Vladimir Horowitz - In the Hands of the Master

Music : Classical : Lossless



Between 1962 and 1973 Vladimir Horowitz was under exclusive contract to Columbia Masterworks (now Sony Classical). The relationship resulted in what many piano experts consider Horowitz's most satisfying recordings from both a musical and engineering standpoint. Many of them have long been regarded as classics, like Schumann's Kreisleriana, the Rachmaninov Second Sonata, the celebrated Scarlatti series, molten Scriabin, and of course, the pianist's famous May 9, 1965 Historic Return. Horowitz returned to the label in 1989 for what proved to be his last recording (he died only four days after his final session).

In the Hands of a Master contains nothing that hasn't been out before on CD or that older Horowitz fans don't already own. But if you're new to Horowitz, this collection provides a decent introduction to the pianist's Sony holdings. It allots equal time to the artist's lyrical, colorist side (Schumann's Arabesqe, Schubert's G-flat Impromptu, Chopin Mazurkas, and various Scarlatti Sonatas) and to his demonic personality (Liszt's Scherzo & March, Scriabin's D-sharp minor Etude, Rachmaninov's D major Etude-Tableau, Chopin's G minor Ballade and A-flat Polonaise, plus Horowitz's famous "Carmen" Variations).


His fascinating though controversial Beethoven is dumbed down to single movements only from the "Pathetique" and "Moonlight" sonatas. By contrast, we have the entirety of the pianist's 1962 Schumann Kinderszenen. Two additional Sony Classical Horowitz Centenary reissues also contain this Kinderszenen, by the way (making a grand total of seven U.S. Horowitz Kinderszenen reissues since compact discs came on the market). Photos inside the jacket spine include reproductions of job sheets from several of the original recording sessions. Eagle-eyed Horowitz mavens will notice that one of the sheets lists a test recording of Beethoven's Op. 31 No. 3 E-flat Sonata. Horowitz never recorded the work elsewhere, and rarely if ever played it. Does the performance still exist? Perhaps it can be coupled with Kinderszenen...




Individual Track Details:

1. Polonaise for Piano in A flat major, B 147/Op. 53 "Heroic" by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1842; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 05/04/1971
Length: 6 Minutes 23 Secs.



2. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 10: no 3 in E major, B 74 "Tristesse" by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1836-1839; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 07/06/1972
Length: 3 Minutes 32 Secs.



3. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 10: no 4 in C sharp minor, B 74 by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832; Poland
Date of Recording: 02/1973
Length: 2 Minutes 1 Secs.



4. Poèmes (2) for Piano, Op. 32: no 1 in F sharp major by Alexander Scriabin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1903; Russia
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 3 Minutes 3 Secs.



5. Arabeske for Piano in C major, Op. 18 by Robert Schumann

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838; Germany
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 6 Minutes 33 Secs.



6. Sonata for Harpsichord in E major, K 531/L 430 by Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 3 Minutes 15 Secs.



7. Sonata for Harpsichord in G major, K 455/L 209 by Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 3 Minutes 6 Secs.



8. Impromptus (4) for Piano, D 899/Op. 90: no 3 in G flat major by Franz Schubert

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1827; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 5 Minutes 44 Secs.



9. Etudes-tableaux (9) for Piano, Op. 39: no 5 in E flat minor by Sergei Rachmaninov

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1916-1917; Russia
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 4 Minutes 41 Secs.



10. Consolations (6) for Piano, S 172: no 2 in E major, Un poco più mosso by Franz Liszt

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1849-1850; Weimar, Germany
Date of Recording: 05/09/1962
Length: 3 Minutes 28 Secs.



11. Mazurkas (3) for Piano, B 157/Op. 59: no 3 in F sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 02/15/1973
Length: 3 Minutes 26 Secs.



12. Nouvelles Etudes (3) for Piano, B 130: no 2 in A flat major by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1839; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 04/07/1965
Length: 1 Minutes 58 Secs.



13. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 10: no 12 in C minor, B 67 "Revolutionary" by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1833; Poland
Date of Recording: 07/06/1972
Length: 2 Minutes 38 Secs.



14. Sonata for Piano no 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique": 2nd movement, Adagio cantabile by Ludwig van Beethoven

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1797-1798; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 11/04/1963
Length: 5 Minutes 27 Secs.



15. Scherzo and March for Piano, S 177 by Franz Liszt

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1851; Weimar, Germany
Date of Recording: 10/22/1967
Length: 10 Minutes 35 Secs.



16. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 by Robert Schumann

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838; Germany
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 17 Minutes 46 Secs.



17. Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 45: no 1, Feuillet d'album by Alexander Scriabin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1904-1905; Russia
Date of Recording: 05/31/1972
Length: 1 Minutes 15 Secs.



18. Etudes (8) for Piano, Op. 42: no 4 in F sharp major by Alexander Scriabin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1903; Russia
Date of Recording: 04/27/1972
Length: 2 Minutes 37 Secs.



19. Etudes (8) for Piano, Op. 42: no 5 in C sharp minor by Alexander Scriabin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1903; Russia
Date of Recording: 05/31/1972
Length: 3 Minutes 9 Secs.



20. Waltzes (3) for Piano, Op. 34: no 2 in A minor, B 64 by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831; Poland
Date of Recording: 05/04/1971
Length: 5 Minutes 1 Secs.



21. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25: no 1 in A flat major by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832-1836; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1989
Length: 2 Minutes 22 Secs.



22. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25: no 5 in E minor by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Date of Recording: 1989
Length: 3 Minutes 16 Secs.



23. Sonata for Harpsichord in F minor, K 466/L 118 by Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century
Date of Recording: 1964
Length: 4 Minutes 58 Secs.



24. Sonata for Harpsichord in G major, K 146/L 349 by Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century
Date of Recording: 1964
Length: 2 Minutes 42 Secs.



25. Hungarian Rhapsodies (19) for Piano, S 244: no 19 in D minor by Franz Liszt

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1885; Budapest, Hungary
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 9 Minutes 42 Secs.



26. Isolde's "Liebestod" from Wagner's "Tristan", S 447 by Franz Liszt

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1867; Weimar, Germany
Date of Recording: 1989
Length: 6 Minutes 35 Secs.



27. Ballade for Piano no 1 in G minor, B 66/Op. 23 by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831-1835
Date of Recording: 1968
Length: 9 Minutes 2 Secs.



28. Variations on a Theme from Bizet's "Carmen" by Vladimir Horowitz

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Date of Recording: 1968
Length: 3 Minutes 58 Secs.



29. Sonata for Piano no 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 no 2 "Moonlight": 1st movement, Adagio sostenuto by Ludwig van Beethoven

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1801; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 04/1972
Length: 5 Minutes 55 Secs.



30. Sonata for Harpsichord in D major, K 491/L 164 by Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century
Date of Recording: 1964
Length: 3 Minutes 56 Secs.



31. Impromptus (10) on a theme by Clara Schumann, Op. 5 by Robert Schumann

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1833; Germany
Date of Recording: 02/1969
Length: 7 Minutes 24 Secs.



32. Preludes (13) for Piano, Op. 32: no 12 in G sharp minor, Allegro by Sergei Rachmaninov

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1910; Russia
Date of Recording: 12/15/1968
Length: 2 Minutes 55 Secs.



33. Etudes-tableaux (9) for Piano, Op. 33: no 5 in D minor by Sergei Rachmaninov

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1911; Russia
Date of Recording: 12/10/1967
Length: 1 Minutes 37 Secs.



34. Etudes-tableaux (9) for Piano, Op. 33: no 2 in C major by Sergei Rachmaninov

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1911; Russia
Date of Recording: 12/10/1967
Length: 2 Minutes 26 Secs.



35. Etudes-tableaux (9) for Piano, Op. 39: no 9 in D major by Sergei Rachmaninov

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1916-1917; Russia
Date of Recording: 12/10/1967
Length: 3 Minutes 55 Secs.



36. Sonatas (6) for Piano, Op. 25: no 3 in B flat major by Muzio Clementi

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1790; London, England
Date of Recording: 09/1963
Length: 4 Minutes 11 Secs.



37. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 77/Op. 17: no 4 in A minor by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832-1833; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 04/14/1971
Length: 4 Minutes 5 Secs.



38. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 10: no 5 in G flat major "Black Keys" by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1833; Poland
Date of Recording: 04/14/1971
Length: 1 Minutes 39 Secs.



39. Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 161/Op. 62: no 1 in B major by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1989
Length: 6 Minutes 45 Secs.



40. Polonaises (2) for Piano, Op. 40: no 1 in A major, B 120 "Military" by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838; Poland
Date of Recording: 07/06/1972
Length: 4 Minutes 50 Secs.



41. Preludes (24) for Piano, Op. 28: no 15 in D flat major "Raindrop" by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838-1839; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1971
Length: 5 Minutes 8 Secs.



42. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 8: no 12 in D sharp minor by Alexander Scriabin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1894; Russia
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 2 Minutes 9 Secs.



43. Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 2: no 1, Etude in C sharp minor by Alexander Scriabin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1887-1889; Russia
Date of Recording: 1962
Length: 3 Minutes 11 Secs.



44. Feuillet d'album, Op. 58 by Alexander Scriabin

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1910; Russia
Date of Recording: 1972
Length: 1 Minutes 30 Secs.



45. Sonata for Harpsichord in A major, K 39/L 391 by Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1739
Date of Recording: 1964
Length: 2 Minutes 30 Secs.



Enjoy and Seed!!