Horowitz In Moscow

Vladimir Horowitz executes the numbers on this live performance album well. On track one, Horowitz performs Scarlatti’s Sonata in E expertly and well. He gives the impression that he knows the music and has the deft touch on the keyboard that one would only expect from a seasoned expert. Track two is the beginning movements of Mozart’s Piano Sonata #10 In C; here Horowitz show that he is highly conversant with the music of Mozart, and he plays the music with true feeling and purpose. The sound quality of the album is good; the sound engineers capture the full range of sound from this first-rate piano performance. I give my highest recommendation to this album, a demonstration of the best that Horowitz has to offer.

Yes, an historic concert by a great, aging pianist. I am glad I recently bought it. However, a warning, the recording is extremely marred by frequent coughing and other throat and body sounds. It leads off with Mozart, through a coughing fit. One man keeps shouting Bravo before anyone else can.Randon coughing is heard throughout. This may be of no consequence to you, just wanted to be honest. Needless to say, the audience is super closely miked. Alas.

I cried the first time I heard Horowitz play Traumerei in this concert. That was on CD. Not sure if I can hear the difference between CDs and vinyl. I have both formats, but I love playing vinyl and this is one of my favorites. If you love Horowitz, and especially if you love vinyl, this is a must have.

The cd arrived exactly when it was supposed to. It was packaged safely and the cd itself was in the original packaging. Could not have asked for more. Horowitz was incredible. Anyone who wishes to play baroque music well must listen to Horowitz.

This recording is among the last that Vladimir Horowitz made. Recorded live at the Great Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Moscow, on April 20, 1986, just three and a half years before the pianist's death at 83, this is music made at an age well past retirement for most performing artists. To coin a phrase, Age did not wither him, nor custom stale / His infinite variety.Horowitz was the master of all he touched, even as an octogenarian, as this recording evinces with thirteen selections from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century periods. Horowitz' style - notably characterized by subtleties in glissandos and impossible power in codas - didn't change much over the years. Take the Träumerei from Robert Schumann's Kinderszenen. Listening to that piece here and comparing it to Horowitz' reading from 1950 on  Famous RCA Recordings  (which I also reviewed for Amazon), there seems to be as much tenderness and introspective intensity in the later effort, if indeed not more, alongside prominent habits of his father-in-law, Toscanini, one of which was making "Presto!" his mantra. The 1986 Träumerei is 15 seconds shorter than its predecessor, a fairly significant marker since, even at the faster tempo, that piece runs a mere 2 minutes, 38 seconds.My earlier 2-star review of "Famous RCA Recordings" on the basis of technical presentation was greeted by at least one withering comment. Fortunately the pop/rock/schlock mentality of RCA had nothing to do with "Horowitz in Moscow," whose production was in the capable hands of DG. Their liner notes (written by the late Charles Kuralt, no less) do justice to the momentous return of Horowitz to the USSR after an absence of 60 years. Russians take their classical music seriously. Some 200 musical students - none with tickets, most of which were reserved for the Soviet nomenklatura - took up positions along walls behind the box seats. At the start of Scriabin's Etude No. 1 a disruptive noise is apparent: an unavailing confrontation of Russian security forces with the immovable students. I would not have known this without meticulous liner notes; probably I would have assumed it was a defect in the recording. Additionally there are five color plates showing Horowitz with various dignitaries. Detailed back matter like this lends a sense of time and place to CDs that mp3 downloads lack. One can only hope the medium doesn't fade away, another victim of physicality in an age that reveres the immaterial. In any event, the instant CD richly deserves its five stars, as its soloist generally did throughout an illustrious career.

Vladimir Horowitz represents another level of talent that the world has scarcely seen. His interpretation of complex pieces is scintillating, mesmerizing, satisfying, and pleasing all at the same time. Enjoy it to the fullest if you are a classical music lover.

This is the legendary return of Vladimir Horowitz to his native Russia--an emotional journey that is carried in his marvelous music.

It was a gift for our friends in Istanbul. I told them the story of the recording and they loved it even more

I can't love it more, the music and pictures on the leaflet are so inspiring to me. It's a good way to delight myself when I am alone or merely want to court fun in my life. A gentle way as the music interpreted by Horowitz is the best reminding for me of many small intercross in the real life, like a reflection. Being optimistic and seeking equilibrium are the main friendly advice from his music. By the way, I like the cover picture, which creates the space that let me float the music in my mind with an imagination of the spring of the music in the air within the concert hall.

The music is stunning but for me its the crowd that make this one. The Russians really welcomed Horowitz back.

What can one say? This is the legendary concert that hailed the legendary pianist's return to his home country after a long exile. Most of the audience were in tears during the recital. The great man plays like only you could play and it's easy to see why. If anyone wants a memento of this great occasion then this is it.

Amazing

The seller was nice to refund because the CD arrived 2 weeks late after ETA due to unprecedented holiday demand in Canada post. The customer service is good and the CD is a great collection of Horowitz returned to his home land after a lifetime being away.