I played one of his pianos at Steinway in Ney York in the early 2000s. The action was surprisingly light, and it would practically as soon as you touched it. I am in awe of his ability to play rapidly, pianissimo on such an aggressive instrument.
Franz Mohr (Steinway's head technician for many years) wrote in his autobiography "My Life with the Great Pianists" that Horowitz' piano was a normal Steinway Model D, and that Horowitz liked it to be regulated/weighted to be on the light side (within the normal range of a Steinway D), and that this was in contrast to Rubinstein, who liked a heavier, more resistant feel.
I have Mohr's book also. If Horowitz's piano was within Steinway 's normal range, it was nonetheless the lightest Steinway I personally ever had the opportunity to play. I will note that, for Horowitz's Rachmaninoff Third Concerto performances in the late 1970s, Mohr writes that he hardened the hammers of the piano, at Horowitz's insistence, far beyond what he would normally do. He found the exaggerated brilliance highly unpleasant. He admits that he later secretly replaced the harder hammers while the piano was at Steinway for maintenance.
Thank you for the video, very instructive! I didn’t know much about Horowitz but always found curious the way he placed his hands on the piano, really interesting…
Wonderful post, thanks a lot 🙏🙏 … he played a few Steinway D Models … the action was always regulated in a light way, his Piano Tuner Franz Mohr told in different interviews (there is something in YT too) … but you are right: nobody could reach his soundcontrol while playing these Horowitz-Steinways … Greetings …
@@horoffraIf I recall correctly, the piano regulations used by Horowitz were not preserved. So possibly the recordings you heard from other people playing on his piano are on 'default settings', hence why it sounds like a 'normal' piano.
Excellent video. I had the good fortune to hear him play a few times. My father was in the Conservatiorio in Milano. His father was a colleague of Arturo Toscanini. The Toscanini family invited us to hear him during the time he was not playing in public. We went to a small, family recital at Yale. Then in private. I adored him, but-- just my taste-- I didn't like the Star and Stripes Forever and the Carmen stuff. I would have given anything to have heard him play WTC -- especially 2nd book.... or the 1st Bach Concerto.. Dmino...He was just lovely and I've never heard a left hand like his. Thanks for this fine mini biography. He was unique-- but, for music-- (personal opinion) I listent to Arthur Schnabel and Glenn Gould-- It's also the repertoire-. When he played Beethoven and Mozart I adored it. Listz's Campanella does not touch me emotionally... Agai n, many thanks. MY papà would have loved this.
The point about others playing Horowitz' piano and not sounding like Horowitz is a telling one. Conversely, the only times Horowitz was seen playing a non Steinway was on his Moscow visit where he played Scriabin's and Tchaikovsky's pianos, and he still sounded like Horowitz! Steinway Head Technician Franz Mohr clarifies in his autobiography that Horowitz played a normal (more than one, in his career) Steinway Model D, with no special modifications. Mohr writes that Horowitz liked the regulation/key weighting to be on the LIGHT side. Noted piano technician William Bremmer writes elsewhere on RUclips that he had opportunity to play Horwitz' piano not long after Horowtiz died, and found that it was a normal Steinway, very precisely regulated for quick response and fast repetition. Horowitz was such a feather in Steinway's cap that naturally they would spare no effort in always regulating and voicing his piano to be exactly as he wanted.
I started listening interested in all things Horowitz and right in the opening you didn't take the trouble to find out the facts about his daughter-so why should I continue? She was 40 when ahe died and if you read more about him, in a strange why he was almost relieved when she died-or not especially affected
@@macman316 First it's not your video-what do you care? I listened in the hope of learning something-you know what that is? Clearly you've shown you don't even know anything about the subject. Have anything to contribute to the topic?-No? I figured that.
Videolarınızı kendi dilinizle hazırlarsanız translate daha iyi tercüme edebilir. İngilizcenizi Türkçeye iyi çeviremediği için sözleriniz tam anlaşılamıyor. (Tur) . . . . . (Eng) If you prepare your videos in your own language, Translator can translate them better. Your words cannot be fully understood because they cannot translate your English into Turkish well.
Read the Glenn Plaskin biography, also in Byron Janis's memoirs. Horowitz even went to a psychologist to change his sexual orientation. It's totally a fact
Thanks for sharing!! Appreciate it!
very nice. Ive always found Horowitz fascanating. Very good video!
Thanks
Thank you for your video. I too am a tremendous fan of Horowitz.
I played one of his pianos at Steinway in Ney York in the early 2000s. The action was surprisingly light, and it would practically as soon as you touched it. I am in awe of his ability to play rapidly, pianissimo on such an aggressive instrument.
Franz Mohr (Steinway's head technician for many years) wrote in his autobiography "My Life with the Great Pianists" that Horowitz' piano was a normal Steinway Model D, and that Horowitz liked it to be regulated/weighted to be on the light side (within the normal range of a Steinway D), and that this was in contrast to Rubinstein, who liked a heavier, more resistant feel.
I have Mohr's book also. If Horowitz's piano was within Steinway 's normal range, it was nonetheless the lightest Steinway I personally ever had the opportunity to play. I will note that, for Horowitz's Rachmaninoff Third Concerto performances in the late 1970s, Mohr writes that he hardened the hammers of the piano, at Horowitz's insistence, far beyond what he would normally do. He found the exaggerated brilliance highly unpleasant. He admits that he later secretly replaced the harder hammers while the piano was at Steinway for maintenance.
Thank you for the video, very instructive! I didn’t know much about Horowitz but always found curious the way he placed his hands on the piano, really interesting…
Thanks 😊
Wonderful post, thanks a lot 🙏🙏 … he played a few Steinway D Models … the action was always regulated in a light way, his Piano Tuner Franz Mohr told in different interviews (there is something in YT too) … but you are right: nobody could reach his soundcontrol while playing these Horowitz-Steinways … Greetings …
Thanks for the info, will search that
@@horoffraIf I recall correctly, the piano regulations used by Horowitz were not preserved. So possibly the recordings you heard from other people playing on his piano are on 'default settings', hence why it sounds like a 'normal' piano.
Excellent video. I had the good fortune to hear him play a few times. My father was in the Conservatiorio in Milano. His father was a colleague of Arturo Toscanini. The Toscanini family invited us to hear him during the time he was not playing in public. We went to a small, family recital at Yale. Then in private. I adored him, but-- just my taste-- I didn't like the Star and Stripes Forever and the Carmen stuff. I would have given anything to have heard him play WTC -- especially 2nd book.... or the 1st Bach Concerto.. Dmino...He was just lovely and I've never heard a left hand like his. Thanks for this fine mini biography. He was unique-- but, for music-- (personal opinion) I listent to Arthur Schnabel and Glenn Gould-- It's also the repertoire-. When he played Beethoven and Mozart I adored it. Listz's Campanella does not touch me emotionally... Agai n, many thanks. MY papà would have loved this.
horowitz and arrau are my favorite
The point about others playing Horowitz' piano and not sounding like Horowitz is a telling one. Conversely, the only times Horowitz was seen playing a non Steinway was on his Moscow visit where he played Scriabin's and Tchaikovsky's pianos, and he still sounded like Horowitz! Steinway Head Technician Franz Mohr clarifies in his autobiography that Horowitz played a normal (more than one, in his career) Steinway Model D, with no special modifications. Mohr writes that Horowitz liked the regulation/key weighting to be on the LIGHT side. Noted piano technician William Bremmer writes elsewhere on RUclips that he had opportunity to play Horwitz' piano not long after Horowtiz died, and found that it was a normal Steinway, very precisely regulated for quick response and fast repetition. Horowitz was such a feather in Steinway's cap that naturally they would spare no effort in always regulating and voicing his piano to be exactly as he wanted.
Typos: ...his piano would practically roar as soon as you touched it, yet he could play rapidly, pianissimo on such an aggressive instrument.
Amazing video ! Loved it. Do u plan to do these videos on other unique pianist (for instance G. Gould) ?
GG is next 😊
9:51 Even Liszt himself stopped.
I am a little confused. In the beginning it sounds like you said he was gay. Is this true?
Yes
I think it would be more correct to say he was bisexual
@@Changing104 what does that mean. Is that different then being attracted to men as a man
@@horoffra this is very interesting! I never would have imagined him as gay.
Merci, an Al Gore Rhythm comment.
I started listening interested in all things Horowitz and right in the opening you didn't take the trouble to find out the facts about his daughter-so why should I continue? She was 40 when ahe died and if you read more about him, in a strange why he was almost relieved when she died-or not especially affected
@@macman316 First it's not your video-what do you care? I listened in the hope of learning something-you know what that is? Clearly you've shown you don't even know anything about the subject. Have anything to contribute to the topic?-No? I figured that.
@@macman316 Got your number buddy-sorry I, sort of, took you seriously. Won't waste any more time.
@@labienus9968shut the hell up
Videolarınızı kendi dilinizle hazırlarsanız translate daha iyi tercüme edebilir. İngilizcenizi Türkçeye iyi çeviremediği için sözleriniz tam anlaşılamıyor. (Tur) . . . . . (Eng) If you prepare your videos in your own language, Translator can translate them better. Your words cannot be fully understood because they cannot translate your English into Turkish well.
Play something.
What's your source on Horowitz being homosexual? Isn't it just speculation as it is for Richter?
Not sure anymore but i think his bio, be research on google you will find.
Read the Glenn Plaskin biography, also in Byron Janis's memoirs. Horowitz even went to a psychologist to change his sexual orientation. It's totally a fact
It’s absolutely true, when he gave concerts the organisers sometimes had to provide boy porn for him, as I know from someone who was such an organiser
It’s so obvious he was gay. Very difficult considering the times, his Jewish background and the damage it would of done to his career