A Friday historical with a twist: here is something I have never heard before, namely Vladimir Horowitz playing Faure. This recording comes from a recital that the great Russian pianist gave in Ann Arbor in 1977. It is Faure's last and darkest Nocturne, No.13, written in 1921 and completed not long after the death of Saint-Saens. Horowitz gives short shrift to the misleading legend that late Faure must sound obscure, restrained and difficult: he draws out all the emotional devastation in the death-haunted heart of this music and its concentration and power come bowling out with immense impact. I find it breathtaking. You?
(Update, 5 April - there's been some to-ing and fro-ing over whether or not this recording was in fact commercially released, but I'm now assured by the owner of this Youtube channel that it wasn't. Please see the comments boxes!)
3 comments:
Dear Jessica,
I need to check but on top of my head, when RCA published a record of Horowitz playing Liszt Sonata (a follower to the historical EMI one), there were two Fauré nocturnes on the same black disc.
Best, Antoine
Hi Jessica -
I'm the owner of the Youtube channel you linked to and created the featured Youtube of Horowitz in the Faure. Thanks for linking - I'm happy to share my 400+ non-commercial Horowitz and Nyiregyhazi audios. :) The Youtube description is correct: that recording was never released commercially. *Another* recording of Horowitz in this Faure was released with the 1970s Liszt Sonata, as Antoine points out, but it was not of this performance. Horowitz played a lot of things people don't know about - one reason I've posted so much on my channel. The 1970s Liszt Sonata on record, btw, is far superseded in passion and fire by the Ann Arbor performance I have up from the same period. I'm glad I saw and had a bit of contact with the master - once. :)
Best regards,
Michael R. Brown
Hi Jessica -
I'm the owner of the Youtube channel you linked to and created the featured Youtube of Horowitz in the Faure. Thanks for linking - I'm happy to share my 400+ non-commercial Horowitz and Nyiregyhazi audios. :) The Youtube description is correct: that recording was never released commercially. *Another* recording of Horowitz in this Faure was released with the 1970s Liszt Sonata, as Antoine points out, but it was not of this performance. Horowitz played a lot of things people don't know about - one reason I've posted so much on my channel. The 1970s Liszt Sonata on record, btw, is far superseded in passion and fire by the Ann Arbor performance I have up from the same period. I'm glad I saw and had a bit of contact with the master - once. :)
Best regards,
Michael R. Brown
Post a Comment