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Horowitz last concert

Discussion in 'Pianists' started by Francois de Larrard, Dec 17, 2014.

  1. Francois de Larrard

    Francois de Larrard Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Dear All,
    Last sunday, we had the chance to watch it on the German-French channel (Arte). You can see the concert here:

    http://www.arte.tv/guide/fr/plus7/?em=055842-003

    Among other jewels, the Schumann's Kinderszenen. Well, even if he was no more the young volcanic Horowitz (he was 84 years old for this concert in Vienna), what a musician !
     
    Francois de Larrard, Dec 17, 2014
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  2. Didier

    Didier Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Very nice ! Note that this concert was on June 1rst 1987. His last concert with the same program was in Hamburg on 21 June 1987 that is available on CD. Meanwhile he gave a concert in Berlin.

    [​IMG]
     
    Didier, Dec 19, 2014
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  3. Francois de Larrard

    Francois de Larrard Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Thanks for these precisions. Perhaps you had the opportunity to see the broadcast just before, last sunday on Arte. Horowitz was filmed and interviewed at home, 2 years before. Very moving, but musically, he played much better during the '87 concerts: like a last ray of the sun before the night...
     
    Francois de Larrard, Dec 19, 2014
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  4. Didier

    Didier Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    No I did not see this program (no TV set at home). I knew already this concert from Youtube but the Arte broadcast image quality is much better. The 1985 video at home is also partly on Youtube. I like his last recording, also recorded at home but with a much better sound, the last track of which Isolde's Liebestod was completed four days before before he died on the 5th of November 1989. It has got a Grammy Award. Read about this recording here.


    [​IMG]
     
    Didier, Dec 19, 2014
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  5. Francois de Larrard

    Francois de Larrard Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Thanks Didier. I don't know if he was THE greatest pianist of XXth century. Some of his musical options could seem old-fashioned nowadays. But the lesson is, I think, in the freedom and spontaneity he keeps when playing the piano. These qualities are of utmost importance in music, in my opinion. I find them more frequently in jazz or in some types of baroque music. But Horowitz kept this spirit whatever the composer or the period...
     
    Francois de Larrard, Dec 20, 2014
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