0:00 April 18 & 24 and May 9 & 14, 1962*: CBS 30th Street Studio, New York City, New York (Studio)
4:45 November 16, 1975: Carnegie Hall, New York City (Live)

Selected Études-Tableaux: [ Ссылка ]
Horowitz plays Rachmaninoff: [ Ссылка ]

The Études-Tableaux ("study pictures"), Op. 39, is the second of two sets of piano études composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff. They were intended to be "picture pieces", essentially "musical evocations of external visual stimuli". (Still Rachmaninoff did not disclose what inspired each one.)
Rachmaninoff biographer Max Harrison calls the Études-Tableaux "studies in musical composition"; while they explore a variety of themes, they "investigate the transformation of rather specific climates of feeling via piano textures and sonorities. They are thus less predictable than the preludes and compositionally mark an advance" in technique. They are even fuller, more finely textured and darker than the first set(Op. 33).

No. 5 in e-flat minor is possibly the dramatic peak of both the Op. 33 and Op. 39 sets. It turns passionate, tumultuous, despairing, and somber. It ends on a glimmer of hope, in the parallel major key.

In this piece, Horowitz's playing style shines once again. His ability to create tones is amazing, and from the first note he plays, we can already grasp the mood of the piece. This remarkable tonal expression is properly reviving the feeling of the piece represented by depression. Especially it's an amazing ability to reveal each note without breaking the whole atmosphere. Every time I hear 2:43 I can't help but surprise. It constantly builds up tension towards the climax, then everything bursts there. The original theme reappearing under one octave, the triplet continuing on the right hand, and the accompaniment of the left hand, these three things are exclusive but completely fused to form the climax of the piece.

The 1975 recording included as a bonus is a great example of how Horowitz's changing style of playing in the 70s. While the 1962 recordings are characterized by water-flowing neatness and stability, the 1975 recordings have a deeper and thicker expression with more emphasis on bass.

* These are the dates of studio recording sessions for this album. This piece would also have been recorded on one of those days, but who knows the exact date.

свернуть