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Vintage Horowitz Mar 03, 2010
The other reviewers have pretty well covered almost everything I could have said. This recording has amazing performances if you like Horowitz, and for some purposes, I do. I realize there are certainly better minds at the keyboard and more subtle performances. Richter is usually my first choice among pianists; he famously said that Horowitz had a great talent and a trivial mind. I have to agree. But after decades of immersing myself in the Ballades, and especially the No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, I recommend this recording above all others. Horowitz lets it rip, and in just the right way, at just the right moment. When you want real oomph, real emotional impact with pieces like this, there is no one like Horowitz. That Ballade is simply gorgeous, as attested by its central appearance in the movie "Impromptu," about Chopin's life, with Hugh Grant as Chopin. There, Emanuel Ax did the honors and he plays well, no question. I also have Rubinstein, Ax, Entremont, and Pollini, as well as other recordings by Horowitz. It can be tricky to play with good phrasing. Alas, the sound on this recording is not great, but it's good enough. For real sizzle and bodice-ripping passion, this one is just the best.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Good selection and playing Dec 11, 2007
I own this CD and volume 2. If they put the Funeral March on volume 1 (maybe removing one or two lesser pieces in the process), I would be happy with just the first volume. Volume 2 is weak.
Horowitz plays very well, certainly much better than I do. This disk is very quiet in places, and if you turn the volume up, other parts are too loud. I think this is more a complaint with the recording than with Horowitz.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Like new Sep 17, 2007
This CD is exactly what I wanted. It truly is in like new condition, I feel I definitely got what I paid for.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Perfect Jul 02, 2007
I have all (that I know of) Horowitz' Chopin CDs. They are wonderful. Caution. There are live recordings mixed in with the studio, so be prepared for audience participation on some pieces. I used to think Rubinstein was the ultimate Chopin player. They're both superlative, but I prefer the crisp, clean, distinct sound of Horowitz now. I love Horowitz anyway. On an NPR program some years ago, a female music expert was played Chopin, once by Rubinstein and once by Horowitz and told to guess which was which. She guessed wrong, I was right. She went into rhapsodies over the Horowitz and thought it was Rubinstein. She was also played a fragment of something or other by Beethoven and asked to identify the composer. She didn't, I did. There for all the critics of my "reviews" who blatantly called me a musical ignoramus because I don't like Wagner, Sondheim or the operas of Mozart (except a few of the beer hall tunes out of Don Giovanni)! The Horowitz Chopins (all the collections) are wonderful, and all have technical drawbacks as recordings. The fact that there are so many badly recorded live recordings mixed in with the studio ones. Still worth the money.
Great Performances, Shoddy Remastering Sep 15, 2006
It should be noted that the recordings on this CD (originally issued in the 1980s) have been reissued with better remastering than this AAD, rather tinny sounding version. Search under Sony's complete Horowitz edition and you'll find the later versions.
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