Tchaikovsky: Concerto No.1/Beethoven: Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"

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Free Music Notes for Tchaikovsky: Concerto No.1/Beethoven: Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"

Free Music Review: Unique and incomparable
Hit: 5 Stars

Horowitz himself has a fantastic reputation as interpreter of the Tchai first but was heading towards his first - 12 year - self-enforced retirement and was already riddled with the self doubt that got him there. In addition, his relationship with Toscanini, his father-in-law, was one based primarily on fear. Quite understandably so by all accounts. Other recorded Horowitz concerto performances with the maestro bear testimony to the fact that he found it hard to overcome Toscanini's enormous personality.

This time however something genuinely clicked, possibly because Horowitz could dominate a concert performance in a way that he couldn't in the studio. The adrenaline and personality in this performance are truly astounding. In inimitable Horowitzian fashion there is some re-writing of the score most especially in the coda of the finale where the ascending interlocking octaves scream way past the point where normal piano keyboards have disappeared. Its quite an effect.

In this way and with the performance as a whole, it is impossible to compare it with any other performance before or since. It is a unique record that demands attention, occasional attention I would say, rather than representing a reading to live with every day. It is simply a recording you have to hear.

There is any number of fine performances of this concerto, but for a fascinating visual document try the new the new Gilels DVD on EMI. This a remarkable document of a simply divine performance even allowing for ropey sound and dodgy camera work from 1958. It also has a sensational account of Prokofiev's third piano sonata recorded by Gilels in London a year later. Such sweep and command of keyboard colour, musical structure and colour is simply awesome to behold.

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