Horowitz: His Life and Music

Vladimir Horowitz was one of the most significant pianists of the 20th century. This biography by Harold C. Schonberg traces Horowitz's life from his early years in Ukraine through his rise to international fame and his final performances. The book examines Horowitz's musical development, performance style, and repertoire choices through extensive research and firsthand accounts. Schonberg draws from interviews, reviews, recordings, and personal correspondence to construct a complete portrait of the pianist's artistic evolution. The narrative follows Horowitz through his marriage to Wanda Toscanini, his periods of retirement and return to the stage, and his complex relationships with other musicians and composers. Technical aspects of Horowitz's playing and interpretive approach receive detailed analysis. The biography presents Horowitz as a figure who embodied both the Romantic piano tradition and modernist innovation, exploring tensions between public persona and private struggle. His story raises questions about artistic excellence, performance anxiety, and the costs of pursuing musical perfection.

Readers found this biography offers deep insight into Horowitz's musical interpretations and performance style while providing a balanced look at his personal challenges and eccentricities. Liked: - Detailed analysis of Horowitz's playing technique and artistic choices - Coverage of his career struggles and comebacks - Examination of his relationships with other musicians - Research quality and musical expertise Disliked: - Some sections focus too heavily on technical musical analysis - Could include more personal anecdotes - Several readers noted repetitive passages - Limited coverage of his later years One reader commented "The musical analysis can be dense for non-musicians, but provides unmatched insight into Horowitz's artistry." Another noted "Schonberg avoids sensationalism while still addressing the pianist's well-known anxieties." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.12/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (24 reviews) Library Thing: 4.0/5 (11 ratings)

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🎹 Though Vladimir Horowitz was known for his incredible piano technique, he suffered from severe performance anxiety throughout his career and took multiple extended breaks from public performances, including one that lasted 12 years 📚 Author Harold C. Schonberg was the first music critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism (1971) and served as the chief music critic for The New York Times for 20 years 🎼 Horowitz made his last recording at age 86, just four months before his death in 1989, proving his enduring virtuosity even in his final days ⚡ The pianist was known for using an unusual hand position while playing - his fingers were held flat rather than curved, contradicting traditional piano technique, yet he achieved remarkable results 🏆 Horowitz's 1965 return to the concert stage after a 12-year absence was considered such a major cultural event that CBS broadcast it nationwide, and the subsequent album won three Grammy Awards