46 (L.25) In E
Capriccio (Sonata, K.20 - L375) In E
Sonata No. 7, Op. 10, No. 3 In D: Presto
Sonata No. 7, Op. 10, No. 3 In D: Largo e mesto
Sonata No. 7, Op. 10, No. 3 In D: Menuetto: Allegro
Sonata No. 7, Op. 10, No. 3 In D: Rondo: Allegro
Mazurka, Op. 30, No. 3 In D Flat
Nocturne, Op. 27, No. 1In C-Sharp Minor
Nocturne, Op. 72, No. 1In E Minor
Waltz, Op. 34 No. 2 In A Minor
Waltz, Op. 64, No. 2 In C-Sharp Minor
Ballade No. 3, Op. 47 In A Flat
Capriccio (Concert Etude, Op. 28, No. 6) In F Minor

Amazon.com

Here's a Horowitzian grab bag, programmed without rhyme or reason, that reveals the great pianist's many moods. His volatile, unsettled Beethoven Op 10 No. 3 Sonata (Horowitz's first stereo recording) is juxtaposed with six lapidarian Scarlatti sonatas, remastered from noisy 1946 vinyl pressings this writer supplied to BMG. A smattering of Chopin waltzes, mazurkas, and nocturnes fuse intriguing neuroticism and masterful detailing as only Horowitz could. Tim Page's excellent notes put these recordings in perspective. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Variety is the Spice of Life.......2005-11-23

This conglomeration of Horowitz recordings from 1928-1959 reveals recorded sound as varied as the repertoire and performances.

Horowitz recorded Scarlatti throughout his career. In general, his post 1960 recordings (after he'd undertaken a thorough study of existing manuscripts and consulted with Scarlatti authority Ralph Kirkpatrick) are to be preferred. But these old recordings, faulty edition notwithstanding, have a lot going for them: pinpoint precision, wit, and when called for, gravitas in the prayerful K. 87, a Horowitz favorite. The transfers are a bit noisy here.

Horowitz had performed the Beethoven Sonata in D, Op. 10, No. 3 publicly in the 1940s, so he was well acquainted with it when this recording was made in 1959. The first movement is taken at a fast tempo, with some drawn out ritards at climaxes. The rhythmic vitality of Horowitz' performance, and his capturing of Beethoven's humor, are a delight. The slow movement, Largo e Mesto, is taken at a tempo referred to as heroically slow when the recording was released, but the movement sounds normally paced to early 21st century ears--an excellent example of how tempos have generally slowed in recent decades. The last two movements are played in a straightforward manner, but notable for their sparse pedaling. This was Horowitz's first stereo recording, the sound is a bit close up and spiky, and subway trains can be heard rumbling beneath the recording locale, Carnegie Hall.

Horowitz was generally uncomfortable in Chopin's Nocturnes. The two presented here are heavily made up, not so much night music as nightmare music. The dance pieces (one Mazurka and two Waltzes) fare better. From the peasant like Mazurka to the more brooding and elegant Waltzes, Horowitz superbly captures the moods of these miniatures. But it must be noted that Andante has issued the same Waltz performances in far superior sound.

The 1947 recording of the Third Ballade is some of the best, non-neurotic, Chopin playing Horowitz ever committed to disc. The passagework is dazzlingly even, the rolling right hand figurations (where all too many pianists stumble) star clear. I wouldn't want to be without Moiseiwitsch's various suave recordings, but Horowitz's more pointed elegance is a valid alternative.

The Dohnanyi Capriccio is given the kind of crazily virtuosic performance (very different from Rachmaninoff's more sober virtuosity) that used to drive Horowitz's audiences wild with joy (and his critics to consternation). Despite dated sonics (again, Andante's remastering is better), it makes an effective closer.

Average customer rating:

HISTORICAL INTEREST

Great Musicians in Copenhagen

Manufacturer: Danacord Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00008EYI6
Release Date: 1995-06-28

Customer Reviews:

HISTORICAL INTEREST.......2004-11-12

This is a collection of snippets from the archives of Danish Radio. The recordings were made in 1933/4, apparently without proper authority, and the booklet provides information on the recording technology used. The sound-quality does not allow a rating of more than 3 stars, but the performers are all pretty top-drawer and so far as I can tell the performances all seem good. In the various concerto movements Piatigorsky Horowitz and Serkin give more relaxed performances in association with Malko and Fritz Busch than in their better-known recordings of the same pieces with Munch and Toscanini. I suspect that if the recorded sound had let me hear more detail I might well have preferred this romantic reading of the the first movement of the Dvorak concerto to the tighter one I know (and like) by Piatigorsky with Munch. In the finale of the Tchaikovsky B flat minor Horowitz is partnered by Malko, and in the first movement of Beethoven 4 Serkin is partnered by Fritz Busch. I am used to listening to them with Toscanini conducting, and I must say I miss him here. However that's just my temperament and there's nothing I want to criticise in the performances on this disc. The one real distinguishing item on the disc is Serkin playing two Chopin studies from op 25 -- the first one in A flat and the B minor in double octaves. They are absolutely superb, and the sound-quality is perhaps the best of the collection, though you may wish (or not) to know that there is one wrong note per study. I had heard tantalising accounts of Serkin's Chopin-playing and these were the only examples of it known to me before the issue of the new biography of him in 2003, which has a superlative live set of the op 25 studies (with no wrong notes whatsoever so far as I recall), and they were what interested me enough to buy this disc at the time I did.

For completeness, the other items not mentioned above are Dvorak's Carnival overture conducted by Fritz Busch, the second movement of Poulenc's Concert Champetre played by Landowska with Malko conducting, two Paganini caprices from Milstein and Debussy's Serenade for the Doll from Horowitz.

Vladimir Horowitz, Piano: Early Recordings 1928 Through 1947

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Vladimir Horowitz, Piano: Early Recordings 1928 Through 1947

Manufacturer: Andante
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000066TXG
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Album Description

This four-CD set presents a selection of performances by a young lion of the keyboard: Vladimir Horowitz. Dating from 1928 to 1947, these classic recordings document the piano virtuoso at his most fiery and fearless. The repertoire ranges from Baroque and Classical scores (Scarlatti, Haydn, Beethoven, Mendelssohn) to the great Romantics (Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Rachmaninoff), 20th-century pieces (Debussy, Poulenc, Prokofiev) and transcriptions by Horowitz himself. Pristine copies of the original HMV/Victor 78s were transferred and digitally remastered using the state-of-the-art CAP 440 technique. The handsomely illustrated 84-page booklet features an introduction by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tim Page and a perceptive essay by New York Times critic Paul Griffiths ("Vladimir Horowitz: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Lion"), as well as detailed artist biographies from The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

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