Horowitz Plays Mussorgsky, Scriabin, Prokofiev, and others

Modest Mussorgsky (Composer), Alexander Scriabin (Composer), Vladimir Horowitz (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer), Sergey Prokofiev (Composer), Sergey Rachmaninov (Composer), Claude Debussy (Composer), John Philip Sousa (Composer), Vladimir Horowitz (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Vladimir Horowitz
• Composer: Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Scriabin, Vladimir Horowitz, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Sergey Prokofiev, et al.
• Audio CD (March 10, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000003F1S
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,046 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #41 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Instruments > Keyboard > Piano
  • #43 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Composers > Scriabin, Alexander
  • #91 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Forms & Genres > Sonatas

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible performance, scratchy sound., December 16, 2000

By 

Ryan P. Murphy (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Horowitz Plays Mussorgsky, Scriabin, Prokofiev, and others (Audio CD)

A very good CD, but some of the titles are also on the Encores CD, and all the titles except the Rachmaninoff (recorded in 1979) are in mono. Besides the Rachmaninoff, the recording dates range from 1928 (whew!) to 1956. That said, this is Horowitz! It's great! I'd pay the money for the Prokofiev and Danse Excentrique alone. I just want to warn you that this is not the crystal-clear CD sound we're used to.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Horowitz plays Tchaikovsky & Mussorgsky, October 28, 2003

By 

Robert E. Nylund (Ft. Wayne, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1; Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (Audio CD)

Here is the "essential" playing of Vladimir Horowitz at his peak in live recordings from concerts in 1943 and 1951. First, there is the historic war bond concert in 1943, when Toscanini conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra in an all-Tchaikovsky program that included the "Nutrcracker Suite No. 1," the sixth symphony, and his first piano concerto. Joining Toscanini and the NBCSO in the concerto was Horowitz in a performance that exceeds the studio recording of 1941. This is electric, dazzling playing and Toscanini provides superb orchestral backing. The powerful orchestral interlude in the first movement has seldom sounded more dramatic and exciting. There is also great sensitivity in the serene second movement; there is only a brief section where Horowitz and the orchestra get a bit off-kilter. The final movement is absolutely dazzling. No wonder the Carnegie Hall audience stood and cheered.

Horowitz did his own arrangement of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." It is easy to forget that Mussorgsky wrote this as a piano piece and never orchestrated it. This gets down to basics and Horowitz provides an almost symphonic rendition of the original score. All of the familiar movements are played flawlessly and with considerable brilliance. There are some charming moments, too, and at one point the audience seems to snicker as Horowitz captures the essence of a more whimsical section. It all leads to the terrifying "Baba Yaga" and the triumphal "Great Gate of Kiev." This is a very exciting performance, taken from a memorable 1951 Carnegie Hall recital.

The sound on these recordings has been digitally reprocessed. Fortunately, RCA Victor did not resort to any clever "gimmicks" and we hear clear high fidelity sound that faithfully captures the performances.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Horowitz is amazing as usual, BUT..., September 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Horowitz Plays Mussorgsky, Scriabin, Prokofiev, and others (Audio CD)

Horowitz is amazing as we have all come to expect, but at the time that Mussorgsky's PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION was recorded, recording techiniques had not been perfected as they have today. The rest of the CD is outstanding. If you are a Horowitz fan, I highly recommend this recording.