HOROWITZ -WALDSTEIN sonata Beethoven op.53 (1)

[trashybaracuda]

You guys should all just stop arguing and enjoy this masterful piece!

[arturon111]

@CiboCeleste that's your opinion. ignorance is bliss.

[fatcat22able]

horowitz why did you have to die!!!

[kleban10]

0:55-1:05 - Pastoral 3rd movement

[CiboCeleste]

Horowitz is as always - just mind-blowing, and blowing away all these Arrau, Brendel, Schnabel, etc. - everyone except Pollini in Waldstein. Maurizio Pollini is the only pianist who can compare with Horowitz in this sonata, which is all about prestissimo, and those who dispute it simply can't play the required parts fast enough.

[asdasdpokpok123]

solid

[HotSo0P]

The tape editing in a lot of these Horowitz recordings really irks me...

[240soundwave]

i wish my name was horowitz... wait no i wish i could play piano like horowitz more i think

[KeleneLalaland]

Anyone have tips for the measure at 5:19 where you play triplets in the left hand and sixteenths in the right hand? I'm having issues.

[akeller4265]

@KeleneLalaland I'm working on that spot right now; if you're still having problems just set a tempo and practice hands separately and then put them together. Don't focus too much on placing notes in specific places, i.e. trying to be perfectly rhythmic and aligned. It'll just make it harder on yourself. Hope it's coming along well!

[fcg2367]

So wonderful!

[joebstarsurfer]

now this would be fun to play

[bushonomics]

No one sounds quite like Horowitz!

[rimodimiourgos13]

you know why i am going to start playing the piano? just to feel the feeling of playing masterpieces like this... :)

[CapriSunSportLemon]

@rimodimiourgos13

good luck with that. I've been playing piano since I was six and this is still beyond me.

[rimodimiourgos13]

@CapriSunSportLemon yeah i dont really play yet but i have some friends playing and they told me its crazy hard xD

[ildanny80]

@rimodimiourgos13 well... one single life might not be enough ;o)

[gardask]

@rimodimiourgos13 Hi, have you already started playing piano? :-) Good luck then!

[rimodimiourgos13]

@gardask hello to you good sir :D

thanks a lot! yes, in fact i started some months ago, inspired my pieces like this!

my skills are still too low of course but someday i hope i will be able to reach a good enough level to play this masterpiece :)

[gardask]

@rimodimiourgos13 So you even started earlier than me! I started on November 2011, and Waldstein is one of pieces I'd like to play too. ;-) So I keep my fingers crossed. Good luck and log your practice hours! It helps when man does not have good feeling about his piano playing.

[rimodimiourgos13]

@gardask hahaha thank you very much, i wish you the best too, may some day we both master this beautiful instrument! :D:D:D

[MsMicellist]

gah! why can't I find other interpretations like this?! He just gets it.... the variation in tempo is what does it for me. I'm not a pianist, but if I played I would play it so closely to this...

[davids2000]

The Maestro never ceases to amaze me. His technique is incredible. My favourite Beethoven is usually Schnabel.  Horowitz's interpretation is so different. I believe Beethoven, who was lion pianist of his day would approve of this recording. The amazing thing is Horowitz, like Hofmann, would play it so differently yet original, perhaps in the same recording day. It must be like discovering gems in a diamond mine. You never know what your mind, heart and fingers will do today.

[alienufosarereal]

third related keys anyone?

[jeesuhs]

Awesome.

[CoolWJL]

I like listening to older recordings, simply because they give different perspective to what is around now. Modern recordings tend to sound very similar, some play little quicker some little slower and that's about it really, very little differences . I think there are too much emphasis have been put on how not to interpret, and performers fear the critics too much.

[joewu1981]

a famous person once said... and me i said it too. the famous quote"It's all good"

[muurtalo]

This sucks. Check out the magnificent performance by Emil Gilels (Berlin, 1982) and you'll know why.

[SpringInTheSchool]

@muurtalo Why??? This is just great! I can understand your point of view, but please don't say too bad at one of my favorite pianists! For me, actually, Gilels isn't good.

[gemmaliantinis]

sorry.. idint like ...

[LURKUMALL]

@gemmaliantinis

I forgive you.

[poopdmypants]

@gemmaliantinis no one cares.

[fourlokofour20]

@poopdmypants hah faggot you pood urself

[cristianoemoraes]

@gemmaliantinis no... you´re not sorry

[jadedkiwi23]

Do you have his recording of the other movements? :) Meaning on YouTube that is.

[jadedkiwi23]

Do you have his recording of the other movements? :)

[konigstephan]

@praeludiumm To get convinced, take a look at the first edition (which Beethoven always considered the 'official' version his works, even over his own ms.) on imslp on the net (Petrucci music library). Compare with, say, von Bülow. Pretty telling, no? Horowitz being born in 1903, no wonder he played... like this. Don't get me wrong. He's one of the all-time greats. Still, being the genius he was, I was expecting something, let's say, 'different'.

Regards

[konigstephan]

@praeludiumm All tempo changes here are to be blamed on the various editors, mainly 19th., who did what everybody else did in those times, i.e. adding dynamics, phrasing, fingerings and tempo indications whenever they felt like. In a way, they 'interpreted' the music, which is fine for us today as we have their understanding of the music right there on the printed page. Their approach was... well, Romantic. (TBC)

[konigstephan]

On second hearing, one word comes to mind: vulgar. Or brutal. Or unmusical. Or cheap. Or...

Simply awful (not technically of course) for reasons too numerous to detail.

[konigstephan]

What's the big idea behind the accelerando beginning at 01:23 ??? IMHO, simply bad taste. With or without Aufführungspraxis.

[praeludiumm]

@konigstephan

I have the sheet music and it does say to accelerate although my opinion is almost the same as yours. When I played this, I thought it was supposed to sound more light and it does sound a bit "vulgar" and "brutal" as you put it. If I only had the technicality, heh.

[pomsetay]

Horowitz is one my favorite pianists. He is certainly much, much better than I am.

[zamyrabyrd]

Beethovian energy and drive, while keeping the overall shape and everything proportional to it, the Master shows the way!!!!

[obscenecommenter]

Happy Birthday, Ludwig!

[penguinshin]

this is EXACTLY how its supposed to be played (except i prefer a crescendo instead of decrescendo direction on the third page, but thats preference)

[M0nsterZero]

@penguinshin there are better versions

[penguinshin]

@M0nsterZero

this is the best one

[Matteo7419]

@penguinshin ROTFL

[ixcuincle]

Lmao I just heard this song on a commercial for a minivan the other day

I knew it was Beethoven...very distinct style

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

@unholygraveyard please also include the "@xxxxx" sign so everybody else reading can understand who you are arguing with. Stop hiding.

[unholygraveyard]

Claudio Arrau was the best on Beethoven

[moshekai2010]

just brilliant...bravissimo

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

I like his performance. Others I have heard put me to sleep. Sorry Arrau!!! (still very good though) but when listening to Horowitz.... I rarely feel an uncomfortable hesitation in tempo- like the changing of triplets to the 16ths a page before the introduction of the 2nd theme... and then the scales in contrary motion back to the first theme.... so EVEN!!!!!

[unholygraveyard]

You don`t understand this piece, the tempo of Arrau is perfect, ist not about speed, horowitz plays so hard and he cant read the mind of beethoven like does arrau.

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

@unholygraveyard Thanks for your unintelligent comment. First, please post videos of your musical ability and understanding and then we can talk. I was also not aware that you knew exactly what was in the the mind of Beethoven when he wrote this, and more so, in the mind of Arrau when he recorded this. I merely have a humble opinion... I did not know people with psychic abilities along the lines of Edgar Cayce, such as yourself, still existed only to post mediocre comments on YouTube. Bye =)

[Ray0X0]

@Return You're confused a bit .. Claudio Arrau once said 'If you are sure of what you say [play] is unique, then you're not allowed to please or not please, to impress or not impress. You have your message, and that's it! If they like.. ok and if not ... I do not know if it is clear.' In other words the real quality performer NEVER looks shine at the expense of the work that interprets or use it for personal excitement, but express only what the author wanted to express.

[Ray0X0]

@Return I think it would be ridiculous to even argue about the credentials of Arrau on Beethoven (and many other composers).

Horowitz always played his way to the classics ... a lot of people like his style and excitement produced by his virtuosity, I don't, I prefer Arrau who expresses the true meaning of the classics. Oh, if you say it is impossible to know the real meaning of a work your absolutely wrong... this is the point where culture, as the basis of an interpreter, makes the difference.

[arturon111]

@Ray0X0 i dont find horowitz interpretaion "exciting" but definately is not in the level of Arrau's. Nor technically or definately artistically. Horowitz was best, in my opinion in scriabin and scarlatti, and other russian composers, Arrau is untouchable in beethoven, chopin, schumann, liszt, debussy, schubert and brahms, among others

[CiboCeleste]

@arturon111 Arrau just CAN'T play the Waldstein compared to Horowitz; it takes him 27 minutes because he just can't do the prestissimo as Horowitz does.

[arturon111]

@CiboCeleste --- You are joking,.... hahaha,... Arrau can eat Horowtiz for lunch anyday both technically and musically,...even Horowitz admited that Arrau was the greatest pianist of them all....plus,... Arrau got to the level of spirituality, which Horowitz NEVER even experienced.

[CiboCeleste]

@arturon111 Sure thing :) - it's enough to listen to Arrau's Waldstein to see WHO is the pauper - compared to Horowitz, at least. Arrau is excellent, but he just can't play fast enough - no need to call his inability to be as fast as Horowitz "spirituality"; and btw Pollini beats Arrau too in this sonata. But I give Arrau Valley D'Obermann, ok...

[arturon111]

@CiboCeleste -Arrau was one of the few pianists that played the way he felt was the right tempo for the piece.By that, i mean, contrary to what you think, he had the ability to play as fast as posible with any color (FFF or PPP) with a beautiful singing legato sound because of his relaxation - weight technique.He CHOSE to play at that tempo, he could play any piece much faster, had he wanted to.Listen to the fugue of the hammerklavier.He plays it faster and better than anyone else.

[CiboCeleste]

@arturon111 Well, this argument is worthless because I simply do not find Arrau playing this particular sonata the best, as you suggest. I know Arrau has a very devout following, & apparently he's your favorite pianist, so it's pointless to discuss. I can only add that Pollini plays even better than Horowitz here, and of course, infinitely better than Arrau (this sonata again) - with Pollini THERE IS a SUNRISE, and with Arrau it's just good music; his style is wrong in Waldstein.

[arturon111]

@CiboCeleste ---- are you a pianist?

[CiboCeleste]

@arturon111 What difference would it make? A pro musician is actually often jealous and his opinion is frequently biased. I am an amateur pianist, I play for myself - and I could NEVER play like Arrau :) - but the superiority of Horowitz and Pollini in Waldstein is clearly laudable to me.

[arturon111]

@CiboCelesteI DISAGREE WITH YOU,... and i will take it as personal opinion. However, i heard both Arrau and Pollini play live the waldstein sonata many times,... and Arrau, was ALWAYS superior, technically, musically and spiritually... even though he was already old then. Horowitz, .. well, he has many fans all over, ,... i heard him live many times too,.... he was never my favorite,... and certainly not in Beethoven,...and YES i am pianist,...

[CiboCeleste]

@arturon111 Well, if I want to listen to the most biased opinion, then I ask a professional in that field - a pianist on other pianists, a painter on other painters - then the most stunningly bizarre opinion is guaranteed. Invariably, they would praise the worst in the pack. I said it before and I am saying it now - just listed to Horowitz, Pollini and Arrau recordings on Waldstein, and it will be obvious who is superior. Amen.

[plimbuff]

@arturon111, there's no point in arguing about taste.

But I would point out that Horowitz's character was far too humble to name himself as the greatest pianist in the world...

Your point is mute.

[arturon111]

@plimbuff ---- are you a pianist?

[plimbuff]

@arturon111, yes.

---- Do you acknowledge my last point?

[arturon111]

@plimbuff --- Horowitz was anything BUT humble,... and no i disagree with you, and yes i am a pianist,...

[plimbuff]

@arturon111, if you really think Horowitz was cocky then I'm afraid you're either delusional, or flat out lying. (I'm betting on the latter, lol)

I challenge you to show me any video, or other form of evidence of Horowitz acting cocky...

So, can you provide evidence? ...or will you use your usual tactic of avoidance?

(again, I'm betting on the latter. LOL)

[arturon111]

@plimbuff --- there are interviews that he talks about himself,... but is his approach and relation to music, that shows his cockiness,... Pollini, Arrau, Rubinstein, De Larrocha, all great pianists/artists had REVERANCE for music, and thought of themselves as conduits from the composer to the audience. That was not the case with Horowitz, he played to "IMPRESS" using his technical skills, and these skills were not used to the service of music,...

[plimbuff]

@arturon111, I knew you would avoid my request for actual EVIDENCE of him being cocky.

I'm disappointed. I asked you to show me video of him acting cocky, and instead of doing that, you just responded with the same exact claim as last time. No Video link.

Do you understand the difference between evidence and a mere claim?

I'll give you another chance...

Where are these videos that you claim "show his cockiness"?

Will you continue to stall?

[alexjrmarino]

There is no wrong music and there is only 'alive' music and this is definitely the one that speaks throw space.. If you don't like this go make a career of a superstar ahahah

[BubonicSerpent]

I've been searching forever for this piece and I finally found it! One of my top favorite sonata by Beethoven. :D

[hellomate639]

Horowitz didn't even like Beethoven, but his ability to execute is so good that this turned out well anyways...

[4785689]

a walk in a park

[newgeorge]

wonderfully colourful performance!

[findyourreason]

We don't have to fight over Kempff or Horowitz.

Yeah Kempff is really famous for beeth and is an incredible pianist but we dont have to put Horowitz down to say that.

It's not perfect but it's incredibly close and if Kempff played it better good for him and wow but it cant have been night and day from Horowitz.

[pc5111]

fresh and unusual

[pc5111]

Fresh and unusual

[Saxation1]

what a retransition!

[g00gleh00]

I'm trying to look for some good classical mp3s here but horowitz has to fuck up the original pieces :P JKJK

But GREAT MUSIC :D

[butterbeatsmargarin]

how do any of you know how this is supposed to be played?

you don't know what beethoven would have wanted.

so since horowitz is one of the greatest pianist of ALL TIME

i dont see how you have any right to critize his playing.

[PiaNISTII]

@butterbeatsmargarin i so love what you´re saying, because its so true, 99.99% of these comments are made by retards who dont have any right for "their own opinions". But you are also wrong, because we can know what beethoven wanted, its in the sheets, and if you know what to look for, you will find it.

[Toungester]

@butterbeatsmargarin I think Beethoven would appreciate the different interpretations from different pianists, and see his own version as just another way to play the music, instead of 'the way it should be played' or what he 'wanted' it to sound like.

[Baronski13]

@Toungester Did you know that Czerny (Beethoven's student) once played a Beethoven piece in concert and added an unwritten grace note to a trill and Beethoven was VERY angry with him!?!?! So I think that shows that Beethoven was very adamant about following the composer's (his) markings.... I think he would have hated this Waldstein, personally. But I like it!

[Toungester]

@Baronski13 I didn't know that! But that was a mistake made by one of his own students, maybe he was just a strict teacher.

[Baronski13]

@Toungester Could be, but I still think he was a stickler for his indications. My teacher gives me a lot more leeway in Chopin, because she says that he was almost improvisational in his performances--he didn't play everything the same for every performance. But she says that Beethoven ALWAYS played his pieces the same way.

Still, I think that Beethoven is a lot less rigid than most people realize. For instance, in tempo, he once said something like only the 1st m. is in the written tempo.

[xiangyik]

@Baronski13 That's pretty interesting, because Chopin was actually incredibly insistent on sticking strictly to the score. Have you read any of Chopin's biographies? He once told Liszt to "play them as i wrote them, or not at all" when he heard Liszt adding notes to his nocturnes. He absolutely hated any rubato that was excessive, and his left hand almost always played in strict time.

[anonymousQ45]

@flwfan1 Beethoven was a real hardass when it came to following phrasing and dynamic even proper fingering, wat composers are you talking about?? he was more strict than teacher or pianist living

[4tabs5]

does anyone really know what beethoven would have liked? he kind of died before any of us were around...

[semprelucido]

YEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!­!!!!!

[suckbar69]

@flwfan1 I guess what I meant to say is, his interpretation doesn't do the piece justice. Although, I have heard a number of his other performances and liked them.

[suckbar69]

Not a good performance in my opinion. Not something Beethoven would like, and lacking in skill and clarity.

[sercerch]

@suckbar69 It would be interesting to know how you justify your comment "lacking in skill and clarity".........

[suckbar69]

@sercerch Not sure why I said that. Maybe I was drunk at the time.

[AHN5D]

As I explored Horowitz's performances more and more I realized his amazing ability more and more...For example listen the beginning repeated notes here. (They are not easy to execute at all.) His way of playing those is superb! Feels like sunshine rays through haze. Gives us an unforgettable moment.

[FabioThePianist]

Perfect.

[mikejr41387]

bloody awful. volodya has no style for beethoven!

[dukedome]

he takes off the pedal..interesting...and of course amazing...

[spinoza1111]

WALDSTEIN

Stranger than rain

Stranger than smoke

Stranger than fire or water,

And as a stranger,

Give it welcome.

Anything is better than what you have.

[dusanholy]

When I read these comments, don't know if I should laugh or cry..

Absolutely agree with uhartchristian..

[uhartchristian]

Why saying this interpretation is better or the other... there are many good interpretation of this sonata recorded. I think we should respect them all. at least the good ones...

And of course Horowitz recording of this sonata is under the good ones. It is a personal style as always he does, and I think Beethoven would have respected this . If we would all do the same that would be very very boring !!!!

As long you are in harmony with the composers intention there is freedom....

[Temptezt]

I agree, there is no way to speak of better interpretations, only different interpretations. I hope people who say that n that is better than this actually mean: "I like this better than this n that"

[AHN5D]

@uhartchristian An excellent comment! Really a good one.

[elenamilani13]

I love this performance!!

[zuzupres]

no no no you are not the only one. Horowitz IS A GREAT but isn't quite fond of beethoven. He flies too much for beeth. (totally awesome for chopin instead and perfect in Rachmaninov). He's absolutely not the best interpreter of moonlight sonata (watch Kempff!!!) and waldstein

[FlashyCat2008]

No on Chopin, yes on Rachmaninov. Rubenstein rules on Chopin. And whatever you do, don't listen to Lipatti because it will spoil you and you won't be able to stand any other pianist.

[The55555SSSSS]

I do respect your opinion

BUT

Horowitz is supreme.And he is a super star in beethoven too.

Wilhelm Kempff is popular ,though.

But I think Horowitz plays the 3rd movement of moonlight sonata better than Kempff.

[mipiacetrazom]

Certo devo essere la sola persona nel mondo a pensar che questo brillante virtuoso avrebbe fatto il mondo una grande favore se non avesse toccato una nota di Beethoven. Chopin, si', Liszt, Mozart, ecc. Ma Beethoven no!!

[galleone]

The best interpretation of the first movement of the Waldstein Sonata available here.

[kempff95]

great!!!

[penearth]

Horowitz plays some beethoven sonatas better than anyone else. However arrau definitely has the edge with the concertos. and Roberts plays the 10th sonata like nobody else. he transcends the music and creates something so deep it by passes any possible emotion or logic.

[nico22059]

have you ever listened to Backhaus? I like his concertos more than Arrau´s

[JimiHendrixANDVADER]

Horowitz's grest power, and technique, and well. touch are excellent for things like the Waldstein. And yes, I agree, Roberts is also a power house in the interpretation of "The Beethoven Sonata" but don't count Richter out!

[The55555SSSSS]

Sviatoslav is the man!

[billyguns2]

Listen to Wilhelm Backhaus, the supreme player of Beethoven's music IMO.

[o0Prometheus0o]

Estoy de acuerdo contigo (I agree) : )

[chrish12345]

maybe if he didn't rush it so much he might notice a few more of the composer's markings

[tchebinai71]

he noticed but i think he does some horowitzian Sound.

Pst 6:16 there's going to be a thunderstorm at the bass .

[chrish12345]

if he noticed he certainly doesn't act on it. As I said, it sounds rushed and innacurate as a result.

[mikejr41387]

he took benzodiazepines?

[PhilipLu3]

????? possibly... but why mention it?

[penearth]

Horowitz plays the best Waldstein, Moonlight, Pathetique and Appasionata. Anyone who disagrees is not listening.

[tchebinai71]

i'm going to post the ultimate version of Waldstein by HORO . Another version a bit different than this one . The best .The clearest version.

I have to get my disc back and learn to post ( hehe)

bye

[vlotjah]

Surprisingly no-one mentions Gieseking in these comments. When you like this, you should defenitely look for Giesekings recording of this sonate. He plays with the same tension, the same 'electricity'. A little more strict, rhytmicly, but also very colourful and exciting!

[oOHaceFrioOo]

...im sorry but i just dont like his performance

[oOHaceFrioOo]

i just reminds me too much of my own performance

[johnsonge88]

hahahahahahahahahah

[elbartorowitz]

eh that's your choice . Maybe this version isn't very correct. :o Who cares ? not me .

My favorite waldstein !!!!! 4ever

[sarlau]

mine too.

[tchebinai71]

Mine too !!!!

WOOOOOOO

[shevansilva]

Apparently Rachmaninov played this sonata for his final exam at the conservatory. If that or any recording of him playing this sonata exists, wouldn't it be fabulous?

[superbemaison]

Fantastic!!!

I have been unhappy with all other versions I heard of this sonata..until Horowitz...

[tchebinai71]

moi c'est l'inverse j'ai eu horowitz et après le reste avait moins de gout. mais je n'ai pas la science infuse. :)))))))))

[OrangeSodaKing]

gilels' is amazing too

[superbemaison]

Indeed he is!!

[werewethere]

wonderful!

[tarjei]

Have just heard Arrau and Kempff play the same movement. Without downplaying their incredible craftsmanship, somehow I feel that I´ve just heard the "true" interpretation(though strictly my opinion of course). Horowitz just rules. What a pianist!

[tchebinai71]

You're right, well almost . I prefer the other version from horowitz, the one that begins with a pedal and not staccato . this one is for me the ' true" one? you're no so far from truth . ( hihi ...)

[berlinzerberus]

i am pretty flabbergasted that u like this version most.consider that the second theme sounds as always like rachmaninoff when mr.horowitz plays and all the fast parts of this bar 50 ff are played too mechanical like an etude.although there is an amazing virtuoso-approach to the waldstein horowitz doesnt fulfill the music with spirituality,it sounds plain,like an etude.that might prrrobably the reason u listened so many times to wilhelm kempff.there are things u cannot talk about only feel.

[tchebinai71]

yes but this is not my favourite horowitz waldstein. i adore another recording. this one lacks something and it's the same pianist !! pfffff

one kiss for u zerber

[magneto8522]

I agree entirely except, the respect you give kempff. I find his playing awful. He is in love with himself and this tends to mislead people to believe that he is talented. Not that I can play any better, but the real serious pianists like horowitz and josef lhevinne would laugh at a guy like kempff.

[elbartorowitz]

yes i find kempff's sound really awful, but i guess there's a part of truth in what he plays . he 's not untalented it's a matter of perception . For example i dislike Gould which is one of the greatest pianists .though ,i believe that what he does is deeply thought and right but .....

[miobella]

6:25! Incredible!

[Ategato]

Splendid

[lisztbest]

immortal interpretation!is a very strong interpretation!fantastic!

[newcjon]

A masterpiece played by a master.

The tempi chosen are apt and the whole is beautifully controlled.