"I am not one who was born in the custody of wisdom. I am one who is fond of olden times and intense in quest of the sacred knowing of the ancients." Gustave Courbet

25 October 2016

Dazzled.

From The New York Times, April 21, 1986 ...

Vladimir Horowitz returned to the Soviet musical stage today, giving a recital that dazzled the audience and left many in tears.

It was the 81-year-old pianist's first recital in the Soviet Union since he left his homeland 61 years ago to make a career in the West.

Mr. Horowitz, playing with a clarity and dynamic range that friends said he had not matched in many years, seemed to create an emotional bond with his former countrymen.

Many Cry Openly
Many in the audience cried unabashedly during portions of the recital when he played works by Rachmaninoff and Scriabin, both Russians, and during an encore by Schumann.

The audience, applauding loudly and shouting cheers, brought Mr. Horowitz back on stage for six curtain calls after he had played three encores.

Mr. Horowitz, leaning against the piano to rest, pointed to the sweat streaming down his brow and shook his head, indicating he could not play anymore.

The documentary, Horowitz in Moscow ...

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