# Horowitz Plays Chopin Vladimir Horowitz, Pianist **URL:** **By** Roy A. Childs, Jr. **Published:** February 1, 1974 --- “But enough said; this is not just another Chopin album, it is Horowitz’ Chopin.” During his all-too-brief lifetime, Frederic Chopin composed some of the greatest music for piano that the world has ever heard, ranging from tiny little preludes and etudes to the larger-scaled polonaises and the two piano concertos. On this magnificent album, Vladimir Horowitz has chosen to present six of Chopin’s finest pieces: the Polonaise Fantaisie, Polonaise in A-Flat Major, Introduction and Rondo, the Mazurka in A Minor, Etude in G-Flat Major (“Black Key” etude) and the Waltz in A Minor. Horowitz is not often thought of as a great Chopin player; when Chopin is in mind, one’s thoughts tend to turn instead to Artur Rubinstein, Maurizio Pollini, Arturo Benetti Michaelangeli or even Ivan Moravec. But when he is at his best—and he most assuredly is on this album—Vladimir Horowitz can more than hold his own with any of them, to put it mildly, particularly in Chopin’s larger-scaled works. The bulk of this recording is indeed taken up with works such as the Polonaise Fantaisie, the Polonaise in A-Flat Major and the Introduction and Rondo. With these works, as with the Mazurka, Etude and Waltz, Horowitz provides some of the greatest interpretations of piano pieces in all of recording history. With the Polonaise Fantaisie and the Polonaise in A-Flat Major, no one can come close to Horowitz’ readings, with his fusion of tension, color and delicacy. Next to these, Rubinstein’s versions are _almost_ dull—but not quite. The famous Polonaise in A-Flat Major is a case in point: the work is inherently heroic; Horowitz moves beyond this to provide real grandeur and a march-like tension missing from other versions. The recording of the Polonaise Fantaisie was taken from a Carnegie Hall concert of 1966 and has already been justly acclaimed as a Horowitz masterpiece. The Introduction and Rondo in E-Flat Major is somewhat of an anomaly. Written when Chopin was a mere 22 years old, it is seldom played by pianists. Yet, as Horowitz himself says, “The Introduction and Rondo has aristocratic elegance. In our time, we could use a touch of elegance. I don’t understand why this piece is not often played—the public would adore it… Chopin wanted to make a glittering piece for the public. And that is just what he did—and with beautiful taste!” Horowitz plays the piece in exactly that style. Needless to add, nothing else suffers at Horowitz’ hands either! Everything which is great about Horowitz is present here: the delicacy, the elegance, the power and the sense of drama and color. The notes are flicked off as though they were tiny gems possessing all the colors of the rainbow. But enough said; this is not just another Chopin album, it is _Horowitz’_ Chopin. That combination is what makes this recording so special. _Reviewed by R. A. Childs, Jr. / Classical Recording / BFL Price $4.95 (List Price $5.95)_