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Grand Sonata 3
Schumann, Horowitz
Grand Sonata 3
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (20) - Disc #1

These are live recordings from the mid to late '70s. Horowitz' legendary technique may be less than pristine, but his mercurial temperament burns brighter than ever. He melds Schumann's unwieldy, difficult to sustain Co...  more »

     
   
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CD Details

All Artists: Schumann, Horowitz
Title: Grand Sonata 3
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 1
Label: RCA
Release Date: 8/10/1989
Genre: Classical
Styles: Forms & Genres, Concertos, Sonatas, Historical Periods, Modern, 20th, & 21st Century, Romantic (c.1820-1910)
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 078635668025

Synopsis

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These are live recordings from the mid to late '70s. Horowitz' legendary technique may be less than pristine, but his mercurial temperament burns brighter than ever. He melds Schumann's unwieldy, difficult to sustain Concerto Without Orchestra (Sonata #3) into a coherent whole, with the famous third movement variations providing lyrical relief from its turbulent surroundings. Horowitz probes the inspired but diffuse Humoreske for all its expressive potential, and finds hidden drama in the shorter works. The brightly-voiced piano Horowitz favored at this time is harsh in the higher register, although his trademark booming basses hit you like a kick in the belly. Horowitz admirers need no urging to acquire this disc. --Jed Distler

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CD Reviews

A Problematic Horowitz CD
Hank Drake | Cleveland, OH United States | 04/02/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a seriously flawed CD issue, through no fault of Vladimir Horowitz.



The Schumann Sonata in F Minor consists entirely of outakes (listening to the original LP, which I have, confirms this) and is not what Horowitz authorized for release. The performance is overdriven, mannered, and riddled with many mistakes. (I've since been informed that after learning of the error, RCA withdrew the CD and reissued it with the correct takes. But since the catalog number was not changed, there is no way to know which CDs are the corrected ones.)



The Humoreske, recorded in 1979, is another story. This is some of Horowitz' finest Schumann. Horowitz masterfully molds Schumann's varied moods, or "humors", and builds them into a coherent whole. This performance has drawn the praise of such disparate interpreters and Pollini and Horszowski.



The Nachstucke and Fantasiestucke were recorded in 1980, and the piano is voiced a bit less brightly here than in the other pieces. The performances are fine, but not on quite the exalted level of the Humoreske.



All of these recordings were assembled from concert performances taped from 1976-1980. The sound throughout the disc is rather hard and airless, which is pretty much the kind of sound RCA was giving all their artists at the time. Remastering has improved the sonic picture somewhat, but this is no match for the fine recordings DG made of this artist. RCA should thouroughly remaster and repackage ALL of the Horowitz recordings and give him the red carpet treatment they recently gave Arthur Rubinstein."
Horowitz the master of Schumann
Christopher Kosloske | 11/05/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Horowitz has been associated with Schumann throughout his career and this CD is some additional insight on why that is. In addition to these great works be sure and check out Horowitz playing Schumann Kreisleriana, Op. 16 and Kinderszenen, Op. 15."