rabengeraun (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Tamas Vasary - Hungarian pianist and conductor - I heard him at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 1986 when he stood in at short notice for an indisposed Barenboim - very good he was, too!
JWarwicksoccer (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
this is actually from a dvd of the greatest pianists of all time. you can order it on netflix if your interested in seeing it
compuryan123 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
who is the guy talking at the very end of the video?
BrunoCt86 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
hehhe you're right !!!
gg353 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Independent to his artistry; It is FACT that Horowitz could not produce these sounds if his piano wasn't regulated to a very light touchweight. He applies comparable force (see final 2 chords) to the keys to that of an average piano student, yet he gets a thundering ff. Similarly, softer passages are much easier to control with the flat finger technique. If conservatoire pianos were like this, we wouldn't need 'heavyweights' like volodos & matsuev to play this piece with similar dynamics
ipublica (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
I know from Michelangeli that he used to ship his pianos around the world (not only one, but several). As to Horowitz, I didn't now, but check out Schonberg's 'The Great Pianists' that I just received. I will post again:)
ipublica (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Thanks for these interesting comments and annotations. I didn't know that. I'll watch the fingerings more closely. This escaped my attention, really:)
Iman2919 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Plus, Horowitz practiced more than any pianist of modern day (10-12 hours a day is often assumed)... with that much practice, you will be able to adopt any unusual technique to a workable degree. What I try to say is that it does not prove his technique (approach to piano) was correct in anyway, despite the great sound he can get out of piano. And his fingering in the Chopin Ballade I was watching was so unusual. It will take years of practice to get a legato sound with that fingering.
Iman2919 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Not that I'm any sort of specialist on his playing. But the fact that he played with a good volume and clarity has much to do with his piano. He always used his own unique piano, and everyone who has tried his piano has said that they considered the touch on it to be unusually light and easy to play loud on (i.e. easy to get loud volume without having to through the weight of your body on the whole piano).
ipublica (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
This is one of the favorite pieces Horowitz played throughout hi life. For the anecdote, he was married with the daughter of Toscanini who had conducted that music marvelously. One day a study needs to be done about Horowitz' unique piano technique that defies all and everything that is taught in music conservatories around the world. He is seated so low and has the greatest volume, greater than Richter's. How can? It's a miracle.
