Absolutely love this version of the National Anthem, and Horowitz, who played for Hoover in 31' Carter in 77' and Reagan in 85'..quite a span of years!!
When things got stressful, Carter went off alone and listened to a Brahms symphony! Imagine Trump doing that! He doesn't even like music. Automatically distrust him.
I would not be surprised if this were Horowitz's own arrangement of the song. He wrote many technically brilliant arrangements, including his legendary Carmen Fantasie and The Stars and Stripes Forever.
I have the sheet music. It's not exactly sightreadable, but Horowitz wasn't big on excessively notey transcriptions. The reason some of his transcriptions are ridiculously difficult is just that he wanted to get as much of the full orchestral sounds onto a single piano part. With the Star-Spangled Banner, there's not too much you can do, and he's smart enough not to just throw in excess notes. That's why I like him - he makes it hard when it needs to be, not just to show off.
Horowitz had the ability to play anything with explosive interpretation. Perhaps his experience of communism taking over his native Russia ("They took my piano!") made him appreciate our National Anthem, without all the fancy trimmings, more than most of us do?
In the best Horowitz bio, it said that VH came to the WH early in the afternoon to check on the piano etc. The staff told the Pres., that VH was entering. JC was so excited to meet him that he jumped up and rushed out to greet VH. But, JC did not put on his jacket. Wanda was furious (as usual) at the awful disrespect shown by the President, and disliked Carter ever after. Carter was a fine president - even great - cf. the Duck Dynasty hero we suffer with today.
Great arrangement of a great suite. Sousa composed it on-board ship travelling back to America after receiving a telegram that his friend had died. This roused Sousa to musical power and he found inside himself a freewheeling and uplifting suite called... The Stars and Stripes Forever! Hit it!
If you really want an embarrassing mistake, look up Horowitz's performance at the White House for Reagan. While Ronald Reagan makes his speech of praise afterward, Nancy Reagan edges her chair too far forward and falls off the stage!
I have to admit...I got a little tears in my eyes watching this. I've played piano, bass, guitar etc. since the 1970s but I consider Vladimir a true "Level 20" musician, like Frank Zappa. Vladi could play almost anything, and have a smile on his face :)
For some reason, I find this performance comedic. As if he's been asked to play "chopsticks," or something. It's what happens when you give someone like Horowitz a simple piece like the National Anthem, and he plays it merely to humor you. Nice video. Thanks for the post.
This is Rachmaninoff's arrangement with some added flourish. A bad pianist can make an easy piece sound bad. Horowitz did justice to this. Stop bagging on him. Besides, it was appropriate to play the national anthem at the beginning in the setting he was in. Stars and Stripes for introduction? It's was the encore piece he recorded in the 40's. By this time he was playing different encores such as Moszkowski Etincelles.
The great Russian dancer Nureyev also met Jimmy Carter at the White House and pleaded with Carter to permit his elderly ailing mother to emigrate to the USA on humanitarian grounds. Carter coldheartedly refused this request. Afterwards, Nureyev placed a powerful Russian curse upon Carter. For the remainder of his life Nureyev gleefully took credit for Carter’s losing reelection!
Carter speaks of Horowitz as a national treasure, Reagan speaks about a treasure of the whole world.... the only pianist is Vladimir Horowitz who was honored in such an important way by two different presidents of the united states. Its a shame that russia never did the same... Gorbatchev had the chance to make a gesture in that sense, he didn t. shame on that ancien russian regime who forced so many important artists to emmigration.
@BenMcCormack91 Thank you. I really appreciate that. I've only been playing piano for 9 months so i think it will be a while before i get to play that, but i will play it someday. Thanks again.
@@themoonfleesthroughclouds you can change the description at any time (both then and now). regardless, i'm curious about the details (as i'm sure many others are)
Horowitz supposedly was dissapointed with the performance. Guests that had heard him play before felt that that special intangible horowitzian quality was somehow missing. Nonetheless it was remarkable.
At least that was while Jimmy Carter - respected personnality - was the president. Imagine Reagean beeing in the audience it would have been disgusting and disappointing. Like when Yo-Yo Ma performed a duet with Condoleeza Rice on the piano (again in the WH)......
To the Proud Portugese: At least Carter loved music, had enough sense to invite the greatest pianist in the world, thank God for that. The current occupant of the White House only understands golf, vacations, hip hop and rap. And how to spend the Taxpayer's money. Just remember that!!
You are a moron. Is this the place you found to spew your racism? The Obamas were one of the most cultured occupants of the white house. They invited a whole range of artists including Jazz players too, and remember that some of the Jazz pianists (black!) from last century were some of the greatest in history. Even Horowitz admired Art Tatum ...Ever heard Art Tatum play piano? Your white ass will take a big shit if you understand how complex his playing was. And I wont even comment on your crap about how Obama loved vacations. He brought the country out of the shit hole created by Bush, who himself was all vacation and no work. And look who we have now. An uncultured, illiterate loser businessman con-artist yellow head. Well, I guess it doesnt matter to you how stupid and uncultured trump is because he is white right? You racist pig.
oh you are here for the music are you? star spangled banner ? played by the great Vladimir Horowitz?? thats your music? Why dont you go listen to Horowitz playing Mozart or Rachmaninoff? Then you would be listening to music. I simply responded to what I saw was a stupid ignorant political comment.
