Horowitz- Polonaise Op. 53 "Heroic"

[Parasmunt]

Chopin was so great. This piece sums up heroism itself, the overcoming - with each pass the melody approaches becoming more 'heroic' than the last and more complete... only at the end is it triumphant.

The uncertainty/overcoming of the hero at 632 - 636 is my favourite part, incredible what the composer could convey with just four or five strokes of the piano!

[Nemraciram2306]

El sentir un torbellino de emociones en esta preciosa melodía.

[Sewerynaable]

Bravo! The perfect performance of one of the greatest pianists!

[Sewerynaable]

Bravo! Perfect performance of this maestro of the piano!

[Yaniss]

i wanna play that way when im 81!

[MrAmax60]

Listen to Olli Mustonen`s one if you get hold of it !

[Haamidpianoman]

Horowtiz is the greatest pianist. But this piece was easily one of many of chopins love letters

[MrAmax60]

I really prefer this interpretation for Artur Rubistein`s one. Technical perfectionism may cause shortcomings in presentation on the other hand. IMHO, if it is allowed considering the pianist god...

[VivaRenata]

If anyone is interested in understanding the intentions of the composer, please listen to the same piece performed by Artur Rubinstein. There are a number of posts on youtube.

[Volodia1977]

Dommage que la vidéo soit saccadée: à mon sens, la meilleure de toutes les versions existentes de cette oeuvre !

[vernaza11]

the best version of all.. though argerich's and rubenstein's is good, this is absurd

[apodots]

jajaja the stare of his eyes to the camera at the end of the video is fun

[lavacap1]

beautifful--full of pathos and humanity. Take that techno computer generated "music" worshippers. Your machines will NEVER achieve this. NEVER

[Stebanick]

jajajajajaja 6:54, he have a excellent memory for that age o.o

[bicsc7]

I feel like only horowitz truly understands that strange transition section before the recap of the first theme. So wonderful!

[goldengab]

Chess and Piano! A fantastic combination. I'm a pianist and chess player too :)

Horowitz was one of the best. This piece is simply amazing.

[Stebanick]

@goldengab

me too jajjaja (y)

[MrPneunomia]

he wears a suit in his own house

[louis621]

@MrPneunomia thats how much of a badass he is

[roshidon]

@MrPneunomia He's that cool.

[nmbanana]

@MrPneunomia i were a suit in my house all the time, i didnt know that i was special haha

[Alexgolodenko]

@MrPneunomia кэп

[AndStar100]

@MrPneunomia It's from the film "The Last Romantic".

[mystere485]

This is still a good recording and how Horowitz plays it is unique to him. Without physically seeing either Horowitz or Rubenstein play I can hear the differences. To me, I find Horowitz' sharp notes to hard for me, and he plays that way for all the recordings i've heard. It is really to each his own and either way this is remarkable for 81 years old, I would be happy enough to be able to go to the bathroom on my own at 81!!!!

[lllllllllllllll88]

Oh, he's 81. That explains it. 

[jetfour07]

I hope I can love anything for as long as he loved piano.

[InSaNiTyRaNgE]

I cant believe he can remember all that notes, but when you love it you die with it.

What a Legendary man

[lllllllllllllll88]

@InSaNiTyRaNgE - Good point. I should have thought of that comment because this sounds like crap. But you put it in proper perspective. Thank Q

[InSaNiTyRaNgE]

@lllllllllllllll88 np truly he is a legend on a piano

have u seen the movie The Pianist. i love it

[ac3761G]

Horowitz- Polonaise Op. 53 "Heroic"

[cesgarc]

Yes he's old but he feels young when he plays this music :)

[cesgarc]

i don't know about music but my heart says this good :)

[akagrin]

we are blessed to have this recording. Of course the quality is going to be inferior. Technology in the 80's blows compared to today. His legacy as well as Chopin's will last many, many years.

[JohnnyStricklett]

This camera doesn't have the best mic. Nonetheless, I still hear the beauty!

[BenMcCormack91]

His playing really isn't about quality, is it? It's like he's not looking to be formal or gear his performance to make the audience feel a certain way, but instead he's just showing you what he thinks of the piece. There's a much more personal feeling to his playing than there is to the sound of most pianists nowadays, and it transcends labels like "bad" or "good." It's a whole different way of looking at music, but I think I prefer it, especially for solo music.

[1023george]

What piano is this?

[solow1991]

@ScarletRonin idiot, dont spam at good music.

[coolasianbrian]

one of the best pianist in the history of music.

[violent0heart]

it is absolutely phenomenal that somebody can remember such difficult pieces and still be able to play them so perfectly and beautifully at that age. I don't play piano at the age of 17, but I think maybe I'll spend the rest of my life learning, so I can maybe play half as well when I'm 80 :D

[Desmonddd2002]

Dude most people cant even move their fingers at the age of 81 years old, let alone playing piano....

[PrisLN]

horowitz se inmortalizo con su musica

[mkcrisolrm]

Magnífico.

[asdlkfjghklawuieg]

maestro!!!!

[thedrip]

my family had the exact couch back in 1985!

[joe69rocket]

bravo! excellent performance.. he lets his fingers do the talking. so many go overboard with body movements that are just nothing but show. this man is the real deal :)

[DanielMrtinzAngls]

Master

[IxCloudxIx]

I feel that Chopin should be pushed and pulled more... and Im not talking about this specific song... i mean everything... this was probably the closest thing. the way he pauses a little bit before jumping to the next phrase... sometimes it feels a little to short though. and sometimes I hear something that doesn't fit. I wanna start studying Chopin more in depth to find out... I only started learning a few of his pieces.

[juanithor001]

que increible como maneja expresivamente la obra es increible!!! que gran pianista!!!! MAESTRO!!!!!!!

[callenishss]

he should be able to play this piece in his sleep

[callenishss]

technique still within correctness. as long as all pressing motions come from the elbow joint not individual finger joints

[MrVladimirHorowitz]

Here is my response to the comment by "TheLovelyPiano" I have to say that this is NEVER the worst performance of this piece and i would also like to ask, Can u play like that when your 81? I would like to see you try, and fail.

Horowitz is a genius

Horowitz never banged the piano

Even genius's make mistakes

[DeepPhilosopher5]

@MrVladimirHorowitz Hear hear. By the way, why do you think "TheLovelyPiano" has such an unlovely way of talking about great pianists?

[akihirori]

incredible. is he really at eighty??

[Sotox92]

no, 81

[anderwold1]

It's amazing at 81.

[hellomate639]

There's a better recording of him playing this piece...

[isayhi72]

While this is incredible!!!... I think I still prefer Rubenstein's interpretation. But the power Horowitz had [even at 80] is astonishing and lacking in Rubenstein's.

Argh! They're both excellent!

[tibaninvio]

wtf he got 14 fingers :D?

[anizato]

you clearly have an opinion from someone who doesn't know much about music. but it's still an opinion and it's yours. respected, although your tone is despicable. This man CAN PLAY.

[nmbanana]

@fredericballade4 i bet dynamics bug you to, oh and individualism as well

[VivaRenata]

Wagner wrote about the concept of "Melos" which in musical terms corresponded to "Logos" as a representation not only of the word, but of reason. Noone understands the "Melos" of this composition better than Rubinstein, and for other interpreters of Chopin I would name Dinu Lipatti and Guiomar Novaes among my favorites. What Horowitz does here is nothing but butchery - was he not married to the daughter of that little Italian clockmaker Toscanini (Wanda?) here seen in the background. UGHHHH!

[Morfee]

@VivaRenata Love to see how you're doing at 81

[VivaRenata]

@Morfee Really intelligent posting! Many compliments.

[NEC02102Justin]

He is crazy but amazing pianist!

[feuip]

It's very different from the other tenditions I've heard of this piece.... I liked it very much!!!! I hope someday I'll play it!!!

[Sotox92]

you wont.

[feuip]

yes, I will.... maybe not like him, but I will.... hahahahahah but thank you for the encouragement

[fdsajklj]

It's playable, don't worry. It may take a couple months to learn if you have the time to put in enough time to actually practice.

[Lukecash12]

Incredible. It's restrained, poised, but full of gusto, and it's as if you hear the appreciation of a full life playing itself out.

[killingangel707]

My idol, I hope I can still play Star Spangled Banner at his age.

[diegorzynski]

this is not the best of him....but i like his interpretations

[swanningaround]

Man this is great! I think he is as good as Cortot on this, and that is praise indeed. I will not say he is better. As for Rubenstein, I did not think his rendition on youtube was as good as this. I still think that Rubenstein is great at Beethoven. For me, Cortot, Horowitz, Richter, Rubenstein and Barenboim are the big five. As an aside, I did see Horowitz as a child. He played on our home piano - Horowitz was travelling as an artist with the Vienna Boys Choir. Two were billeted at our house.

[RandDguy]

I agree with your assessment, but you might want to consider adding Jorge Bolet and Emil Gilels to your list.

[Damonkeyboy123456789]

Rubinstein is very good, but Horowitz is better for a few ( and very few there are) reasons

1 no one is louder than Horowitz

2 he is more dot the dot cut the cut which makes him a little more expressive and

3 he is a little cleaner in transitions

btw it's not a trick piano

watch his other performances of this piece

[12rosebud12]

Well said. Rubinstein is the only one I can listen to besides Horowitz' version he did for CBS in the 60's who is my #1 of all times for THIS piece. By way of contrast I haven't got one single CD by and never hit it off with Pollini nor with any other of them others overly publicized guys.

[FlyLikeASuperhero]

horowitz IS better than rubinstein, but he's really not that great on this piece, argerich and rubinstein play it better for sure

[musiclove237]

me too giulygiuly22;)

rubinstein is perfect!!!

horowitz is good,he is a profesionist too,but rubinstein is better:)

[GiulyGiuly22]

I prefer Rubinstein version...he's more fluent and passionate!!!

[zicekanelo]

Estaba a punto de decir lo mismo, coincido en lo absoluto contigo, prefiero a Rubinstein, es la mejor en mi opinion.

[fluence88]

its actually full of boringness :D:D horowitz is unbeatble ... they are all geniuses dont get me wrong but Horowitz its untachable ! :)

[cescuuuu]

horowitch you are a good pianist. you likee

but you broken this piece

[tomkiel]

bravo

[suellio]

The same. ²

[stradavarius]

lucky neighbours

[lpvcrcd]

@stradavarius exactly !! One thing about NYC-- You never know who you're gonna hear playing or singing next door,below or above you-- Fabulous - Thanks for the video!!

[Polskapan]

I wish I could have met this man and watched him play...

[iPikee]

what's a trick piano?

[JWarwicksoccer]

id like to see you play this when you're 81

[JWarwicksoccer]

analxixen you have no clue what you're talking so you might as well just not post any comment..."juvinile" haha... what a joke!

[ryab55]

is horrowitz still alive if he is he be like 90 years old right now.

[tempohyeah]

he is already dead

[John19182004]

He died in 1989 at age 86

[hugotoxxxxx]

it´s my dream to have steinway at home...

[analxixen]

With Horowitz , what can one say, it was all about the legend built up by one eyed critics like Schonberg, all fingers and nothing, but nothing, going on between the ears. almost juvenile playing here...........

[bobmario511]

while i certainly agree that this is not his best playing, it is still quite impressive since he was around 81 years old, on lots on anti-depressent medications, was having memory lapses and had a loss of physical control

[kasyapa]

bobmario511 - not actually, he was off the drink and drugs. he was regaining his strength here.

[amoxtlacatl]

@bobmario511

You mean he was taking anti-depressants - AND HE COULD STILL PLAY THIS GREAT???

I need to hear him at his prime.

An astounding musician.

[RichieCarvaliho]

@analxixen

Are you actually serious? Why are you here listening to and posting negative comments on this video? Horowitz is very most likely more of a legend than you or I ever shall be. Have some repect for genious

[Fnkyazn67]

You're not alone, that's guaranteed.

[Fnkyazn67]

I apologize, this must have been in reply to someone else's comment, however it somehow failed to register as such. It's been so long, I'm actually not quite sure what I was replying to, forgive me for that.

[lukefenderrhodes]

why not a junk whirlitzer grand



[Kurremkarmerruk1]

@hugotoxxxxx Mine is to house Horowitz (necessarily with his piano) at my home.

[Kakarot21591]

@hugotoxxxxx Mine too!

[EcuaScot1]

This is from the video "The Last Romantic", which is an excellent piece on Mr. Horowitz (and Steinway pianos). The recording was released by Deutsche Grammophon in 1983 or 84? I remember it well because it was a new release and the 2nd CD I purchased after making the switch from vinyl. It's nice to see Wanda Toscanini in the video too. What a performer!

[fdartmouth]

Very refined - interesting to hear how he would play in his living room, as opposed to a concert hall.

[analxixen]

about as refined as being hit over the head by a mallett

[Polskapan]

Obnoxious

[MrRobertZ]

Outstanding, especially so close to his death. Such energetic left-hand octaves at around 4:23! Looks like him playing at his home, right?

Thanks for sharing this.

[lhiram23]

Yes. And it is nothing compared with old versions. He played that Polonaise in the 70's and one outsanding version in the 40's. If you can listen to both recordings, you'll be astonished :-)

[analxixen]

outstandingly bad , at the very most