Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Frederic Chopin :: Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

A long awaited performance finally appears

Kent Taylor | Eustis, FL USA | 01/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording of the Tchaikovskyconcerto made by Horowitz and George Szell from a live concertin the early fifties is a hairraising, breathtaking performanceof one of Horowitz's specialities. He perviously hadthree other performances available on recording; two withToscanini and one with Barbirolli. Unlike the other three he seemed to be in totalcontrol of the proceedings. Whatresults is a beautiful, thoughsometimes hurrieed peoformance.To those who never heard Horowitzat his technical zenith shouldget this recording. The solopieces have been issued beforeand are also a testament to thepianistic ability of Horowitz."

Dancing on the edge of an abyss!

Alistaire Bowler | Melbourne, Australia | 11/22/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a frightening recording!



Szell once commented that he hated the Tchaikovsky concerto and would 'just follow the pianist wherever he wants to go'. That comment certainly rings true in this simply hair-raising performance that brings new life to this tired, cheesy old warhorse. The first thing evident is the sheer speed with which it is taken. This recording is fast...insanely fast! From the very first thunderous chords to the mind-blowing octaves at the end, Horowitz dictates a tempo that leaves even his Toscanini recordings in the dust. This recording is all about showcasing Horowitz's phenomenal pianistic ability. It is hardly what you would call 'profound' in the Arrau sense of the word...but this is Tchaikovsky we are talking about!



Cut shortly before his nervous breakdown, Horowitz's playing oozes a nervous energy that culminates in an overbearing, frenetic performance that borders throughout on the edge of an abyss. There are places where you simply feel that the music is about to burst at the seems and explode into a cataclysmof disorder. Yet, and this is why it is so exciting, Horowitz always manages to prevent what seems like inevitable disaster. This is some of the most amazing piano playing you will ever hear, both through the pianist's control of elegant nuance...and his unchallenged ability to beat the hell out of the piano at a scarily fast tempo!



I'm not a great fan of Tchaikovsky at all but the broad range of colours and sheer improvised excitement of Horowitz's playing make this disc an absolute must. Infact, the octave passage at the end of the 3rd movement is worth the full price of the disc alone. I can guarantee you that you will never hear octaves like these anywhere else. They are at least twice as fast as any other recording, including Horowitz's ones. They are quite literally jaw dropping.



As an interpretive judgment, the live recording with Toscanini presents a better overall musical argument of the concerto but there is something special about this rendition with Szell, the finer qualities of which will only really be appreciated by pianists and Horowitz fans. If you want the best recording of this work get the live Toscanini one but if you want piano playing that sets the world on fire I unreservedly recommend this version.



The solo works on this disc are all standard warhorses in Horowitz's stable and most serious collectors of the pianist will have these. As usual, transcendental playing that is simply without peer. Horowitz brings a unique touch to every piece that has been the cause for many moments of personal musical revelation.



...and the octaves in the Tchaikovsky are REALLY fast!"