Search - Domenico Scarlatti, Vladimir Horowitz :: Horowitz Plays Scarlatti

Superb Horowitz

B. Ballard | Somerville, MA USA | 11/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD was previously released as Sony Classical's Horowitz The Complete Masterworks Recordings - Volume II The Celebrated Scarlatti Recordings. It was superb then, and this new album cover is nicer.



If you are a fan of Horowitz, then this is essential. Many of Horowitz's other albums open with a few Scarlatti sonatas, which was how I found that I loved Scarlatti. In particular, I would recommend "Discovered Treasures", which consists of previously unreleased Horowitz recordings which were left off his previous Columbia albums, including six Scarlatti sonatas."

Why not five stars?

Jun Nakano | Champaign, IL | 03/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Horowitz's piano is superb but I cannot help complaining about one stupid audience coughing every five seconds in the last two sonatas, which ruins the music especially when you are using headphones (listen to the sampler). How was this bad recording included in this CD? Otherwise, wasn't it possible to "digitally" remove this annoying sound?"

So, that's what it was about the great fuss over Horowitz.

Abel | Hong Kong | 11/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A landmark album. The leaflet accompanying the CD is also a landmark piece of article.

I agree that if Horowitz did not play anything else worthwhile, he would still unmistakably be remembered for his Domenico Scarlatti.

There are younger pianists nowadays playing Scarlatti, even the ENTIRE set of Scarlatti sonatas.

The value of this album lies not on quantity - it is by no means the complete set, but each single piece is played to such incomparable and exemplary level that you really need go no further for marvellous Scarlatti.

Some modern pianists play very decent Scarlatti - Ivo Pogorelich, for instance. Horowitz however should be accredited for being the pioneer of this composer's keyboard works, and this pioneer had by the same token set the standard for such pieces.

Who else could that person be but Horowitz?"