Vladimir Horowitz - The Last Romantic 4/12 Schubert - Impromptu in A-flat, op. 90, No. 4

[OpheliaImWahn]

thank you so much for posting these videos! I did´nt know of them....it´s a history-document!

[sandrasacco]

I love Horowitz ....

[MusicaAngela]

Wonderful! What passionate playing. Schubert would have liked to hear him play.

[kuromaid]

I love his playing. Seriously, I just don't know what to say.

[quebecois22]

0:38 OMG he does look like Chopin! :O

[mokum125]

6:00-7:00 possibly the best minute of piano i have ever heard.. *speechless..*

[gonofrio]

"Lets try it. What happens happens," lol

[AhaBach4Life]

I'm not a Horowitz fan, but this is the most dramatic performance/recording that I've ever heard of this Schubert Impromptu! Simply amazing, especially for how old he was when this was recorded!

[renaudgg]

At 4:02 .. unimaginable right hand ppppp, amazing Tone color

[renaudgg]

At 4:02 .... Unimaginable ppppp, perfect tone color 

[Dally3232]

His smile at the end is the meaning of life.

[BassicStorm]

Horowitzs Interpretation is the most romantic!

[mario54671]

This would've been better had the pitch been corrected before uploading.

[Ravel87]

his wife is ... interesting

[mephaz85]

Wanda Toscanini-Horowitz commenting her father's picture: "He got talent, and I only got the profile..." - sounds so sad...

[T33VlOn3Dt]

Vladimir Horowitz.... is awesome!

[4785689]

6:13 is scaring

[TheTypicalGirl]

Up there with the great pianists of the 20th century like Dudley Moore, Elton John and Billy Joel.

[amirmot]

@TheTypicalGirl Elton John?!

[lovethepiano]

@TheTypicalGirl

lol

[emegroomderk]

@TheTypicalGirl I woul say those gays are very VERY under Horowitz

[IViolentiAmorosi]

horowitz GRANDISSIMO

[nahai430430]

The pitch is definitely not right. Higher---

It sounds like it is A major; actually It is A flat major.

[karazh]

haha,could say this in an anonym internet too ;)

[yak2221]

the human....

[ai1888]

omg HE does look like chopin!!

[uhartchristian]

when horowitz understood he could no more play as a young pianist all the trick physical big compositions he studied pieces like Mozart sonatas, schubert and so on.... with taking this choice he could continue astonish us with very fresh new interpretations of pieces we did not want to hear any more and make us rediscover these. He always be the reference of good taste in interpretation. he never failed in that !!!!!

[christophleipzig]

In my opinion he failed more than one time.

[uhartchristian]

Did you never fail in your life???? Why shouldn t he has bad days as anybody, but when he failed it was still very very good and interesting When you see only the imperfection you don t understand culture and genious. Its the whole art which is incredible with Horowitz. Therefore he stays top. You only see what is not good. I see what is good and what I can learn from him. You are fascinated about the bad parts and will never learn something this way....

[christophleipzig]

@uhartchristian

I don't say, that he isn't allowed to fail. YOU said, that he never failed in good taste. I disagree. I wasn't looking for "bad details".

For me Horowitz' performances very often show a lack of musical understanding. Phrases are random, the pieces are never to be seen from beginning to start and he often just shows technical things.

I just don't understand the hype around him. Arrau, Rubinstein, Gilels, Richter have shown far more understanding of the music they performed.

[uhartchristian]

well at least you do recognize that there are pianists who does good things..... about Horowitz you are very wrong as you don t understand his importance in interpretation as he went fare more in the right direction than any other pianist. You don t agree to that ok your problem, there are enough people who understands what I mean and recognize the importance of Horowitz.

[christophleipzig]

@uhartchristian

I can understand, that Horowitz was a phenomenon caused by his sound and his supreme technic. But there are better musicians. Definitely.

To say his interpretations "went far more in the right direction than any other pianist" is a kind of a symptomatic comment for Horowitz-lovers, I guess. The musicians I love don't go in any "direction" with their interpretations. They play with attitude and personality without printing themselves too much on their performances. Music speaks.

[uhartchristian]

@christophleipzig well its your o^pinion , you like the neutral sound of an arrau more its your right but he didn t look for anything new in sound concerning the possibilities of the piano. Horowitz did a revolution with Mozart for example (but not only....) as he saw the piano as an orchestra and the sonatas as orchestral pieces. This gives new insight into these Sonatas and changes the neutral sound heard from the sacro saint Clara Haskil or Geza Anda recordings.....

[christophleipzig]

@uhartchristian

A piano is a piano is a piano and no small imitation of the orchestra in my opinion. No need to blow up the score!

After listening Schubert Sonatas with Richter I need no further proof, that everything is possible with a simple piano without doing "something out of the ordinary" (Arthur Rubinstein). Horowitz did a lot of experiments with its sound, but I have never heard a satisfying interpretation of anything from the beginning to the end of the piece. This is my last word.

[uhartchristian]

ridiculous ; Richter did fail in wohltemperierte klavier Bach. Is a very bad interpretation in many ways. But I like Richter a lot. Horowitz never failed in interpretation except when ill like in Japan or first recital London. I went to recitals of Horowitz, Richter , Arrau and many others and did study the piano with very good teachers like Demus, Mierzanof, Richepin, Benda You have some musical authority to criticise Horowitz????

[christophleipzig]

@uhartchristian

I still can say that Horowitz never reaches me.

And it is not ridiculous to say, that Richter can do everything with Schubert - I didn't mentioned Bach. It can be critisized.

I am not alone with criticizing Horowitz, Mr. Uhart. I have not criticized him completely: I adore his technic and sound. But not much more. Is this too less for you? Did Demus, Mierzanof, Richepin and Benda have given you parts of their "musical authority"? How much authority did you get? 67,9% or more?

[uhartchristian]

as you don t answer my question I can see that you have no musical education and obviously don t wash your ears very often , but you seem to have a lot of hate in front of good pianists; So you better go to a psy ....

[christophleipzig]

@uhart

A) I don't hate Horowitz. I never said that. He had a difficult fate: Russian in America, problems with sexual identity, Wanda, a dead child. I respect that.

B) I love his sound and technic. I said this often.

C) I play piano since 20 years. I have a huge music collection, I listen to piano music probably 2-3 hours a day.

D) Horowitz is not the type of pianist I like most. Respect that.

E) I am not searching for any musical authority.

F) Ignore me, if you don't like my opinion.

[uhartchristian]

@christophleipzig don t worry I ll ignore you....

[christophleipzig]

@uhartchristian

Finally.

Thank you.

[mishima1974]

@christophleipzig uhartchristian is correct and christophleipzig is incorrect.

[0blacone]

@mishima1974

Far from, uhartchristian is just picking a fight, come on! Christo said that Horowitz sometimes failed to impress him, it ended up with Uhart saying he should go see a psychiatrist... thats just idiotic. The comments are made for people to share their opinions, not fight over them.

[cosmajohn]

like busoni said there are two kinds of pianist.: the one who shows himself and the one who let music speak...the young horowitz probabily belonged to the first kind, but later (in mozart especially) he did a great work...must mention that I am also a fan of arrau and richter and I am aware they never postponed music to their will, and I am grateful for this...anyway I find all of them great and unique, everyone in love with music in their own way...this is the most important thing...

[jgcaesar4]

@cosmajohn A beautiul sentiment.

[karazh]

not true, he didnt do this caused by the age . He did it because he recognized he might had skipped some real good music, and the critics become louder that he never played mozart.

[04feb1955]

It's a twinkling star at Chistmas.

[Powerslider]

All the money in the world on your account or being able to play like Volodja? hahaha.

I can't believe my ears when i listen to him...

[noirvalentin]

to die for

[kwastormayt]

magical basses from 5:20

[kwastormayt]

it begins at 2:55

[lucycheung1]

i am charmed

[lucycheung1]

great very clear note it is like water droplets !! amazing

[kwastormayt]

he's a magician

[Paraclitum]

A Zen question.

He's too old,his hands lost their strength and agility ,the arpeggios are uneven but this is the best rendition of this piece u can find anywhere.

How do u explain this?

[nonnon86]

i agree with you a 100%, just that i dont see how his hands lost strenght and agility :)

[jjp009]

Para: I know what you mean. His playing had a "warmth" to it that many other great artists' recordings lacked. Even though it certainly wasn't technically perfect (and whose really is?), I have always enjoyed Horowitz' interpretations over all others.

[maulcs]

@jjp009 I hope you are just referring to his technique when he's older like in this recording. His technique was absolutely superb otherwise.

[tiguras]

agreed

[morakeo]

Maybe because Music has nothing to do with all this... :-)

[silverbud]

@Paraclitum

I can assure you he played even better when he was young. I wish there were more recordings of his youth.

[Djoelien]

@Paraclitum Music is something mentally rather than physically

[RemovdSande11]

@Paraclitum

good. But if you did not knew it was Horrowitz playing, would you still think the same ;) ?

[Kakarot21591]

@Paraclitum Horowitz had been playing piano for decades upon decades, so he was a Zen Master of piano. He just did one thing over and over again until he became a line stretching to infinity, with the universe sustaining his natural growth. This genius is the result of that...

[renaudgg]

@Kakarot21591 lol...

[MCalixte89]

@Paraclitum i will explain. imperfection is beauty. we all strive for perfection but we never achieve it. music and life are the same. nothing is perfect, and nothing happens the same way every single time. you felt what he was feeling, you felt what he wanted you to feel. hes technique is flawless but no one never does anything perfect. many asian pianists have that problem, . sometimes they lack feeling, and just focus on technique. music is expression. how a can that be perfect.

[MCalixte89]

@MCalixte89 oh and when i was talking Asian pianists i hope i didnt sound stereotypical. i just meant that many Asian pianist try too hard to play perfect. it takes away from the music, such talent can be wasted through frustration. i spent years working on my technique so when i play i just have fun, and enjoy without striving for perction. lol i just play and hope it comes out right haha

[Bret6464]

@MCalixte89 We have those who strive to play notes perfectly without musicality, and we have those who lack technique ergo produce the "big" sound while undergoing grotesque facial contortions and jumping around. Blame it on the new norm being mediocrity and contest judges awarding prizes as dictated by the labels. IMO it will always be Rach, Horowitz and Gilels as the piano Gods.

Why talk "Asian" pianists? Jung Lin is an extraordinary musician and she has surreal technique :-)

[Kinjutsuu]

@Bret6464

you prick

[Bret6464]

@Kinjutsuu "Racist bitch"! is what all the comments posted on your channel call you! Surprised you have not been banned from YT, don't worry, I'll work on it. Racist slime like you do NOT belong here - stop posting your filth!

[Bret6464]

@Kinjutsuu WOW you are insane as well as a racist slime! Again, you were banned from Jung Lin's Liszt HR2 video because you posted racist comments, that is why the channel blocked you.

There are lots of comments on your channel calling you "racist bitch" and worse. You are known on YT as a racist, who further "makes Germans look bad" from another comment on your channel. I do not, have not and do no need hundreds of YT acounts, I leave that to racist slime like you!

[MCalixte89]

@MCalixte89 i never said all asian pianists. theres MANY that i love listening too. but you made some good points that i agree with

[mcrettable]

@Paraclitum um... they haven't lost their strength or agility... did you catch him playing the chopin scherzo and polonaise in the previous parts? :O anyone after playing so long would never lose their strength or agility. maybe only slightly, after all those years of build up :)

[sammy0630]

@Paraclitum By speaking very carefully? ^_^



[jvandle]

Please, post a video of even the most prodigious middle school student playing this better than Horowitz.

[jvandle]

That was a nice video from a very talented young girl. But, after giving it an honest listen and comparing it to this video, the feel and timbre of Horowitz is like night and day compared to that of Jessica de Graaf.

[Ratshee]

"In this picture it's me& my father, Arturo Toscanini. You can see that the profile are very similar.

And that's where the similarity ends - he got talent and I only got the profile"

haha :D.

She made such an adorable couple with mr Vladimir...

[Toxxic88]

"we have to go to Romantic now"

Lol, best quote ever

[cristiancavs]

amazing!!!

[Curby23523]

wonderfull!