Vladimir Horowitz

[Mandryka]

There's more to Horowitz than the early recordings.

This contains a superb Kreisleriana and some nice Rachmaninov.

[Anglican Scholar]

During his twenties Horowitz was merely brilliant and in his old age he lost his touch, I think. In between (1940's, 50's, 60's and 70's), he is unsurpassable, I'd say.

[Mandryka]

During his twenties Horowitz was merely brilliant and in his old age he lost his touch, I think. In between (1940's, 50's, 60's and 70's), he is unappeasable, I'd say.

I think it's much more complicated than that.

First off there are lots of recordings from the 20s through 70s which are ultimately disappointing  -- studio attempts at Kreislariana and Kinderszenen  and most of his Chopin and .. I could go on.

And second there are some recordings from the 80s -- like that Leningrad one I mentioned, and the final Hamburg concert-- which are excellent, real treasures.

And third some of the very early stuff -- like the Liszt B mnor -- is more than merely brilliant. I think it's one of the best performances of that particular sonata on record -- deep and coherent.

[George]

Outstanding even by Horowitz's high standards, June 30, 2009
By Hank Drake (from amazon)

Sony has dipped into the archives at Yale University for this first ever release of performances by Vladimir Horowitz at the height of his powers.

Horowitz was well known for his transcriptions of such works as Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies and Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever. But he faced criticism when he altered significant portions of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition - which was and remains far better known in Ravel's transcription for orchestra. Truth be told, Mussorgsky's original version is one of the most poorly written pieces - in terms of writing for the instrument, not musical ideas - in the piano repertoire. Before Horowitz, few pianists even bothered playing it at all. Those that did often made alterations, such as Moiseiwitsch in 1945. But it took someone with the guts and imagination of Horowitz to undertake a wholesale rewriting of the piece - which angered a lot of purists. In fact, Horowitz's changes are far more subtle than the firecracker like passageworks he afforded in his other arrangements.

Previous to this release, there were two issued recordings of Horowitz playing his arrangement of Pictures. The studio recording, from 1947, and a live Carnegie Hall performance, from 1951. Most reviewers have tended to prefer the 1951 recording, which has some incendiary passagework in The Hut on Fowl's Legs. I've been partial to the 1947 performance, which comes across as more of a single piece, rather than sectionalized. (Unfortunately, the 1947 recording has suffered from particularly poor remastering in BMG's Gold Seal Horowitz reissue.) The performance released here, from April 2, 1948, is more along the lines of the 1947 recording - although Horowitz, no doubt under the "battle-conditions" of live performance, does push tempo and articulation to extremes at times. Each Picture leads as part of the whole to the inevitable climax of the Great Gate of Kiev (appropriately, Kiev is the town where Horowitz grew up).

The 1949 recording of Liszt's Sonata in B Minor is another matter entirely - this performance is like nothing you've ever heard. Neither the cheetah like sprint of Horowitz's famed 1932 recording nor the labored grandiloquence of his 1977 remake can compare with this overwhelmingly incendiary performance. There will no doubt be controversy here, as Horowitz cuts 22 bars from the central Recitativo section of the work - but this performance must be heard.

The sound has been excellently restored by Jon Samuels. A few quibbles: At under 60 minutes, this disc is not well filled - and with the huge cache of unreleased material in Sony/BMG's vaults, there is no excuse. There was room for Horowitz's versions of Liszt's St Francis Walking on the Water and Balakirev's Islamey, also recorded at these concerts. And this CD, like many of Sony's new releases, is packaged in cheap paperboard - so handle with care.

[Drasko]

I've been looking for this CD with little success thus far and would be much obliged if perhaps some of the members who peruse well stocked used CD shops give me shout in case of spotting it anywhere, thanks in advance.

Horowitz in Recital
November 24, 1968
Stradivarius: STR 10038

Robert Schumann
1-8. Kreisleriana, Op.16
Sergei Rachmaninoff
9. Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op.32 No.12
10. Moment Musical in B minor, Op.16 No.3
Sergei Rachmaninoff/Vladimir Horowitz
11-13. Sonata No.2 in B-flat minor, Op.36
Frederic Chopin
14. Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op.60
Sergei Rachmaninoff
15. Etude-Tableau in C major, Op.33 No.2
16. Etude-Tableau in E-flat minor, Op.33 No.5
17. Etude-Tableau in D major, Op.39 No.9
Frederic Chopin
18. Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20

[Bogey]

Without me looking, buddy, does this cross over with the Pearl set that we have on our shelves?

[George]

Without me looking, buddy, does this cross over with the Pearl set that we have on our shelves?

I don't think so, as ours are all studio recordings.

[Bogey]

I've been looking for this CD with little success thus far and would be much obliged if perhaps some of the members who peruse well stocked used CD shops give me shout in case of spotting it anywhere, thanks in advance.

Horowitz in Recital
November 24, 1968
Stradivarius: STR 10038

Robert Schumann
1-8. Kreisleriana, Op.16
Sergei Rachmaninoff
9. Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op.32 No.12
10. Moment Musical in B minor, Op.16 No.3
Sergei Rachmaninoff/Vladimir Horowitz
11-13. Sonata No.2 in B-flat minor, Op.36
Frederic Chopin
14. Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op.60
Sergei Rachmaninoff
15. Etude-Tableau in C major, Op.33 No.2
16. Etude-Tableau in E-flat minor, Op.33 No.5
17. Etude-Tableau in D major, Op.39 No.9
Frederic Chopin
18. Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20

I am all over this like fleas on a prairie dog, Miloš! 

[Bogey]

I don't think so, as ours are all studio recordings.

Thanks.  I hate those paperboard covers, but oh well.

[kishnevi]

Thanks.  I hate those paperboard covers, but oh well.

Warning: If the sound quality was "excellenty restored" I would hate to have heard them before restoration.  Scratchiness runs riot in some places.  On this CD, the Mussorgsky is ruined in some places for me because of the scratches; and so is the Haydn on the Haydn/Beethoven entry--but not the Beethoven, which is worth the price of the CD by itself.  I'm debating whether to get the middle CD of the series because of the sound issues (it contains, by the way, Islamey).

[DarkAngel]

This is the 1947 studio performance that really sounds great on ASV Living Era, you will be surprised how good the sound quality is...........

Very cheap at Amazon USA plus has many valuable extras, check the sound samples there

[Mandryka]

I've been looking for this CD with little success thus far and would be much obliged if perhaps some of the members who peruse well stocked used CD shops give me shout in case of spotting it anywhere, thanks in advance.

Horowitz in Recital
November 24, 1968
Stradivarius: STR 10038

Robert Schumann
1-8. Kreisleriana, Op.16
Sergei Rachmaninoff
9. Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op.32 No.12
10. Moment Musical in B minor, Op.16 No.3
Sergei Rachmaninoff/Vladimir Horowitz
11-13. Sonata No.2 in B-flat minor, Op.36
Frederic Chopin
14. Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op.60
Sergei Rachmaninoff
15. Etude-Tableau in C major, Op.33 No.2
16. Etude-Tableau in E-flat minor, Op.33 No.5
17. Etude-Tableau in D major, Op.39 No.9
Frederic Chopin
18. Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20

Did you find it? I'm looking for it now!

[Drasko]

Did you find it? I'm looking for it now!

No, never even got a glimpse of it. And I'd love to, supposedly Rachmaninov 2nd sonata is volcanic, and Horowitz managed even to break a piano string while playing it. If you find it let me know, and vice versa of course.

[George]

Did you find it? I'm looking for it now!

If Drasko can't find it, it can't be found. But I will keep and eye out, nonetheless.

[George]

No, never even got a glimpse of it. And I'd love to, supposedly Rachmaninov 2nd sonata is volcanic, and Horowitz managed even to break a piano string while playing it.

His live 1981 at Carnegie (on RCA) is pretty vocanic. Have you heard that one?

[Mandryka]

No, never even got a glimpse of it. And I'd love to, supposedly Rachmaninov 2nd sonata is volcanic, and Horowitz managed even to break a piano string while playing it. If you find it let me know, and vice versa of course.

I have heard the Kreisleriana and Chopin scherzo are very good .

[Drasko]

His live 1981 at Carnegie (on RCA) is pretty vocanic. Have you heard that one?

Don't know really. I'm not that versed in Horowitz discography. I have two of his Rachmaninov 2nd Sonatas, one dated as 05.1980 on one of Great Pianists volumes, and another from 15.12.1968 on 'Horowitz plays Rachmaninoff' CBS disc. Of those two I prefer the 60s one.

I have heard the Kreisleriana and Chopin scherzo are very good .

From that concert? His Kreisleriana is one of my very top choices (with Brand, and before Cortot, Neuhaus and Schuch), but the one I have is from 1969. I run hot and cold with his Chopin, mostly cold, but his b minor Scherzo I do really like, some odd choices in trio notwithstanding, but the one I have is from early 50s or something like that.   

[George]

Don't know really. I'm not that versed in Horowitz discography. I have two of his Rachmaninov 2nd Sonatas, one dated as 05.1980 on one of Great Pianists volumes, and another from 15.12.1968 on 'Horowitz plays Rachmaninoff' CBS disc. Of those two I prefer the 60s one.

Ok, the 5/1980 is the one I meant. The 1981 was a typo.

[George]

Anyone have this CD?



http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=876

http://www.discogs.com/Tchaikovsky--Vladimir-Horowitz--NBC-Symphony-Orchestra--Arturo-Toscanini-Symphony-No-6-Path%C3%A9tique-P/release/1058546

http://www.flyinginkpot.com/1999/06/inkpot79-classical-music-reviews-tchaikovsky-symphony-no-6-piano-concerto-horowitznbcsotoscanini-naxos-toscanini-concert-edition/

It's the 19th April, 1941 Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto that I am looking for. 

[DieNacht]

It's the 19th April, 1941 Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto that I am looking for.

I have it, but on another label (The International Music Company, Germany, 2CD 1999 20.3166). Don´t know about the naxos transfer, but the sound is good and a lot "softer" than the very well-known RCA 25/4 1943. The phrasing is often different from that one, often more elegant, faster (fastest ever ?), yet less brutal, and I prefer it to the RCA.  The orchestra has problems keeping up, but overall it´s fine.

Definitely recommended.

But my main favourite is probably the Horowitz/Szell 4/5 1952.