Horowitz in the 1970's

[arthound]

I picked up this Horowitz box set about a month ago and have been enjoying dipping into it - the previously unreleased recitals are superb.

I noticed that there are quite a large number of CDs of concerts/recordings from the 1970's and early 1980's. From time to time I have read people make negative comments about his playing from this period. Is there any substance [and background] to these opinions?

[Lance]

If this is the JACKET edition, I'm surprised there something in the set that was previously unissued since there would have been no jackets for those recordings. For yours truly, the first EMI recordings made by Horowitz and the earliest RCA Victor mono recordings were probably his best period. After the pianist's hiatus from the live stage in 1953, he continued to make recordings, often right in his own living room. That period from 1953 and for the next decade, saw Horowitz make recordings, but I never felt the RCA discs from that period held the excitement of his previous recordings, prior to his withdrawal from the stage in 1953. The next best period seemed to Horowitz years with Columbia/Sony Classical. His recordings of Scarlatti sonatas, especially, offer some of the finest playing of his entire life, at least IMHO. The DGG recordings and his time before their microphones also didn't seem to capture the allure that Horowitz fans had for the pianist. Still, there is much to enjoy in ANY recording made by Horowitz. Lately, a lot of folks have taken the pianist to task on a number of counts, including faulty technique, unorthodox readings of standard Chopin repertoire, etc. Personally, I think Horowitz will go down in history as one of THE greatest pianists of the twentieth century, a title he certainly deserves, as does Artur Rubinstein.

I picked up this Horowitz box set about a month ago and have been enjoying dipping into it - the previously unreleased recitals are superb.

I noticed that there are quite a large number of CDs of concerts/recordings from the 1970's and early 1980's. From time to time I have read people make negative comments about his playing from this period. Is there any substance [and background] to these opinions?

[Chalkperson]

Personally, I think Horowitz will go down in history as one of THE greatest pianists of the twentieth century, a title he certainly deserves, as does Artur Rubinstein.

If only you had left the THE in the lower case I would have remained quietly mute...actually, if I really was a mute I could have been a loud mute too...

[arthound]

If this is the JACKET edition, I'm surprised there something in the set that was previously unissued since there would have been no jackets for those recordings...

Hi Lance,

As I understand it the box set contains a pair of previously unreleased recitals -Carnegie Hall, March 5, 1951 and Brooklyn College, November 12, 1967. The sound on the 1967 recital is very good given the circumstances and Horowitz is well on his game in both IMO.

Regards,
Justin

[arthound]

Personally, I think Horowitz will go down in history as one of THE greatest pianists of the twentieth century, a title he certainly deserves, as does Artur Rubinstein.

If only you had left the THE in the lower case I would have remained quietly mute...actually, if I really was a mute I could have been a loud mute too...

I was thinking of taking a preliminary strike in anticipation of your response to this post Chalkie! I was wondering if you would come in with something like 'did he ever have a good period?'...

[Chalkperson]

I was wondering if you would come in with something like 'did he ever have a good period?'...

I think he did, once a month in fact...

[stefanher]

Criticising Horowitz is a bit like desecrating a churchyard. Yes there are people mindless enough to do the latter... I do accept that some of his DG recordings are not the equal of his earlier work- but there are exceptions- eg the live Moscow recital, And he did learn a new piano concerto for the period- as far as I can make out his total concerto repertoire prior to this was FOUR. I can't think of many modern pianists who could get away with that. (Please correct me if wrong.)

[Chalkperson]

Criticising Horowitz is a bit like desecrating a churchyard. Yes there are people mindless enough to do the latter...

Why does everybody have to worship Horowitz, i'm not mindless, I just hold a different opinion to you...that's all it is, an opinion...

[fmnewyork]

It contains two previously unreleased recitals. You'll definitely have to pick up this set, Lance.

Farhan

[stenka razin]

Since I already have almost all of the major recordings of Horowitz in the new Sony monster box, I shall refrain from obtaining it, but, would happily recommend it to all serious pianophiles in the CMG.

P.S. I have the later DG recordings and though Vladimir might be a 'step slower' in his digital dexterity, I still find his interpretations are a joy. You can now buy all 7 DG recordings in a spiffy new super budget collector's box, which I sincerely recommend.


P.P.S. By the way, I saw Horowitz twice in New York and remember the extraordinary reaction of classical music lovers to those concerts. VH was treated like an emperor and he deserved the adulation. We will never see a pianist as spellbinding as Horowitz ever again. So, let's cherish what he has bequeathed us in these Sony and DG boxes, plus the early EMI recordings.

Regards,
Mel

[Chalkperson]

We will never see a pianist as spellbinding as Horowitz ever again.

There is this young Chinese kid with a funny name who just told me via PM that he's the new Horowitz...

[Lance]

Hi Farhan ... this is a massive set. It would be my hope that Sony/BMG will issue the two recitals separately. I already have everything Horowitz recorded for RCA, Columbia/Sony and DGG along with private material. If Sony/BMG does not issue the two Horowitz recitals separately, you can be sure copies will be circulating all in due time. Sony/BMG might just as well derive the revenue themselves by issuing "appropriate" releases of these recitals. Now, if our dear friend, Chalkperson, buys this massive set, I may rethink my own thoughts on it!

It contains two previously unreleased recitals. You'll definitely have to pick up this set, Lance.

Farhan

[stefanher]

Criticising Horowitz is a bit like desecrating a churchyard. Yes there are people mindless enough to do the latter...

Why does everybody have to worship Horowitz, i'm not mindless, I just hold a different opinion to you...that's all it is, an opinion...

I'm sorry if my comments were offensive but to me some things in life like Horowitz's playing & foie-gras are just above criticism. I can't vouch for other people but what I like is his almost miraculous technique allied to complete identification witrh the score. You know it's not the only way of playing the work but when he's on form it seems the only possible way to do it.

He's not my favourite pianist- that would be Solomon- who achieved the ultimate- again every tiem he plays the performance sounds totally definitive but analysis of HOW he does it is fruitless. No clever rubato or tempo manipulations- nothing but the music... The art that transcends art.

[stenka razin]

Criticising Horowitz is a bit like desecrating a churchyard. Yes there are people mindless enough to do the latter...

Why does everybody have to worship Horowitz, i'm not mindless, I just hold a different opinion to you...that's all it is, an opinion...

I'm sorry if my comments were offensive but to me some things in life like Horowitz's playing & foie-gras are just above criticism. I can't vouch for other people but what I like is his almost miraculous technique allied to complete identification witrh the score. You know it's not the only way of playing the work but when he's on form it seems the only possible way to do it.

He's not my favourite pianist- that would be Solomon- who achieved the ultimate- again every tiem he plays the performance sounds totally definitive but analysis of HOW he does it is fruitless. No clever rubato or tempo manipulations- nothing but the music... The art that transcends art.

Since you mentioned the great Bristish pianist Solomon, the 7 CD EMI box set below is highly recommended:

[fmnewyork]

I already had everything in the original jacket box except for the two previously unreleased recitals, but I bought the box anyway. My reasons were:
1) I had to have the two unreleased recitals
2) It allowed me to get rid of approximately 40 single RCA CDs plus the Sony Box and replace them with a nicely compact box.
3) I never cared for the way in which the RCA single CDs were laid out. Now we have the works in the order they were originally released
4) At $240 it comes to about $3.25 per CD and I was able to recoup some of that when I sold off the above CDs.

Farhan

[Chalkperson]

I'm sorry if my comments were offensive but to me some things in life like Horowitz's playing & foie-gras are just above criticism. I can't vouch for other people but what I like is his almost miraculous technique allied to complete identification witrh the score. You know it's not the only way of playing the work but when he's on form it seems the only possible way to do it.

I do not enjoy foie-gras, and I really dislike truffles (not the chocolate kind), you did not offend me, my list of dislikes reads like normal music lovers "best of" list, all of this is subjective and merely our individual opinions...as for saying only Horowitz can play something properly, that is almost bordering on fanaticism...

[Lance]

What's the least expensive anybody has seen placed on this marvelous set?

[arthound]

What's the least expensive anybody has seen placed on this marvelous set?

Hi Lance,

I picked mine up for around 82 euros [no VAT tax when exported out of the EU] plus shipping from JPC - I just looked it up and it looks like it is still at the same price. JPC usually charge the one shipping fee so you may want to shop around for other specials. If you click on the charts section you can see what people are buying up - for example the Russell Davis complete Haydn set is less than 30 euros at the moment.

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/ ... um/7954840

Best,
Justin