The little Bach he performed publicly and recorded is unfortunate. Horowitz obviously deeply loved the music and his interpretations sing with exquisite tenderness as this intimate performance in his home attests. It’s not surprising that he chose Bach’s glorious organ toccata to usher in his re-emergence on the concert stage in his “historic return" Carnegie Hall concert in '65. He referred to it as his “good luck” piece.
absolutely beautiful interpretation i love how soft and delicate he plays it without losing the tempo, the phrasing is perfect and the ending bars are heavenly played!
Beau. Lumineux. Éblouissant. C'est comme une ardente prière; une angoisse qui trouve une plage de paix. Huit à l'échelle de Richter qui en compte neuf, je pense. C'est un tremblement de cœur. Du Horowitz à son meilleur. J'adore. En effet, à la racine, cette fleur qui s'épanouit dans le champs du silence, est née du génie universel de Bach. Même les Romantiques ont su en faire quelque chose de romantique et notre pianiste lui, lui donner de son souffle. Merci, Horowitz, pour ce fanal dans la nuit
I made a playlist with only this piece of music in it so every time I am writing a poem I can listen to my life being told by the sounds coming out of that piano.
I´ve been looking for the sheet music for sooo long. Havent found it yet, even on local sheet music shops! By the way, Horowitz is surely more than an artist. This rendition, even at his late age, shows all the power of the human soul. I know that for each pianist there is a different interpretation. But for me, Horowitz is undoubtedly the most touching of them all. Sorry for my creepy english!
Horowtiz isn´t playing the piano here. He´s singing the piano. It´s a channeling of spirit. If you wonder why Callas is special in the vocal field, and Horowitz is special, that´s the reason. Emotions get shallow.. this has to do with soul, being. His comment at the end said it all as a response to the compliments: "I didn´t compose it!" He´s the artist not standing in way of the intention of the Art.
Yes, everyone has preferences. This piece is unfamiliar to me, but hearing it I've already fallen in love. That may be because I'm a classical nerd, but those who seriously want to talk about how Horowitz doesn't play "right", or simply they don't like the piece, well I can say you're not hearing or seeing what's truly being played. That of course is still just my opinion.
Have anyone noticed that there's no pianist who could play piano (as an opposition to forte, not an instrument) in a manner Horowitz did it? His "piano" was like no one's else.
Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.
Creo que Vladimir Horowitz es el mejor pianista del mundo, sin embargo, para Beethoven me quedo con Arthur Rubinstein. Admiro a ambos genios del piano.
Creo que Vladimir Horowitz es el mejor pianista del mundo, sin embargo, para Beethoven me quedo con Arthur Rubinstein. Admiro a ambos genios del oiano.
This is unmatchable. I would be happy to go to my grave with this video being played. The lifetime of experience and sensitivity that he conveys, with the most utter control of the keyboard sound - in his mid 80s - it's just incredible.
Hello, my name is Nushin Brooke Alavi. I am a 19 year old college student. I have been playing piano for 15 years. I am currently taking composition lessons at UCSD. I have 11 improvisations and four compositions. If you please, take a look at my videos. It would mean the world to me.
Horowitz and Bach...a good match. Vladimir seems to be capable of expressing and impressing without really touching the keys. Kinda floating over them instead.
Bach always seems to be capable of writing incredibly expressive pieces of music while using half or even less the number of notes others would need to achieve a similar result.
Join the virtuoso composer and the maestro performer and you get this kind of subtle performance.
he has got mind boggling controle over the sound. It also looked like that piano had a very soft touch in the keys. I mean low resistence. Or maybe that was juste his technique that made me think that. He is playing in a quite peculiar way imo: he barely juste touches the keys sometimes. That shouldn't be possible ><
To understand the remark of Horowitz ''I didn''t compose it'' you have to know that Horowitz always wanted to be a composer, but he did not succeed. Instead he became one of the best pianists of the world, but that was less important to him.
About this interpretation of Bach-Busoni: in my opinion it is even more beautiful than the original, it creates a divine/melancholic atmosphere.
Of course it's all a matter of taste, but I prefer the ''Slavian'' interpretation of Bach by Horowitz much more than the original middle-european interpretations. The piece becomes more sensitive and less static, thanks to Horowitz!
Magistral horowitz,típica obra maestra atemporal de Bach donde se puede y se debe dar rienda suelta a los sentimientos mas profundos del ser humano,por ej el arrepentimiento ante dios,por lo tanto caben rubatos y todo lo que desee el interprete siempre y cuando lo haga con buen gusto y técnica.
never listen a sound so beautiful. The continuity of vibration is incredible. Some times it's much more like an organ than a piano. But it's very strange that no one talks about that
@her0esfan i actually think it's too much rubato. There is hardly any musical line throughout the piece to be heard. The original organ version sounds so much better to me (if, of course played on a beautiful organ by a master-organist)
it truly makes me cry. How could a man create such a world of truth and spirit? Those are more than feelings. It´s the human experience on earth. It will never stop touching our hearts because it´s simply part of us.
hey I accidentally gave your comment thumbs down- oops!! I meant thumbs up! Agree with you100%. This music - played that way - it gets to the deepest parts of you, and tells you that you are not alone...
It's not like Chopin, not really. It's Bach-Busoni... why do you need to compare it to Chopin? I can understand why some people wouldn't like it if you're hoping to hear Bach. For me, if it's taken at face value, I think it has a beauty that speaks for itself without the need for comparison to anything else.
Busoni did lots of adaptations of J S Bach's works... Why you didn't have written the title at least to know what is it? Horowitz always gives the maximum of feeling, this perfomance is amazing!!
Ferruccio Dante Michelangiolo Benvenuto Busoni (April 1, 1866 July 27, 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, editor, writer, piano and composition teacher, and conductor. Among his composition students were Kurt Weill and Edgard Varèse. He was well regarded in his day as a virtuoso Pianist, especially in his playing of J S Bach (whom Busoni made transcriptions of Bach's organ music for Piano. Check out Wikipedia for a complete Bio.
Ferruccio Busoni, was a great pianist who composed some very good works, but made some astoudingly beautiful transcriptions of pieces especially Bach's works.
it's one thing to speak your mind when you first hear the music. I have no problem with maybe one post. You didn't hear what you expected to hear, you're disappointed or annoyed, that's ok. Four posts means that you know this is not your favorite interpretation and you comment just to troll or such. Everyone has their own preferences, don't watch this video if you don't want to! Please!
PLEASE! It's ok to say something negative about a recognized performer. But in simple words, there is no need to drive it in over and over again. You can say something negative, but from now on, please try to just avoid this video!
PhilipLu, you have to be aware: you are dealing with an extraordinarily mean, stupid and uneducated person(organman), whose goal is to upset people by posting his moronic comments. Don't play along. He has no real opinion - it is just a mischief
@88Woland You completely don't understand the person you are dealing with. Although he is intentionally inflammatory in his presentation, you have to understand that these interpretations are like cancer to many fans of Bach as they see them be seen as 'right' when they are drifting from Bach's vision. He is not a true troll and you have revealed yourself to be ignorant of a serious issue by disregarding his arguments, even as they are presented unfavorably.
@parquar I completely understand that this person and other similar to him("Bach fans", as you call them) are ignorant morons who think they know better than great masters such as Busoni and Horowitz. What they think is "Bach style" is stupid mid-XX century concoction which is easily devaluated just by reading C.P.E.Bach's " Versuch.." where interpretive matters of the period are dealt with by a master from the same period
@88Woland Busoni accurately arranged things and that is not what was being discussed, as I did not see any complaint about the arrangement or Busoni. Horowitz is a Romantic performer, interpreting things in ways that fulfill his personal tastes to the highest degree. Perpetual distortions of rhythm go beyond what many would appreciate in the context of the piece, and challenging that does not question his competence, but taste. With that said I enjoy listening to this
@parquar If you take the score in hand you will see that Horowitz follows what Busoni wrote with incredible precision. No distortions whatsoever. Music is very romantic art in general. There was a holy fire burning in Bach, and this is something that can not be understood by today's bland, business-like lawyers and accountants of music who call themselves "experts" when in fact they are only sterile impotents masked as artists and music lovers
@88Woland I honestly haven't looked at the Busoni score but I would assume he didn't change the rhythm of the lead voice as it enters. Horowitz just adds little delays and things here and there. 20 to 40 seconds in the video is full of it. If Busoni's transcription creates that difference please tell me but otherwise it just doesn't appear to be so.
@parquar I respect you. Please don't get upset with what follows. You are right- H. does add little delays and things here and there. That is called music. Music is not sheet paper- that was invented much later. Music is a living thing which can not be affixed to paper properly. If you think some black dots and few dynamic signs can explain the thing which shatters human soul, then you are wrong. Then we can dismiss Callas, Caruso, Gigli and all the great singers as well as Horowitz
I think in the first use it almost gives it a swing feel type of phase between the voices. When the changes get to 32nd note or more difference it starts bugging me a little. I would have just preferred small rubato that is even between voices but it doesn't really matter that much. Some irony:. even though Bach supposedly criticized the lack of sharpness in the upper registers on the pianos he tried (w/e kind), I find many of his works best on piano and he has imo the best compositions for it
What the woeful one doesn't understand is that I am TIRED of mainstream acceptance of mediocrity, eccentricity, self-centeredness. I have a strange condition - I like to LISTEN to the MUSIC, not to the performance. If the performance happens to be wonderful, so much the better. If it is a mutilation, I am not interested. Dinu Lipatti PLAYS this piece. This man defaces and disfigures it. Literally every measure is a distortion, and completely inconsistent. This is a performance? Hardly.
Organ, you never get tired from your monstrouos cretenism?You are the best example of arrogant, self-serving pompous fool I have ever encoutered. And there is a strong competition in the field
hehe.. all these guys arguing who's the best... did you not learn your socrates ... there is no best it's all opinion.. these arguments have been pointless from the dawn of time! why can't we learn to quit arguing about things that have no right answer
.. so stop arguing and enjoy the great music (in my opinion)
Man,what's your point????? Anyone with just a little bit of sensitivity would agree that what has just happen was one of the most divine works ever written played in the most inspired way...
right i hope this puts the liszt quarrels to an end.
im not denying what the written records say. but had horowitz lived and died in the liszt time without a cylinder tohis name, im sure the written accounts of his playing would set him up as a rival of liszt (as was said about tausig and rubinstein), and we would probably call horowitz one of the best in history(as he is and so many of us call him).yet there are still people bringing him down as superficial (as all performers can be).
I visited H. and Wanda [Toscannini's Daughter] with Willie Kapell...Horowitz was VERY aloof, as he hated other pianists...[most Concert Artists do!!! Those windows faced E 94th street... Willie lived two doors to the East at 21 E 94th, and Ania Dorfman lived two doors to the East of Willie. An incredible neighborhood!
The slow tempo, the liberty in tone, colors, embellishments and articulation, the incredible rendition of the polyphonic lines... these are the qualities of a genius.. actually three geniuses are at work here, Bach, Busoni, and Horowitz... This is to me the true representation of the sense of great expectation for the Advent of Our Saviour...this really is for good-will people... thank you for posting this video (look at his fingering and posture, please!!)
I admire Horowitz as a great pianist, and I have been fortunate to attend two of his last recitals in the mid eighties, which required queuing for many hours. But this Bach-Busoni is terribly misguided, he completely ruins the piece, or at least he follows Busoni in doing so. Listen to Lipatti for a tastefully adapted piano version.
I just listened to Lipatti's version, and also the original cantata excerpt. I think the Busoni adaptation already has as much to do with the original Bach as Adam Lambert's version of 'Ring of Fire' on this past season of American Idol had to do with Johnny Cash's original song. But that don't keep them from both being great. And, Horowitz's romanticism is truer to the Busoni transcription than Lipatti's baroqueness (and it's more fun).
This transcription is not from the cantata BWV 61, , but rather the Chorale Prelude BWV 659. If you listen to BWV 659, you'll see that Busoni's transcription is a great transcription. Busoni did a great job of keeping a lot of the original work while using the romanticism of his time to make it one of the greatest transcriptions for piano. I much prefer the original organ work, one of my all time favorites, but I love playing this on the piano. Nothing like Horowitz of course.
Thanks for clearing that up. Youtube is great, but it led me into that mistake of thinking bwv 61 was the cantata source (you do have to suspend belief to think 659 comes from 61). However, clicking around Youtube also led me originally to Horowitz's rendition, and I then downloaded the sheet music and, like you, am having tremendous fun playing it on piano. Like you, I only wish I could 'ruin' the piece like Horowitz does.
Actually, both the cantata BWV 61 and the Choral Prelude BWV 659 both come from the same hymn by Martin Luther. The hymn "Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland" is a hymn for Advent .
@ssint Where is the video of you playing this piece? I thought so. You have no clue what you're talking about. Horowitz was one the greatest pianists of the 20th century. He is in his 80s on this video and he does an amazing job. You're a moron by saying that "he completely ruins the piece" He plays it exactly like what Busoni wanted. Horowitz actually knew Busoni. I have an old LP from my grandma where Busoni himself plays this piece. Horowitz does this transcription justice.
solertinskis is right. This is e x t r e m e l y beautiful Bach (nice assist by Busoni). Faulting Horowitz on this interpretation is nutty. I love the look he gives the camera just after he finishes - priceless. Sure, the look says "wow, that was a lovely thing I just did", but he is right to be happy and proud.
@hinno95. You're a retard. I seriously doubt you're qualified to judge what is considered "not the best of Bach". So what makes it "not the best of Bach"? Would you care to elaborate? You're probably too stupid to realize that what you are hearing on this video is a transcription of Bach's music by Busoni. You're listening to Busoni's transcription. The original was written for organ, which I do find more enjoyable. Nevertheless, this is a great transciption and a great performance.
The beauty of the sound scape which Horowitz here makes is astonishing in it's absolute clarity. There is something particularly masterful about this performance.
I do not know if there is a God for mankind.
But for sure there is a God for musicians, before whom every musician will kneel down, and his name is Bach.
TheMuston 2 days ago
this sound...this melody...this harmony....just beautiful Horowitz, Bravo. Thanks brianting, very much :)
drebubbles 2 months ago
Wonderful!!
Fuchury 3 months ago
Perfection from start to finish!
truman1942 3 months ago
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Beautiful"", visit to my channel, classical music :)
galaxian06 4 months ago
What a music...
OperaPrincesa 4 months ago
Bach's music is the soul in conversation with itself.
At its centre it is a community as diverse as it is complete in itself.
The oneness of being.
PhillipLWilcher 6 months ago 3
magic ...
ASAngelo 8 months ago
what is a rubato?
Yodavid1 8 months ago
I live off his smile at the end!
sarahbuisman882 9 months ago 6
The little Bach he performed publicly and recorded is unfortunate. Horowitz obviously deeply loved the music and his interpretations sing with exquisite tenderness as this intimate performance in his home attests. It’s not surprising that he chose Bach’s glorious organ toccata to usher in his re-emergence on the concert stage in his “historic return" Carnegie Hall concert in '65. He referred to it as his “good luck” piece.
townsendjean 9 months ago
Good job from the sound engineer: well pushed-up canto, bass honorably dimmed. Horowitz is not bad neither.
TheMuston 9 months ago
absolutely beautiful interpretation i love how soft and delicate he plays it without losing the tempo, the phrasing is perfect and the ending bars are heavenly played!
prettyboy1990able 10 months ago
"..it was very beautiful, very beautiful..."
Horrowitz: " But I didn't compose it.... "
In this line he shows his sadness. His dream was to become a composer afterall. I bet he is composing in the life after ;)
RemovdSande11 10 months ago 14
@RemovdSande11 So true! Thank´s!
TukomolaVes 3 months ago
Very nice interpretation! i'm looking for a score and/or midi file of this transcription...any links? thanx
nahnou2000 11 months ago
A musicalidade deste homem exala até pelos poros dele!
avalokiteshivara 1 year ago
Although I really admire Horowitz (who doesn't?), I believe that the best version ever played is the one by Dinu Lipatti.
minasgekos 1 year ago
@minasgekos no way man it cant get better than this
TommyDai1 1 year ago
@TommyDai1 have you heard the version that I mentioned? Cause if you haven't... you should :))
minasgekos 1 year ago
@minasgekos yes i have, but this version is way better you can almost taste every note he plays
TommyDai1 1 year ago
what a genial transcription, my God
newFranzFerencLiszt 1 year ago
Beau. Lumineux. Éblouissant. C'est comme une ardente prière; une angoisse qui trouve une plage de paix. Huit à l'échelle de Richter qui en compte neuf, je pense. C'est un tremblement de cœur. Du Horowitz à son meilleur. J'adore. En effet, à la racine, cette fleur qui s'épanouit dans le champs du silence, est née du génie universel de Bach. Même les Romantiques ont su en faire quelque chose de romantique et notre pianiste lui, lui donner de son souffle. Merci, Horowitz, pour ce fanal dans la nuit
Enad700 1 year ago
I made a playlist with only this piece of music in it so every time I am writing a poem I can listen to my life being told by the sounds coming out of that piano.
HauntingPoet 1 year ago
Comment removed
DemidovaMusic 1 year ago
absolutely phenomenal.. I want to be a better person after listening to this video..
DemidovaMusic 1 year ago
Alfred Brendel plays it even better.
And the Bach-Busoni piece 'Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ' is a similar great work.
Angels weep.
MamoDad 1 year ago
Bach is Lord
MamoDad 1 year ago
magnifique interprétation, il fait bien ressortir le chant. Bravo !!!
rosepiano1 1 year ago
I´ve been looking for the sheet music for sooo long. Havent found it yet, even on local sheet music shops! By the way, Horowitz is surely more than an artist. This rendition, even at his late age, shows all the power of the human soul. I know that for each pianist there is a different interpretation. But for me, Horowitz is undoubtedly the most touching of them all. Sorry for my creepy english!
JustSomeoneElse94 1 year ago
Horowtiz isn´t playing the piano here. He´s singing the piano. It´s a channeling of spirit. If you wonder why Callas is special in the vocal field, and Horowitz is special, that´s the reason. Emotions get shallow.. this has to do with soul, being. His comment at the end said it all as a response to the compliments: "I didn´t compose it!" He´s the artist not standing in way of the intention of the Art.
Piacevole 1 year ago
Comment removed
roerfluit 1 year ago
Incredible beautiful mind that sounds here..... Wish to be there at the end of my life.
roerfluit 1 year ago
I miss him so dearly, what a beautiful mind, and this is in fact very well done.... his touch is so amazing...perfection. R~
yeddle 1 year ago
Yes, everyone has preferences. This piece is unfamiliar to me, but hearing it I've already fallen in love. That may be because I'm a classical nerd, but those who seriously want to talk about how Horowitz doesn't play "right", or simply they don't like the piece, well I can say you're not hearing or seeing what's truly being played. That of course is still just my opinion.
Durgrmist 1 year ago
...and he smiled. True genius.
Have anyone noticed that there's no pianist who could play piano (as an opposition to forte, not an instrument) in a manner Horowitz did it? His "piano" was like no one's else.
Vladislaw81 1 year ago
Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.Damn foos shut up and listen.
vernymax 1 year ago
One of the most beautiful thing I listened during my life...Horowitz: the best sound=the best pianist!
frncgrc 1 year ago
if you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all. :)
5hawnK3lly 1 year ago
Creo que Vladimir Horowitz es el mejor pianista del mundo, sin embargo, para Beethoven me quedo con Arthur Rubinstein. Admiro a ambos genios del piano.
antoniodelius 1 year ago
Creo que Vladimir Horowitz es el mejor pianista del mundo, sin embargo, para Beethoven me quedo con Arthur Rubinstein. Admiro a ambos genios del oiano.
antoniodelius 1 year ago
it's impossible to play better...
sonodavide 1 year ago
@sonodavide ...because it's Horowitz. He and Sviatoslav Richter were the best pianists in the world. Npwadays there's no pianists of such a level.
Vladislaw81 1 year ago
you must be crazy not to like this
minasgekos 1 year ago
@minasgekos I resent that!
I'm crazy and I love it.
BenMcCormack91 1 year ago
indisputable the most beautiful thing between heaven an earth.... words are insufficient
5HTadct 1 year ago
Ugly sound on the melody. Yes, it's supposed to be very marked but that doesn't mean it should be permanently forte!
Haeronthegreat 1 year ago
This is unmatchable. I would be happy to go to my grave with this video being played. The lifetime of experience and sensitivity that he conveys, with the most utter control of the keyboard sound - in his mid 80s - it's just incredible.
scafell11 1 year ago 2
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Hello, my name is Nushin Brooke Alavi. I am a 19 year old college student. I have been playing piano for 15 years. I am currently taking composition lessons at UCSD. I have 11 improvisations and four compositions. If you please, take a look at my videos. It would mean the world to me.
Thanks
Nushin
nbalavi 1 year ago
Horowitz and Bach...a good match. Vladimir seems to be capable of expressing and impressing without really touching the keys. Kinda floating over them instead.
Bach always seems to be capable of writing incredibly expressive pieces of music while using half or even less the number of notes others would need to achieve a similar result.
Join the virtuoso composer and the maestro performer and you get this kind of subtle performance.
Excellent.
eriklvandijk 1 year ago
he has got mind boggling controle over the sound. It also looked like that piano had a very soft touch in the keys. I mean low resistence. Or maybe that was juste his technique that made me think that. He is playing in a quite peculiar way imo: he barely juste touches the keys sometimes. That shouldn't be possible ><
elroi92 1 year ago
@elroi92 He had a very good piano. One of the best I know of.
killingppl 1 year ago
i am idicted to the sound of horowitz!
klausknulp 1 year ago
grandioso...
1611dp 1 year ago
how is such sound possible?
this recording is a gem of piano playing.
FishGush 1 year ago 2
To understand the remark of Horowitz ''I didn''t compose it'' you have to know that Horowitz always wanted to be a composer, but he did not succeed. Instead he became one of the best pianists of the world, but that was less important to him.
About this interpretation of Bach-Busoni: in my opinion it is even more beautiful than the original, it creates a divine/melancholic atmosphere.
04feb1955 1 year ago
This is beyond any words.
klarre83 1 year ago
"I din't compose it"... hilarious!
genomos90 1 year ago
@genomos90 Meh, a little trite.
PrestoTenebroso 1 year ago
well, i still prefer kempff's version.
but horowitz variatons of carmen theme is perfect
ffelegal 1 year ago
great beyond words. we are lucky we live in the era of recorded sound and we are able to hear miracles like this
billabongxv 1 year ago
It's amazing how he accentuates the melody with such ease
123eldest 1 year ago
vielen dank für dieses stück musik(geschichte)...thanks for posting...
meier8867 1 year ago
A legend,,,last of the romantics,,,,,in short a chatacter who breathed art and its beauty,,
welcome to the age of note perfect digital souless musak.
aston0708 1 year ago
Simply magnificent. Thank you so much for posting.
PersianTunedPiano 1 year ago
breathtaking
12345qazx1 1 year ago
OMG - how i like! The immortal Vladimir Horowitz.
LifeforArt 1 year ago
The definition of divine.
musicaorganum 1 year ago
Oh, I love this. I love his smile at the end. I love.... the complete lack of pretension here.
m9hymas 1 year ago 2
100% respect
benkeatso 1 year ago
Of course it's all a matter of taste, but I prefer the ''Slavian'' interpretation of Bach by Horowitz much more than the original middle-european interpretations. The piece becomes more sensitive and less static, thanks to Horowitz!
04feb1955 1 year ago
This is just the Eternity, in five minutes.
jdbarreryt 1 year ago
Magistral horowitz,típica obra maestra atemporal de Bach donde se puede y se debe dar rienda suelta a los sentimientos mas profundos del ser humano,por ej el arrepentimiento ante dios,por lo tanto caben rubatos y todo lo que desee el interprete siempre y cuando lo haga con buen gusto y técnica.
luargambino 1 year ago
Unbelievable..this felt honest
surrealillness 1 year ago
never listen a sound so beautiful. The continuity of vibration is incredible. Some times it's much more like an organ than a piano. But it's very strange that no one talks about that
Oblomov18 1 year ago 2
This piece reaches into the inner mind...and into the outer limits...
johnnynoirman 1 year ago
His rubato is masterful
her0esfan 1 year ago 13
@her0esfan if you think his rubato is masterful watch him playing chopin's op 64 no2
colinthgr8 1 year ago
@her0esfan i actually think it's too much rubato. There is hardly any musical line throughout the piece to be heard. The original organ version sounds so much better to me (if, of course played on a beautiful organ by a master-organist)
spr1ng0ni0n 10 months ago
it truly makes me cry. How could a man create such a world of truth and spirit? Those are more than feelings. It´s the human experience on earth. It will never stop touching our hearts because it´s simply part of us.
javierleonenriquez 1 year ago 16
hey I accidentally gave your comment thumbs down- oops!! I meant thumbs up! Agree with you100%. This music - played that way - it gets to the deepest parts of you, and tells you that you are not alone...
mainlymusic100 1 year ago
It makes me cry too as many other music masterpieces ! I am inclined to believe that God need humans and we are not so separate .
allegroconmoto 1 year ago
@javierleonenriquez hes a great interpreter but the real genius is bach
TommyDai1 1 year ago
Splendid way of playing. Many thanks
ANNAHMELIA 1 year ago
I've never heard this piece before. It's beautiful and I love this performance.
yourforte 1 year ago
man this sounds so much like chopin!!!
acmilan90 1 year ago
the only common between chopin and bach is their intelligence in music and nothing more..they are sooo different..you can't say that..!:-O
eloria1965 1 year ago
@eloria1965 They are very different but it surprises me that Chopin played Bach every day.
Enix5548 1 year ago
as much as i love horowitz, you are indeed correct. It's more chopin than bach
thejugglenaut91 1 year ago
It's not like Chopin, not really. It's Bach-Busoni... why do you need to compare it to Chopin? I can understand why some people wouldn't like it if you're hoping to hear Bach. For me, if it's taken at face value, I think it has a beauty that speaks for itself without the need for comparison to anything else.
oyrish 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
@thejugglenaut91 do not insult Bach by putting chopin in the same sentence, please
Stehnz 1 year ago
What can one expect when the genious of J.S.Bach meets the genious of V.Horowitz? Perfection is the answer.
GrafWolkonski 1 year ago 2
Great.
Can somebody explain me how does he do the effect on second 43?
jdbarreryt 1 year ago
lift the pedal
n00belicious 1 year ago
@jdbarreryt
Carefully executed pedaling on a piano with uneven damper regulation.
PrestoTenebroso 1 year ago
It's great that you could have spotted that moment of delicacy. I think it's the pedal.
Vanadis240 1 year ago
Csodalatos zene,Bach mester a legnagyobb! Isteni.
Fredegunda7 1 year ago
"That was beautiful!" "I didn´t compose it..." hehehe. Nice.
Piacevole 2 years ago 3
While listening, you can feel: All suffering on earth will someday come to an end
LAKJHSOIU 2 years ago 4
@LAKJHSOIU shut the fuck up and listen
antonloo 2 years ago
I feel the opposite, that it will continue in perpetuity.
Benjiko 1 year ago
I wrote many songs but no one among them sounds so great like this piece, thanks Great-Bach !
dostojews 2 years ago
what's the bwv of the "track"?
really really nice to listen several times... each one richer than the previous one.
alexandrinoph 2 years ago
BWV 659
VadDemCh 2 years ago
ya lubluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Bach
dostojews 2 years ago
this comes from a very deep place. thank you, maestro.
kasyapa 2 years ago
ending smile is so pretty !
maidoodesu 2 years ago
i love bach, bach i seviyorum, ich liebe bachhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !
dostojews 2 years ago 3
Thanks for your most modest reply.
By the way, I apologize if in my way to questioning was rude.
oscar1363 2 years ago
Busoni did lots of adaptations of J S Bach's works... Why you didn't have written the title at least to know what is it? Horowitz always gives the maximum of feeling, this perfomance is amazing!!
oscar1363 2 years ago
It is the Busoni transcription of the organ Chorale Prelude "Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland"
owatson322utube 2 years ago
I just enjoy hear a disciplined musician
hannaremnant 2 years ago 2
who was busoni?
jrferrio 2 years ago
Comment removed
sovlfrja 2 years ago
Ferruccio Dante Michelangiolo Benvenuto Busoni (April 1, 1866 July 27, 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, editor, writer, piano and composition teacher, and conductor. Among his composition students were Kurt Weill and Edgard Varèse. He was well regarded in his day as a virtuoso Pianist, especially in his playing of J S Bach (whom Busoni made transcriptions of Bach's organ music for Piano. Check out Wikipedia for a complete Bio.
Renshen1957 2 years ago
Ferruccio Busoni, was a great pianist who composed some very good works, but made some astoudingly beautiful transcriptions of pieces especially Bach's works.
cubanbach 2 years ago 3
divine!
2lipsonmy0rgan 2 years ago
To mój ulubiony utwór !
justap19 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
And how ironic - at the very end, he makes the 'cute' remark - 'I didn't compose it.'
organman52 2 years ago
it's one thing to speak your mind when you first hear the music. I have no problem with maybe one post. You didn't hear what you expected to hear, you're disappointed or annoyed, that's ok. Four posts means that you know this is not your favorite interpretation and you comment just to troll or such. Everyone has their own preferences, don't watch this video if you don't want to! Please!
PhilipLu3 2 years ago 18
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Your comment could be truncated to read:
PLEASE! Don't ever say anything negative about a 'recognized' performer. In other words, LIE about it if you must say anything.
Sorry, but I cannot abide by your wish to disappear.
organman52 2 years ago
no, it could be truncated to read:
PLEASE! It's ok to say something negative about a recognized performer. But in simple words, there is no need to drive it in over and over again. You can say something negative, but from now on, please try to just avoid this video!
PhilipLu3 2 years ago 13
PhilipLu, you have to be aware: you are dealing with an extraordinarily mean, stupid and uneducated person(organman), whose goal is to upset people by posting his moronic comments. Don't play along. He has no real opinion - it is just a mischief
88Woland 2 years ago 2
@88Woland You completely don't understand the person you are dealing with. Although he is intentionally inflammatory in his presentation, you have to understand that these interpretations are like cancer to many fans of Bach as they see them be seen as 'right' when they are drifting from Bach's vision. He is not a true troll and you have revealed yourself to be ignorant of a serious issue by disregarding his arguments, even as they are presented unfavorably.
parquar 1 year ago
@parquar I completely understand that this person and other similar to him("Bach fans", as you call them) are ignorant morons who think they know better than great masters such as Busoni and Horowitz. What they think is "Bach style" is stupid mid-XX century concoction which is easily devaluated just by reading C.P.E.Bach's " Versuch.." where interpretive matters of the period are dealt with by a master from the same period
88Woland 1 year ago
@88Woland Busoni accurately arranged things and that is not what was being discussed, as I did not see any complaint about the arrangement or Busoni. Horowitz is a Romantic performer, interpreting things in ways that fulfill his personal tastes to the highest degree. Perpetual distortions of rhythm go beyond what many would appreciate in the context of the piece, and challenging that does not question his competence, but taste. With that said I enjoy listening to this
parquar 1 year ago
@parquar If you take the score in hand you will see that Horowitz follows what Busoni wrote with incredible precision. No distortions whatsoever. Music is very romantic art in general. There was a holy fire burning in Bach, and this is something that can not be understood by today's bland, business-like lawyers and accountants of music who call themselves "experts" when in fact they are only sterile impotents masked as artists and music lovers
88Woland 1 year ago
@88Woland I honestly haven't looked at the Busoni score but I would assume he didn't change the rhythm of the lead voice as it enters. Horowitz just adds little delays and things here and there. 20 to 40 seconds in the video is full of it. If Busoni's transcription creates that difference please tell me but otherwise it just doesn't appear to be so.
parquar 1 year ago
@parquar I respect you. Please don't get upset with what follows. You are right- H. does add little delays and things here and there. That is called music. Music is not sheet paper- that was invented much later. Music is a living thing which can not be affixed to paper properly. If you think some black dots and few dynamic signs can explain the thing which shatters human soul, then you are wrong. Then we can dismiss Callas, Caruso, Gigli and all the great singers as well as Horowitz
88Woland 1 year ago
I think in the first use it almost gives it a swing feel type of phase between the voices. When the changes get to 32nd note or more difference it starts bugging me a little. I would have just preferred small rubato that is even between voices but it doesn't really matter that much. Some irony:. even though Bach supposedly criticized the lack of sharpness in the upper registers on the pianos he tried (w/e kind), I find many of his works best on piano and he has imo the best compositions for it
parquar 1 year ago
It's OK
WaldemarKoszlowsky 2 years ago
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Douche.
GTD13447 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
The truth indeed hurts. Keep up the name calling.
organman52 2 years ago
What the woeful one doesn't understand is that I am TIRED of mainstream acceptance of mediocrity, eccentricity, self-centeredness. I have a strange condition - I like to LISTEN to the MUSIC, not to the performance. If the performance happens to be wonderful, so much the better. If it is a mutilation, I am not interested. Dinu Lipatti PLAYS this piece. This man defaces and disfigures it. Literally every measure is a distortion, and completely inconsistent. This is a performance? Hardly.
organman52 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Bach would say to this man, "you arrogant, self-serving fool; you have twisted my beautiful creation into a pure monstrosity."
organman52 2 years ago
alright, fag.
odedesteve 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Another psycopath who can't deal with the TRUTH.
organman52 2 years ago
Organ, you never get tired from your monstrouos cretenism?You are the best example of arrogant, self-serving pompous fool I have ever encoutered. And there is a strong competition in the field
88Woland 2 years ago 5
I hope my hands look that good at 80.
CodyNelsonMusic 2 years ago
the only reply is that god is himself inside
sonodavide 2 years ago
hehe.. all these guys arguing who's the best... did you not learn your socrates ... there is no best it's all opinion.. these arguments have been pointless from the dawn of time! why can't we learn to quit arguing about things that have no right answer
.. so stop arguing and enjoy the great music (in my opinion)
pinkfloyddwc 2 years ago 3
lol "i didnt compose it"
iorixs 2 years ago
Splendid!!
koliatima 2 years ago
Beautifull!!
hanskapaan 2 years ago
Unbelievably great performance
billabongxv 2 years ago
and now, finally, proof that horowitz could only mannage a 10th (as liszt could).... look at 4:44, he has to change the whole hand position for it
Classicmozayful 2 years ago
Man,what's your point????? Anyone with just a little bit of sensitivity would agree that what has just happen was one of the most divine works ever written played in the most inspired way...
mainlymusic100 2 years ago
You are right!!!!
billabongxv 2 years ago
right i hope this puts the liszt quarrels to an end.
im not denying what the written records say. but had horowitz lived and died in the liszt time without a cylinder tohis name, im sure the written accounts of his playing would set him up as a rival of liszt (as was said about tausig and rubinstein), and we would probably call horowitz one of the best in history(as he is and so many of us call him).yet there are still people bringing him down as superficial (as all performers can be).
Classicmozayful 2 years ago
It's almost as if he's talking, not playing.
TrevorKingKwong 2 years ago
Bach should be a Saint, and Horowitz I think he were one of the best artist in the piano.
thekierkerdar 2 years ago 2
God? is that you playing the piano?
elguanteloko 2 years ago 6
1:40-change of colour for that moment is extraordinary. It's the combination of overall sweep and telling details which is very hard to achieve.
japanesesweet 2 years ago 2
It is a very good version. I prefer Sokolov's one, but this one indeed is marvelous too.
TomasMolinaComposer 2 years ago
I visited H. and Wanda [Toscannini's Daughter] with Willie Kapell...Horowitz was VERY aloof, as he hated other pianists...[most Concert Artists do!!! Those windows faced E 94th street... Willie lived two doors to the East at 21 E 94th, and Ania Dorfman lived two doors to the East of Willie. An incredible neighborhood!
suezenne 2 years ago
Serene
thank you for posting this
hawkandpanther 2 years ago
4:52
:D
drebubbles 2 years ago 3
This music suggests to me a sensation of peace. Bach is really a great genius!
puffo3500 2 years ago 6
You can say it as high as you like!!!!! Totally agree! Bach is a genius in history!!
iguarni 2 years ago 5
The slow tempo, the liberty in tone, colors, embellishments and articulation, the incredible rendition of the polyphonic lines... these are the qualities of a genius.. actually three geniuses are at work here, Bach, Busoni, and Horowitz... This is to me the true representation of the sense of great expectation for the Advent of Our Saviour...this really is for good-will people... thank you for posting this video (look at his fingering and posture, please!!)
lucabruno77 2 years ago 9
Such a beautiful tone on the piano, and not flat and dull like so many piano recordings;
this to me is a breath of fresh air
AxisDimension 2 years ago
I admire Horowitz as a great pianist, and I have been fortunate to attend two of his last recitals in the mid eighties, which required queuing for many hours. But this Bach-Busoni is terribly misguided, he completely ruins the piece, or at least he follows Busoni in doing so. Listen to Lipatti for a tastefully adapted piano version.
ssint 2 years ago
I just listened to Lipatti's version, and also the original cantata excerpt. I think the Busoni adaptation already has as much to do with the original Bach as Adam Lambert's version of 'Ring of Fire' on this past season of American Idol had to do with Johnny Cash's original song. But that don't keep them from both being great. And, Horowitz's romanticism is truer to the Busoni transcription than Lipatti's baroqueness (and it's more fun).
zackstaboy 2 years ago
This transcription is not from the cantata BWV 61, , but rather the Chorale Prelude BWV 659. If you listen to BWV 659, you'll see that Busoni's transcription is a great transcription. Busoni did a great job of keeping a lot of the original work while using the romanticism of his time to make it one of the greatest transcriptions for piano. I much prefer the original organ work, one of my all time favorites, but I love playing this on the piano. Nothing like Horowitz of course.
adamworth1979 2 years ago
Thanks for clearing that up. Youtube is great, but it led me into that mistake of thinking bwv 61 was the cantata source (you do have to suspend belief to think 659 comes from 61). However, clicking around Youtube also led me originally to Horowitz's rendition, and I then downloaded the sheet music and, like you, am having tremendous fun playing it on piano. Like you, I only wish I could 'ruin' the piece like Horowitz does.
zackstaboy 2 years ago
Actually, both the cantata BWV 61 and the Choral Prelude BWV 659 both come from the same hymn by Martin Luther. The hymn "Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland" is a hymn for Advent .
adamworth1979 2 years ago
@ssint Where is the video of you playing this piece? I thought so. You have no clue what you're talking about. Horowitz was one the greatest pianists of the 20th century. He is in his 80s on this video and he does an amazing job. You're a moron by saying that "he completely ruins the piece" He plays it exactly like what Busoni wanted. Horowitz actually knew Busoni. I have an old LP from my grandma where Busoni himself plays this piece. Horowitz does this transcription justice.
adamworth1979 2 years ago
solertinskis is right. This is e x t r e m e l y beautiful Bach (nice assist by Busoni). Faulting Horowitz on this interpretation is nutty. I love the look he gives the camera just after he finishes - priceless. Sure, the look says "wow, that was a lovely thing I just did", but he is right to be happy and proud.
zackstaboy 2 years ago
You people are fucking idiots. This is beautiful.
solertinskis 2 years ago
way to make a point...
celach 2 years ago
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lolololool
animalmother1065 2 years ago
it's is certainly not the best of bach and also not the best of horowitz.
hinno95 2 years ago
@hinno95. You're a retard. I seriously doubt you're qualified to judge what is considered "not the best of Bach". So what makes it "not the best of Bach"? Would you care to elaborate? You're probably too stupid to realize that what you are hearing on this video is a transcription of Bach's music by Busoni. You're listening to Busoni's transcription. The original was written for organ, which I do find more enjoyable. Nevertheless, this is a great transciption and a great performance.
adamworth1979 2 years ago
Not Bach.
Not Horowitz at his best.
Rubato: robbed time (but aren't you supposed to pay it back?)
1401JSC 2 years ago
Self serving, as usual. o.O?
wtf..that aint lang lang, it's horowitz
GONZOftw2k 2 years ago
Not a good performance....points to Vlad more than it does the music. Self serving, as usual.
kjw163 2 years ago
This real miracle! What amazing possession of a sound!
Yuriy21 2 years ago 3
The beauty of the sound scape which Horowitz here makes is astonishing in it's absolute clarity. There is something particularly masterful about this performance.
evolsieilrak 2 years ago 2