Horowitz plays Schumann Fantasie in C Major {1/4}

Schumann's Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17

Vladimir Horowitz, 1965

The Historic Return

The glittering runs accompanied by the imperious octaves were the first Romantic notes the public heard from Horowitz in over a decade. This performance must have been a force to be reckoned with. It exhibits Horowitz's greatest qualities: the prodigious technique, the desperate passion, the rapturous bel canto, and mastery of structure and the Schumann polyphony. Horowitz never needed to pretend to be Romantic, he simply was.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Vladimir
• Horowitz
• virtuoso
• Historic
• Return
• Robert
• Schumann
• Fantasie
• Fantasy
• romantic
• classical
• piano

[uhartchristian]

Yes Horowitz was romantic but within this very classic as he always respected the scores as nobody did. Specially the rythm is strict where needed. And within this strict rythm is romantic freedom..... He also got transmitted the good phrasing which is not written in the scores and too many pianists don t feel any more as rthey did not get this from their teachers. Horowitz comes from a great tradition. His importance as "the last romantic" is colossal.

[townsendjean]

Apparently Horowitz didnt perform this work again publicly or in recording.

This one performance in place and time was left pristine!

Back in the 70s as a young man I was so impressed by this performance ... its exquisite

measured passion and technical brilliance, yet unbridled orgasmic rushes here and there.

Horowitz talked about his affinity to the soul of Schumann, so persuasively confirmed

here.

[uhartchristian]

@tedly10027 THIESE ARE VERY INTERESTING COMMENTS YOU MADE; I am much interested to know if there remains any recordings from the sister of Vladimir Horowitz. She was known under the name Gorowitz? as I think this was the real Birthname of Horowitz.

[tedly10027]

he explained in our discussions of "pianism" that "the correct tempo is what the truest one you can find for EVERY phrase or section ..not the single metronome regularity from beginning to end..THIS constant search is why we never stop learning and studying and looking for more things in the music..we keep discovering possibilities and better logic"..and that this was basically explanatory of the approach exemplified by someone like Horowitz or many "characteristic" russian greats..

[tedly10027]

@uhartchristian you brought up an excellent point. I had a russian piano professor who knew Horowitz's SISTER in russia (she remained there) - also a pianist my teacher told me "was as talented and as crazy as her brother.." but of course remained "obscure" as per old traditions..anyway -

[olivleonardo]

Beautiful!

[vortex481]

How lucky you are to see Horowitz perform. Wonderful as always!

[werq34ac]

ah schumann, where have you been all my life...

[titusbeertsen]

0:20 that subito pp, you know instantly you're listening to Horowitz. I always wonder how he does that, it sounds so different when other pianists do it. Doe anyone know? Some special pedalling technique perhaps?

[fercho3107]

@uhartchristian Respect?? hahaha Horowitz respect the score??? lol... no

[morakeo]

@townsendjean

a recording of the Fantasy also exists from a Carnegie Hall performance on April 8, 1946.