Vladimir Horowitz

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Horowitz was born on October 1, 1903, in Kiev in the Russian Empire (present-day Ukraine). According to Nicolas Slonimsky, he was born in Berdichev, but his birth certificate states Kiev. He was the youngest of four children of Samuil Horowitz and Sophia (née Bodik), who were assimilated Jews. His uncle Alexander was a pupil and close friend of Alexander Scriabin. When Horowitz was 10, he played for Scriabin, who told his parents he was extremely talented. He received piano instruction from an early age, initially from his mother, and entered the Kiev Conservatory in 1912, studying under Vladimir Puchalsky, Sergei Tarnowsky, and Felix Blumenfeld. His first solo recital was in Kiev on May 30, 1920. During the Russian Civil War, he toured Russia and the Soviet Union, often paid with bread, butter and chocolate rather than money. In December 1925, he emigrated to Germany, ostensibly to study with Artur Schnabel but secretly intending not to return, financing his initial concerts by stuffing American dollars and British pound notes into his shoes. He made his U.S. debut on January 12, 1928, at Carnegie Hall, playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 under Sir Thomas Beecham. Horowitz later said he and Beecham had divergent ideas about tempos and that Beecham was conducting from memory and didn't know the piece. Olin Downes of The New York Times called his playing a 'tornado unleashed from the steppes.' Horowitz settled in the U.S. in 1939 and became an American citizen in 1944. He suffered from depression and withdrew from public performances from 1936 to 1938, 1953 to 1965, 1969 to 1974, and 1983 to 1985. In 1933, he married Wanda Toscanini, daughter of Arturo Toscanini. They had one child, Sonia Toscanini Horowitz (1934–1975), who died in Geneva from a drug overdose, whether accidental or suicide undetermined.

Reader's Guide

Horowitz's significance rests on his virtuoso technique, timbre, and the public excitement he generated. His recordings began in 1926 with piano rolls at Welte-Mignon in Freiburg, and his first U.S. recordings were made for Victor Talking Machine Company in 1928. His first European-produced recording, in 1930 by The Gramophone Company/HMV, was the world premiere recording of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with Albert Coates and the London Symphony Orchestra. In 1941, he recorded Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra; a live 1943 performance of the same work was selected for induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame. During his second retirement (1953–1965), he made recordings in his New York townhouse, including LPs of Scriabin and Clementi. His first stereo recording, issued by RCA Victor in 1959, was devoted to Beethoven piano sonatas. In 1962, he began recording for Columbia Records; best known are his 1965 return concert at Carnegie Hall and a 1968 recording from his CBS television special. He signed with Deutsche Grammophon in 1985, making his only recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23. His final recording, for Sony Classical, was completed four days before his death. Horowitz taught seven students between 1937 and 1965: Nico Kaufmann, Byron Janis, Gary Graffman, Coleman Blumfield, Ronald Turini, Alexander Fiorillo, and Ivan Davis. He later claimed only three: Janis, Turini, and Graffman. In the 1980s, he coached Murray Perahia and Eduardus Halim.

Did You Know?

• Horowitz's uncle Alexander was a pupil and close friend of composer Alexander Scriabin.
• During the Russian Civil War, Horowitz was often paid with bread, butter and chocolate instead of money.
• When he emigrated to Germany in 1925, Horowitz stuffed American dollars and British pound notes into his shoes to finance his initial concerts.
• Horowitz's first European-produced recording, in 1930, was the world premiere recording of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3.
• His final recording was completed just four days before his death and featured repertoire he had never previously recorded.

Roots and the Scriabin Connection

Born on October 1, 1903, in Kiev in the Russian Empire (present-day Ukraine), though Nicolas Slonimsky placed his birth in Berdichev, Vladimir Horowitz was the youngest of four children of Samuil Horowitz and Sophia (née Bodik), who were assimilated Jews. His uncle Alexander was a pupil and close friend of Alexander Scriabin. When Horowitz was 10, it was arranged for him to play for Scriabin, who told his parents that he was extremely talented. He received piano instruction from an early age, initially from his mother, who was herself a pianist. In 1912, he entered the Kiev Conservatory, where he was taught by Vladimir Puchalsky, Sergei Tarnowsky, and Felix Blumenfeld. His first solo recital was in Kiev on May 30, 1920. He soon began to tour Russia and the Soviet Union, where he was often paid with bread, butter and chocolate rather than money, due to the economic hardship caused by the Russian Civil War. During the 1922–23 season, he performed 23 concerts of eleven different programs in Petrograd alone. Despite his early success as a pianist, he maintained that he wanted to be a composer and undertook a career as a pianist only to help his family, who had lost their possessions in the Russian Revolution.

The Berlin Leap and the Carnegie Hall Storm

In December 1925, Horowitz emigrated to Germany, ostensibly to study with Artur Schnabel in Berlin but secretly intending not to return. He stuffed American dollars and British pound notes into his shoes to finance his initial concerts. On December 18, 1925, he made his first appearance outside his home country, in Berlin. He later played in Paris, London, and New York City. In 1926, the Soviet Union selected him to join the delegation of pianists for the I International Chopin Piano Competition in Poland in 1927, but he decided to remain in the West and did not participate. Horowitz gave his United States debut on January 12, 1928, in Carnegie Hall, playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 under Sir Thomas Beecham, who was also making his U.S. debut. Horowitz later said that he and Beecham had divergent ideas about tempos and that Beecham was conducting the score 'from memory and he didn't know' the piece. Olin Downes, writing for The New York Times, was critical about the tug of war between conductor and soloist, but credited Horowitz with both a beautiful singing tone in the second movement and a tremendous technique in the finale, calling his playing a 'tornado unleashed from the steppes.' Downes wrote: 'it has been years since a pianist created such a furor with an audience in this city.'

The Toscanini Partnership and the Shadow of Doubt

In 1933, Horowitz played for the first time with conductor Arturo Toscanini in a performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5. They went on to perform together many times, on stage and in recordings. In 1940, he recorded Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2, and in 1941, the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, both with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra. A live 1943 performance of the Tchaikovsky concerto with Horowitz and Toscanini, generally considered superior to the 1941 studio recording, was selected for induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Horowitz settled in the U.S. in 1939 and became an American citizen in 1944. Despite rapturous receptions at recitals, Horowitz became increasingly unsure of his abilities as a pianist. On several occasions, the pianist had to be pushed onto the stage. He suffered from depression and withdrew from public performances from 1936 to 1938, 1953 to 1965, 1969 to 1974, and 1983 to 1985. During his second retirement, he made a series of recordings for RCA Victor in his New York City townhouse, including LPs of Scriabin and Clementi. His first stereo recording, issued by RCA Victor in 1959, was devoted to Beethoven piano sonatas. In 1962, he embarked on a series of recordings for Columbia Records, including his 1965 return concert at Carnegie Hall and a 1968 recording from his television special, Vladimir Horowitz: a Concert at Carnegie Hall, televised by CBS on September 22, 1968.

The Long Farewell

Horowitz signed with Deutsche Grammophon in 1985, and made studio and live recordings until 1989, including his only recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23. Four documentary films featuring Horowitz were made during this period, including the telecast of his April 20, 1986, Moscow recital. His final recording, for Sony Classical (formerly Columbia), was completed four days before his death and consisted of repertoire he had never previously recorded. All of his recordings have been issued on compact disc, some several times. In the years following his death, CDs were issued containing previously unreleased performances, including selections from Carnegie Hall recitals recorded privately for Horowitz from 1945 to 1951. Horowitz died on November 5, 1989. His reputation rests on his virtuoso technique, timbre, and the public excitement engendered by his playing.