Horowitz plays Chopin Polonaise Op. 53 in A flat major

[bradharless2010]

What kind of bastards clicked "dislike"?

[BnkWrATMt1ts]

What a pimp.

[isccha89]

He often uses low notes ... He liked that.

[l34tm4n]

It's good to see a pianist that doesn't looks on extasy!

[MaxBestify]

wonderful just wonderful 

[marcelormrg]

:'D

[SingWithInNow]

I am transported.  There is a huge smile inside my soul. Yeah for the elderly too!

[piomio1960]

nobody could play like him ;0)

[spartan1081990]

i dont like it, but I admire him as I admire god

[cmister11248]

The wonders of youtube where you still hear and watch this guy for free haha

[EddieTerra]

Rubinstein >>>>>>> Horowitz

[coolasianbrian]

@EddieTerra i agree with you...i think this piece was perfectly translated by Rubinstein :)

[1brewski2]

@EddieTerra In this piece, you are right.  Otherwise, I'm not sure. All right, for Chopin I am sure you're right.

[broux50]

How I wished him to be alive!!!!

A bird, He is...

Peculiar magic,Horovitz...

[mrthomaslemon]

I train this for 2 months

and now I can play this music until 1:56

I will continue to train this

because I really really love this music

[Greygossamer]

ewww... I hope you meant "OR"

[Playlist570]

perfecto!!!!

[LilyPad171]

Well this made me seem like poop ._.

[rachelyeoooo]

@6347285 this also made the piano much

[SymphonicRockFreak1]

horowitz has a remarkable feeling for hidden musical lines in the music

[zmw96]

Hehe:) At 0:41 he's like, "Ha! I do this in my sleep bitches!"

[diueine]

@elbowedinkneecap1 He was 32

[SuperAfc100]

@elbowedinkneecap1 He wasn't 11 he was 32! not even the 11 year old Chopin could have written this.

[elbowedinkneecap1]

@SuperAfc100 haha I have no idea, my friends posting shit on my youtube account. hah if you judge by my videos you would not arrive at chopin

[SuperAfc100]

@elbowedinkneecap1 Ahhh, how amusing...

[ordrediscourse]

Beautifuuuuul oh oouah~~~

[duncanng3]

He dunno how to play piano is it, y keep loud, soft, loud soft xD

[Shaddai310]

hoWOWitz...

[milloreforma1]

:¨)

[SozaMF]

play this on mute over any song and it will fit :p

[Zarto1000]

He played this like he was 20 years old, but sltill he was around 80...

[Fatima6735]

FANTÁSTIC¡¡¡¡



[evildanz]

i super like this

[profetisaoscura]

estoy tan emocionada que no puedo hablar

[otrebuh]

@profetisaoscura Te comprendo, en estos casos puedes escribir!!!!

[profetisaoscura]

@otrebuh ya, jajaja

[Kinjutsuu]

145 people... oh wait, these jokes aren't funny.

[StevenLou1010]

How do you even find a reason to dislike this????? I'm mind boggled

[6347285]

@StevenLou1010 That harsh bangy sound is not the sound of a Steinway. How could anyone like such an ugly sound?

Horowitz had many scams. One of them was that he had technicians file down the hammers on his piano to lighten up the action. With a rigged piano, he could play faster and louder while exerting less energy. He was like a baseball played who corked his bat. Dishonest to the bone.

[StevenLou1010]

How do you evening

[QMPhilosophe]

This is so controlled and on point at all times. Horowitz was a true genius.

[canmoscow]

i hope who didn't like this, can go wc in his age!!!

[weepingboy3]

JUST ONE BAD NOTE is all it takes to blow this piece apart. The intensity on Horowitz's face ( at 5 minutes 40 seconds ) not to blow this piece apart is all too apparent.... it is stressful to watch but as usual, Horowitz's genius comes through...BRAVO

[ghandiwatchers]

Oh, and Horowitz WOW!

[ghandiwatchers]

This is probably one of the most amazing pieces ever written.... Chopin, WOW! Sigh

:D

[lsu768]

This is hard to masturbate to

[KailaiLama]

funny: 3:15 - 3:20

[aicha345]

those hands are just incredible. incredible. incredible!!! I've been playing for fifteen years now and I cant even picture playing with hands this flat, if I did, I would dig the sound and break it, JUST HOROWITZ CAN DO IT. he feels it all through his hands this is magical

[jarmstrong026]

I love this, prefer it slower but, genius play. Exciting. He controls the pedal so well.

[PersistentResistance]

SWAG. This guy had talent. SERIOUS TALENT.

[vourier]

3:25 like a DJ...

[jc2971]

So fantastic a rendition of this piece,

[ThePurplestar88]

he looks like someone 4rm the game "Clue."

[solun82]

unique! genial!

[omguanyin]

how i wish he was my grandfather, father, and brother.

[amitelk]

@omguanyin That would be disturbing

[nosojdjos]

@omguanyin and son too !

[tbbt1985]

143 Lang Lang fans dislikes this

[alexandros789]

@tbbt1985 i know that horowitz is unmatchable, but i can say that lang lang is a real great pianist. i heard him live,and I can assure you that he plays piano very very well. obviously you can't compare him with horowitz,michelangeli,argheric­h... but he's great, trust me

[tbbt1985]

@alexandros789 its not his piano skill i don't like its the way he conducts himself when he perform its to much, its distracting to me

[Makenor13]

@tbbt1985 I like both Lang Lang and Horowitz. And I like also Yundi Li, Valentina Lisitsa etc... problems :D?

[justletmefuckinwatch]

@tbbt1985 oh snap

[araujo1]

@tbbt1985 Is there such thing as Lang Lang fans? that's new....

[satoojakimaru]

これがプロ中のプロの演奏か。

凄すぎて何も言えねえ。

[PlusUltraTech]

Magnificent!!!! Majestic!!! What a mind that could have created this music!

[askdhuwuw]

meh

;-D

Just joking.

[J0naihalator]

Ohmygosh

im 12 yrs old and learning this song and i thought i was good until i heard the master play.

[pIaNoMaNgOt]

Todo mundo debería escuchar a Chopin

[bobbyunavailable]

Spellbinding. Great video.

[valee92121]

where he was?

[newFranzFerencLiszt]

@valee92121 vienna, 1987

[theblueangel28]

@valee92121 at the Musikverein in Vienna...Heaven on Earth ;)

[bayreuth79]

Past his best here

[DwightFry78]

The little known film "Nothing Lasts Forever" made me fall in love with this piece of music.

[163388416]

How the hell does he do that, it's like his fingers have minds of their own

[geoped1]

@163388416 Practice maybe, coupled with natural talent? Or, perhaps he just watched a bunch of U-tube videos of others playing, and 'caught on'.

[163388416]

6:38 to 6:58 always gets me

[163388416]

Props to the master

[docomoface]

screw it, I'm going to start playing piano again!

[163388416]

@docomoface If you want to learn to play this song the way it was originally written, well good luck, it's a level 11 piece(which is a teacher level piece) and it is nearly impossible to play correctly. Trust me, I;m learning it right now.

[ilovechopin11]

Someone help me understand why 143 people dislike this.

[williamstdog9]

@ilovechopin11 For the same reason Justin Beiber exists. The same 143 people just "liked" one of his videos.

[iif5]

WOW! I've never seen an 80 yrs old man can kick butts in my entire life.

[alexandros789]

gives me the shivers...here is what it means to be virtuous

[zalmanusa]

@alexandros789 You mean virtuoso? Virtuous means something different.

[alexandros789]

@zalmanusa yes I mean virtuoso :D I thought that was right either way

[npribnow09]

Wonderful, just wonderful!



[zoenie123]

I like the staccato a lot!

[nathdep100]

What would Horowitz think if he heard Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga?

[catchersmitt0]

@nathdep100 I can't imagine Horowitz crass enough to say anything unkind.

[pr4n42061]

I admire Horowitz so much because his musical maturity kept on growing until his death in 89. It's so evident in this 87 concert that his interpretation of the heroic Polonaise has improved a lot regarding to the 86 version in Moscow. This video also makes Horowitz' polonaise in the 78 concert at the white house sound like a typewriter (again, don't get me wrong, I'm saying this because I respect a lot the fact that Horowitz was over 80 years old and he still learned from his past mistakes)

[pr4n42061]

In my opinion, this is Horowitz' best interpretation of the heroic polonaise. I like the idea that he plays the first theme with p (soft) sound, then he repeats the theme with f (strong) sound. I also love the fact that at the end for the Section B (4:36), he puts the fff (very very strong) sound, which makes it sound like a climax whereas no other pianists do this. Bravo, Mister Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz, your music will always be in our heart.

[fernand0018]

Brraaaavooooo!!!!!!!!!

[ILoveTakeThat5]

I learned this in about 3 hours no joke, and it sounds really good, but will NEVER be as great as Horowitz!!!! If you guys like his interpretation, check out Vladimir Ashkenazy's version on iTunes. That is my personal favorite but I like hearing other people. :) <3

[strawberrycowhead]

I love Horowitz rendition of this! :) I think that too many people have abused the usage of pedaling to over sustain too many notes in Chopin's pieces but this is great control! The most vital part of pianoforte playing is the pedal, especially in the application of Chopin's works. :D

[DrDereczynski]

@strawberrycowhead Agree a 100% . 

[strawberrycowhead]

@DrDereczynski thank you!

[cmf4321]

I got his autograph for my mother and myself after a concert in 1977. I got backstage & entered a room with all men standing around & he was sitting on a chair smoking. I knew he doesn't sign autographs but I was on a mission for my mom who loved him & was at the concert with my dad. I was around 19 years old. The security let me backstage. It was mother's day. I was the only person that got his autograph that day:-) He walked out without going back to sign the crowd waiting for him out front.

[alexandros789]

GOD

[ClassicalMusicPL]

You know people... don't take me wrong, I absolutely love Horowitz playing. But don't you think that his own interpretation of this Polonaise is little... cheap? He always plays it similar way, when the polonaise theme appears first time, he plays very quiet, then the second time, and he plays is goddamn laud. He's really the only one who does something like that, what makes it very characteristic, but it's rather not hard way of being original...

[DrFPanza]

His face, as he plays the last notes (6:58), is priceless!

[SoaringSounds]

@DrFPanza Classic face at the end! It's nice to see someone past their prime who doesn't sweat the mistakes!

[Yodavid1]

@Ragtime44Films "Music is like an unfinished painting - the musician finishes it in their own way."

Bravo!

[jam8854]

Horowitz had a clear concept of the music he was playing. Every note, every passage,

every nuance, every dynamic, every inner voice, he knew exactly how he wanted it to come out.

I find it a great learning opportunity and a great privilege to be able to see these films.

[bfeyalcin]

141 people couldn't find tickets for this concert =D

[carlocorbacolombo]

forse (ripeto FORSE) non tutti gli ascoltatori di questi grandi han capito una cosa che mi pare essenziale da comprendere prima di esprimere giudizi e cioè: Horovitz. Argherich,Pollini, Benedetti Michelangeli,Giles,Asckenazy,C­ziffra,Ciccolini,Mozzati ecc.. l'avran eseguita centinaia di volte in pubblico ma CERTAMENTE MAI uguale l'una all'altra! L'esecutore non è una macchina...ha un cuore ed un'anima!!!!

[DonDragonJr]

No es por ser ofensivo, Horowitz fue un gran pianista pero por lo que parece Chopin no es fue especialidad o por lo menos esta obra, porque es muy golpeada, se supone que es mas suave, excepto las partes mas fuertes esas partes suenan bien. El siempre fue un gran pianista.

[Andrei37903]

1:9-1:14  . I love this part

[ondesmart]

Who cares about the wrong notes, it's such a hard piece played live, it's inevitable.

I love this interpretation, so much personality and original ideas it's unbelievable! And I also love watching how effortless Horowitz's movements are. The way he moves his hands on the keyboard is a spectacle in itself. Such dignity and grandeur! The mistakes only make it more human and enjoyable.

[ralphilonia]

Being there and listening this awesome performance from live must have been amazing...

[Hitherto90]

No, this is not the best interpretation of the Ab Polonaise, but who cares?!?!? Well done Horowitz.

[FutureAbe]

He is my brother.

[jervolazza]

There's a mistake, a wrong note at 2:15.

I like Horowitz, but not this interpretation of Chopin's Polonaise. I prefer Martha Argerich

[myrabbitrules]

@jervolazza oh wow, you found a wrong note! must be the only one ;) Anyway, in my opinion his interpretations got better as his technique became worse.

[11xzxzxz]

@jervolazza But Martha Argerich is horriwitless at Bach.

[sugahmama1234]

Its so mezmerizing watching his fingers move . I can only dream to play like him .

He's amazing and so is chopin . Chopin has to be the most brilliant composer ive ever heard !

[leabinyu]

it's great!!!!!

[shakychevy]

aside of some missed placements, his intonation is enviable

[COOPEVETS]

This is a military tribute, a march. It is supposed to be stilted and harsh in places. Chopin was a student of his times, and the military was revered and adored at this time. Horowitz probably played this piece exactly as Chopin would have wanted it rendered. Wonderful.

[mystarslover]

I love Horowitz!!!!!

[iPlayPiiano]

Didn't like first 30 seconds or so, the rest was good.

[dacusbass]

Wundervoll

[magiceffinmoose]

Wow! Such little excess movement in his hands. It looks so easy for him.

[aust1956]

marvellous piece of music heard it several times before

however was watching marx bros film love happy

and chico played part of it which inspired me to hear the whole piece

[vocxozhdeniye]

Does it not sound too emphatic? Mechanical? Broken? Almost that Horowitz is angry?

I very respectfully say that this is not well done. Horowitz is extremely respected, but to my ears this rendition lacks grace. Chopin is not a piece of wood to be chopped with an axe.

[hyjang007]

So happy to hear and warch this masterpiece!

[Phavonic]

ad libertum

[falck123]

hace frio

[sizzlinfr]

Odd interpretation of dynamics...haha but it's Horowotz so you can't complain...

[Sameh90]

cant wait to hear emily bear play this!

[choltorf]

Horowitz always makes everything he plays seem so easy. No wasted movement in his fingerings...it looks effortless.

[esprankle]

the best rendition of this song I have ever heard.

[CPoon06]

He is amazing.. I wish I can play like that :(



[Muzikman127]

Wow, this is really differenent to the interpretation I have on record! But I like it. I'm used to this watch?v=BPG-4S9YOTM - A lot more pedalling. Any experts out there know which is considered to be more "accurate"?

[promyomy]

Oh, the music is so beautiful and inspirational!

God bless those who compose and play it.

Frank

[Stebanick]

he reminds me to my grandfather :)

[phainopepla95]

Always amazing! This is the gold standard for the work, though I'm sure other pianists will work to make their interpretation the next gold standard- and succeed! Tastes evolve, and this interpretation, while very excellent, perfect even, feels ready to yield to a new taste, whatever that might be.

[louisvonbeethoven]

I like the sloppy Rubenstein reading better.

[Alffovinni]

inhuman... out of this world... brilliant...Jesus

[paulostroff99]

Superb! TY Sissco for posting

[pzamkrbob]

*spam clicks like button*

[richardkastlesucks]

Saves the reserve for the greatest part :D

[LeifKanerLidstrom]

Anyone know which concert hall that is?

[DancerAndMe123]

I love it :) I hate when people play it too fast.. it takes away from the effect. Its supposed to be majestic.. note at the top of the score it says "maestoso". Its not supposed to be a show piece.

[Ragtime44Films]

@lulztimer

Okay, let me clarify. I did NOT say that you shouldn't play how the composer intended.

Basically, all I said was to put feeling into music.

[humbher3]

que genialidad

[mrp765c]

Just brilliant!

[Siska0Robert]

Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England...

[SebaRasta]

OMG, big eargasm.........you can always trust Mr Horowitz

[thejesusfreak919]

"There are three kinds of pianists: Jewish pianists, homosexual pianists, and bad pianists." - Horowitz

[HerlockSholmes123]

@thejesusfreak919 That's pretty funny. Though I wonder why he'd say that, considering that Liszt and Chopin were both straight.

By the way, Bernstein made a similiar joke, I think it was "to be successful in Broadway, you either have to be Jewish or homosexual. I'm both".

[thejesusfreak919]

@HerlockSholmes123

Good point. Maybe Horowitz think's he's better than both of them! Haha, for all we know it might be true.

[International1ify]

Chopin wrote that this piece is to be performed, "Alla polacca e maestoso" (like a polonaise and majestic). This performance, by one of the greatest pianists ever, captures both sentiments to a degree rarely achieved. Bravo Maestro Horowitz.

[vocxozhdeniye]

@HerlockSholmes123

We all need to be entertained.  Thanks Leonard. Thanks Volodya.

[Amarelaoo1]

Lypur's theme : 1:11 thumbs up ifyou know what i am talking about

[branlob]

@Amarelaoo1 3:10 is actually more like it :)

[Vladimirorlov1989]

MrPianosmurf, this piece is definitely harder to play than op.40 no 2

[q8pianist]

alot of wrong notes but u cannot say anything les than BraVoOOOOOOOO!!! :)

[Ragtime44Films]

So many pianists get the idea of interpretation wrong. They think it means to play all of the notes perfectly, just the way the composer intended.

You definitely have to play the notes right, (Mostly, anyway) and don't butcher it from what the composer intended it to be. But you still have to put some of your own emotion into it. That's the main focus, and what makes music good.

Music is like an unfinished painting - the musician finishes it in their own way.

[TheMcbeth70]

@Ragtime44Films I admire this opinion so much! that is definitely true!

[petrakov]

@Ragtime44Films I don't agree. There is a famous quote by Chopin: " Only Chopin can change Chopin"

[Ragtime44Films]

@petrakov

That's not what I meant. You should always play it the way the composer intended.

[surrealillness]

@Ragtime44Films No one knows for sure how exactly Chopin played this him self so the entire conflict of personal interpretation is meaningless since basically its all we have.

[sociomaladaptivist]

@DrownedAtLakeBodom Hyperwords.

[Paradis107]

Brilliant. One of the best renditions of this piece I have heard. Most enjoyable :)

[MrPianosmurf]

Is this piece harder to play than op 40 no 2? I like this one very much.

[arashi35412kizuna]

１：００～が特に好きです

[MegaWattzMan]

Oh god.

Every time I hear this I hear Monty Python

[moi2802]

It is not because he(it) does not make grandiloquent movements that there is no emotion.

To me, it's perfect.

I admire him so much

[koolmuk108]

@moi2802 

[bboymango]

@moi2802 the problem wiht alot of viewers is that they judge too quickly on the 'appearance' of a performance and thus get blindly biased by that.

When it comes to music like this, its about the sound, the visual is secondary. although the visual helps the listener 'see' phreases and the technique of the performer, in the end the sound comes first

[moi2802]

@bboymango I agree with you :)