Horowitz in Moscow: Aspects of the original broadcast not included on commercially released videos
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- Vladimir Horowitz’s concert in Moscow was broadcast on Sunday 20 April 1986 on the weekly CBS Sunday Morning news program, hosted by Charles Kuralt.
This was a special two-hour episode called “With Horowitz in Moscow”, starting at 9:00am Eastern Daylight Time in North America.
On that broadcast, Kuralt provided commentary between musical selections on the first half. In addition, highlights from Kuralt’s interview with Horowitz in New York the week before the concert were aired. Further, a news story about piano traditions in Russia and the impact of Horowitz’s concerts in the Soviet Union, including an interview with pianist and teacher Sergei Dorensky, was broadcast during intermission.
No commentary by Kuralt was included during the second half of the concert, which was broadcast without commercials (unlike the first half).
Commentary and commercials resumed following Chopin’s Polonaise, the final work on the printed program.
The footage of this concert that is presently posted on other RUclips channels all seems to be from the commercially released videos. They have better audio/video quality than the original television broadcast, and the commercial videos are tightly edited between musical selections, presumably for the sake of continuity and momentum.
This posting is devoted exclusively to what was actually broadcast between the musical selections on 20 April 1986. Commercials have been removed, with the exception of a welcome by AT&T (the sponsor of the broadcast) by their spokesperson, John Rubinstein (son of Arthur Rubinstein) at 1:04. I’ve also included a “Read More About It” commercial featuring Van Cliburn that was part of the commercial break following Horowitz’s encore of Schumann’s Träumerei at 26:58.
Excerpts from Kuralt’s interview with Horowitz differs from the version on commercial videos.
Also, Rachmaninoff’s Polka de W.R. (the second of Horowitz’s three encores) was not included in the original television broadcast.
Finally, Horowitz played a brief chord progression immediately before Schumann’s Träumerei. The audience had given him a round of applause after he sat at the piano to offer encores. He interrupted the applause with the chord progression, ending with a modest flourish, at which point the audience laughed. This was not included on any commercially released videos, but is present here at 25:30.
Watching the VHS tape I made of Horowitz’s concert that Sunday morning reminded me of how riveting the event was in 1986. I imagine thousands of people, like me, went to bed early the night before in order not to sleep in, and set at least two alarms to be certain not to miss even a second of the unique event and experience. The commercial videos of the concert have been tidied and tightened. This posting of discarded crumbs from the original television broadcast is a reminder of what so many communally shared that Sunday morning in 1986.
Reference points:
0:00- introduction to “With Horowitz in Moscow”
1:04- John Rubinstein sponsor announcement for AT&T
2:16- news brief, including portion of Kuralt/Horowitz interview and Horowitz’s arrival in Moscow
7:15- live commentary prior to Scarlatti Sonatas
9:11- bows and live commentary prior to Mozart Sonata
10:09- interview with Horowitz
13:30- live commentary prior to Rachmaninoff preludes
14:30- live commentary prior to Scriabin études
15:09- bows and live commentary at the end of the first half
16:12- news story about piano traditions in Russia and the impact of Horowitz’s concerts in the Soviet Union, including an interview with Sergei Dorensky (produced and narrated by Wyatt Andrews)
23:25- live commentary prior to the start of the second half
25:04- Horowitz returns to the stage to play encores
25:44- live commentary following Schumann’s Träumerei
26:58- “Read More About It” commercial narrated by Van Cliburn
27:28- epilogue with commentary prior to Moszkowski Étincelles
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I watched all of this live on TV back when it was broadcast that Sunday morning. I recorded it on a VHS tape, which is now long lost.
LOL : the announcer says most pianists fear the C Major by Mozart …. What a joke; it’s one of the easiest
Watching the people back in the 1980th, it's amazing to see that hundreds and hundreds of Russians expected Horowitz, when he arrived in a car. Unbelievable today. And also a lot of Russians speaking English in that times of the former soviet union. Amazing. So much dignity, passion and respect. No more like this in the year 2021. Things have changed so much.
Agreed. Old videos like these are mini time capsules.
Absolutely. Callas also used to be met at the airport by hundreds of people whenever she arrived anywhere. The heart of European culture has stopped beating.
This was before September 11 Terrorist attack.
Different world since that date.
@@josephhapp9 Pardon, what do you mean? Terrorist attack was in 2001, Maestro came to Moscow in 1986.
The human mind has been corrupted and low culture has taken root in Western society. If rappers and dumb celebrities are valued over high art you really do have a problem.
Man, I wish I could have been there. I was only 11 :)
Thank you!
Welcome!
It tear up when I see Horowitz smile at his audience. There was something about the Horowitz we knew or should I say the small window of the man we were allowed to see. I think he was jovial and didn’t take himself seriously as a pianist in the beginning according to his wife. Perhaps that was the paradigm that set him apart all along.
Он начинал как аккомпаниатор,-и не умудрился исковерковать свою психику на конкурсах....
Oh my what a gem.
Yes, Horowitz was the greatest pianist ever. His crucial understanding of music and his extraordinary interpretation will never be equaled in this world.
A fascinating behind the scenes look at the extraordinary piano icon that was Horowitz. A pity though about the elephantine commentary.
Brought tears to my eyes
Großartig 👍👍👍
La Russia e la cultura russa ci hanno donato molto. Grazie v.v. 💔💔💔
Возвышенная атмосфера в этом зале бывала часто, но в те дни (концерт и репетиция) не передоваема.
As Nelson Mandela forgave his captors, Horowitz forgave those who took his piano and imprisoned his family, to return in the true spirit of peace and reconciliation.
Very important document that could well have been lost.
It's such a pity that Horowitz always, ALWAYS got interviewed by utters dorks. Abram Chasins could have been interesting if the man had been able to shout his damn mouth for more than 15 seconds in a row to let the interviewee speak. Same goes for David Dubal if the man had been able to put his ego aside (but where to put an ego the size of a Bösendorfer Imperial !?). So many missed opportunities.
Arthur Rubinstein’s son at @1:05.
whatever happened to AT&T?
Yes I remember Kuralt's statement that the Mozart Sonata is "formidable" and "very hard to play" - so absurd.
What is absurd about it?
Horowitz would agree.
Mozart is difficult in another sense,,,nothing to hide behind in his music.
It has to be perfect and beautiful.
Most pianists have trouble with the ornamented / trill in the opening phrases,,,
then forever after it keeps coming back and always has to be as precise.
Absurd? Just the opposite. Richter also said Mozart is the most difficult. Maybe the choice of the word "formidable" connotes Lisztian difficulty, which is of a different kind, and suggests Kuralt is out of his depth. But Mozart is surprisingly difficult to convey.
H sharp major is the most difficult key after all...
Too easy for amateurs, and too hard for professionals.
Horowitz got a little irritated with Kuralt at 13:00.
We all got irritated with that individuum from roughly 0:00 to 28:16...
So. Schubert was a great piano virtuoso. Ah. One learns something new every day (if from from an American, something false).
Either was Scarlatti (assuming that the fortepianos were not so popular as harpsichords and clavichords at the time)
Schubert was not
As far as I know his father did not die in Stalins prisons.
Дядя...
A documentary like this would never be made today. Horowitz would be seen as ‘privileged’, ‘toxic’ and ‘racist’.
Thank you for posting this important video!!
Why then are we still fascinated by this man?
Not Privileged, Racist or Toxic.
Just a Supreme Pianist and Musician.
@@josephhapp9 Just wait.... the woke segment will come after Horowitz in due time. No one will be spared !
Horowith!
It's messed up that the guy doing the commentary at the beginning when he's in the car surrounded by people called him homely.
Are you referring to Charles Kuralt?