Search - Mieczyslaw Horszowski :: Centennal Celebration / 2cds

Excellent performances, but fair to dreadful sound quality.

08/06/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, I completely agree with the other reviewer concerning the sound quality of this set -- it goes from okay to absolutely dreadful. However, I disagree about making allowances for him being very old. Like most great pianists, Horszowski improved with age. He was in his early 90's for the most recent recordings in this collection, bringing over 80 years of experience of giving public performances. Playing the piano was as natural to him as breathing is to most of us, and it shows in his playing. However, we are talking about live performances, and therefore allowances should be made, as one cannot expect that such performances would always be technically perfect. This is especially true in Horszowski's case, as he made far too few recordings to satisfy his fans, so anything that anyone happened to record is apt to be released on CD, which means that his recordings do not necessarily represent his best performances. Still, the "moments of exquisite beauty" mentioned by the previous reviewer are numerous and not to be missed. Some performers play like a machine -- soulless; Horszowski is the exact opposite of this. Horszowski has that elusive and difficult to explain quality of being (for want of a better word) 'musical'. He is the most 'musical' performer I have ever heard, which is why, in my opinion, he can do no wrong, even when he makes a few mistakes.This is a set for someone who already knows they like Horszowski and can tolerate a poor recording (so I agree with the previous reviewer in his/her overall assessment). If you are a fan, buy it. If you have never heard Horszowski, buy one of his four digitally recorded CDs from Elektra/Nonesuch (sold here at Amazon):ASIN: B000005IYGASIN: B000005IZGASIN: B000005J02ASIN: B000005J0V (his last, and my favorite; he was 98 when this was recorded)If you are on a tight budget, try:Schubert: Trout Quintet, Death and the Maiden / Budapest Qt et al ASIN: B000002773Back to the CDs here:5 stars for performances (no one plays like Horszowski); 1 to 3 stars for recording quality, depending on the particular piece."

A mixed bag

10/23/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Basically a CD for enthusiasts--sound quality ranges from fair to dire, and you have to take into account that for some of these the pianist was into his nineties. The sound is best for the Diabellis,the 3 Chopin pieces, and the short J. S. Bach excerpt which are also I think the best performances in the set. The Diabellis are sometimes rather rough-going but have moments of exquisite beauty; the latter description also applies to the short Bach excerpt.To my mind almost worth the price of the set in themselves are the three Chopin pieces all in arresting, completely "un-frilly" performances.Caveat emptor with regard to sound quality, but there's worthwhile stuff on these discs."

True, true...

Pupil | Malkuth | 10/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Good music is the outward expression of a man's communion with the soul. The best music is the outward expression of a soul's communion with God.



Here we have a beautiful soul performing the works of the most beautiful souls. The result is something astonishing and very rare in the world of recorded piano music.



I think that the only way to describe it is to affirm that, at his very best, Horszowski seems to take on the very shape and presence of the composer, performing these pieces as if he were the originator, in the act of improvisation.



The last movement of op.110 is an inspired miracle which should be heard. I think that the sound is more than acceptable.





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