Horowitz Live and Unedited (2 CD+DVD, APE)

Audio CD
Number of Discs: 3
Format: APE (image+cue) + DVD
Label: Sony
Size: 1.03 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
01. Organ Toccata, Adagio And Fugue In C Major, BWV 564 I.
02. Organ Toccata, Adagio And Fugue In C Major, BWV 564 II.
03. Organ Toccata, Adagio And Fugue In C Major, BWV 564 III.
04. Fantasy In C Major, Op.17 (I)
05. Fantasy In C Major, Op.17 (II)
06. Fantasy In C Major, Op.17 (III)
07. Piano Sonata No. 9 In F Major, Op. 68 ‘Black Mass’
08. Poeme In F-Sharp Major, Op. 32, No. 1

CD 02
01. Mazurka In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 30, No.4
02. Etude No. 8 In F Major, Op. 10
03. Ballade in G Minor, Op. 23, No.1
04. Serenade For The Doll No.3
05. Etude In C-Sharp Minor, Op.2, No.1
06. Etude No. 11 In A-Flat Major, Op.72
07. Traumerei
08. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (1)
09. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (2)
10. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (3)
11. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (4)
12. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (5)
13. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (6)
14. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (7)
15. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (8)
16. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (9)
17. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (10)
18. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (11)
19. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (12)
20. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (13)

What are you waiting for?

For quite some time now, this historic album/concert has been selling for about 25% of list price through Amazon’s used sellers. At that price, it becomes an absolute necessity – a steal – a MUST hear for anyone who enjoys the piano as a musician or listener.

Forget the quibbles about Horowitz “derailing” in the opening Busoni-Bach. It makes the musicianship that comes later even more impressive, inspiring, and moving. Not to mention human.

I am one of those rare pianists who found Horowitz’ playing inhuman – in the sense that it is technically brilliant, yet steely; lacking warmth and at times way too idiosyncratic. Listening to the second disc in this set is to hear playing by a titan of the keyboard – this is the sound of the “legendary” Horowitz.

Rubinstein famously said that while Horowitz was the better pianist, he (Rubinstein) was the better musician. Yet on disc two Horowitz gives Rubinstein a run for his money. I would argue that Horowitz, whose playing descended to levels of self-awareness and self-parody in the 70s, did not regain the lightness and humanity on display here until some of his final recordins for DG. (Note: The epochal disc Horowitz In Moscow Horowitz in Moscow seems to be selling for around $2 used on amazon today. If you love the piano you need this disc in your library.)

You, and your music library, deserve this live Carnegie Hall set. I doubt that we’ll hear playing like this ever again.