This cd is a recording of the live event, and opens with the Scarlatti E Major Sonata. Horowitz championed the music of Scarlatti and played it as no one else ever had, so this is a wonderful piece to begin with. But it's the Scriabin that I come back for, time and again, to listen to this CD. There are two etudes on this album (Op. 2#1 and Op. 8 #12.) All the romance, transient dissonance, moodiness and melodic richness of Scriabin are here, played by a pianist whose sound is like no one else's. Even if you aren't an afficionado of music history, this is an important CD as it is a live performance and has a really good representative selection of the Horowitz type of repertoire, from Rachmaninoff, Scriabin to Scarlatti, Liszt, Schumann (another Horowitz speciality) and even a Moszkowski showpiece. This is piano history at its pinnacle.
One year after Mikhail Gorbachev became the Soviet leader and six days (!) before the infamous Chernobyl nuke reactor explosion, the 82-year-old piano genius played in Russia, giving officially just this one concert. It was just about 3.5 years before he died of a heart attack.
If you seek a disc by this legendary pianist, born in Russia but living more than a half of his life as an American citizen, this may be the one to begin with.
Horowitz plays most of his favourite composers here. A Scarlatti sonata is a great delicate thing to kick off, Mozart Sonata No.10 can be called a sheer beauty.
Rachmaninov and Scriabin stand on his own in the maestro's interpretation -- it's easy to cry while listening to these pieces. Elegance of Liszt's "Sonetto del Petrarca No.104" and dynamics of "Soiree de Vienne" valse caprice No.6 can be exceeded only by Chopin's mazurkas.
Music students who are trained to play Schumann's "Traeumerei" can be proud that Horowitz also considered this little gem worthy of being included. Moszkowszki's Etincelles (sparks) are a grateful encore, too.
Liner notes and photographs perfectly complement this album, which will remain among the most distinguished and important achievements of music industry in the 20the century.
The balance of musicianship and showmanship on both occasions was superb. On neither occasion do we see too much of the demonic side of Horowitz and only occasionally and subtlely the display of the Russian sort of vulgarity. Instead they are so abound of his tenderness and serenity. His Mozart in Vienna Recital were perhaps his best, so sublime and charming even when they are not that spontaneous.
Horowitz is quite at the other extreme with Kempff and Petri: Horowitz was all for sensuousness whereas the latter two bordered on dryness. Yes, he shared some of sofronitsky's frangrance and beauty but not his nobility. He was far away from Rachmaninoff's heart of gold; he reminds us more of Paderewski instead. Nonetheless Horowitz is appealing albeit in a different way... Deep? Well, Horowitz is famous for his flamboyance instead. Looking for depth, one should go for Rachmaninoff, or else Sofronitsky (the best Scriabin so far ) amongst the Russians, otherwise we have Fischer, Cortot, Backhaus, Kempff or even Arrau... Amongst living pianist, Nelson Freire's Chopin and Mozart are most amazing.
One should hear these records to know the full possibilities of the piano. Another not to miss!
