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Vladimir Horowitz. Photo by White House Photographic Office.

Top 10 Facts about Vladimir Horowitz

Vladimir Horowitz also known as Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian-born American classical pianist and composer born in 1903 in Kiev, then part of The Russian Empire.

Vladimir died on 5^th November, 1989 aged 86 years of a heart attack in New York City and was buried in the Cimitero Monumentale, Milan, Italy in the Toscanini family tomb.

Known for his virtuoso technique, tone color, and the public excitement engendered by his playing, Vladimir is considered one of the greatest pianists of all time.

The top 10 facts about Vladimir Horowitz include the following.

1. Vladimir Was Born in A Jewish Family

Vladimir Birth Certificate Solomon Lurie. Photo by .

Vladimir was born in Kiev which was part of the Russian Empire then but is now in Ukraine in 1903 according to his birth certificate.

His parents were Samuil Horowitz and Sophia Bodik who were assimilated Jews. He was the youngest of four children in the family.

His father Samuil was a well-to-do electrical engineer and also distributed electric motors for Germany companies in Kiev.

2. Vladimir Started Piano Training at Just 10 Years of Age

Vladimir started playing for Alexander Scriabin, a Russian composer and virtuoso pianist, when he was just 10 years of age. Alexander told his parents that Vladimir was extremely talented afterwards.

Vladimir’s mother who was herself a pianist started instructing him from an early age. He was further trained by Vladimir Puchalsky, Sergei Tarnowsky, and Felix Blumenfeld at the Kiev Conservatory which he joined in 1912.

Vladimir delivered his first solo recital after receiving training from the Kiev Conservatory in 1920 in Kharkiv in the Russian Empire but currently in Ukraine.

3. Vladimir Was Initially Paid in Bread, Butter and Chocolate

After his first recital at Kharkiv, Vladimir soon began to tour Russia and the USSR in early 1900’s. Due to the economic hardship caused by the Russian Civil War Vladimir was often paid with bread, butter and chocolate rather than money for his performances.

In Petrograd alone during the 1922-23 seasons, he performed 23 concerts of eleven different programs. Vladimir maintained that he only undertook a career as a pianist only to help his family as they had lost all their possessions in the Russian Revolution but deep down he wanted to be a composer.

4. Vladimir Emigrated to Germany Intending Never to Return to His Country

Artur Schnabel. Photo by Bain News Service, publisher. Wikimedia Commons

Vladimir emigrated to Germany, ostensibly to study with Artur Schnabel in Berlin. However, he did not intend to return as he stuffed American dollars and British pound notes in his shoes to finance his initial concerts in 1925 while at only 22 years of age.

He made his first appearance in Berlin in 1925 which was his first appearance outside his home country. He thereafter made appearances in Â鶹APP, London and New York in the United States of America later.

Due to his resolve to never return to his country, he failed to participate in the inaugural 1927 International Chopin Piano Competition in Poland even after being selected by Soviet authorities.

5. Vladimir Made His United States Debut In The Carnegie Hall In 1928

The Carnegie Hall.Photo by Wholtone.

Vladimir made his United States debut in the Carnegie Hall on 12^th January, 1928 when he was only 25 years of age. The Carnegie Hall is reputed as one of the most prestigious venues for both classical music and popular music in the world.

He played Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 under the direction of Sir Thomas Beecham during that United States debut at the Carnegie Hall.  During that performance, Vladimir had a phenomenal rapport with the audience which was like a “tornado unleashed from the steppes” according to Olin Downes, of The New York Times.

During that debut performance and pretty in all other performances throughout his career, Vladimir demonstrated a marked ability to excite his audience.

6. Vladimir Became an American Citizen In 1944

Arturo Toscanini. Photo by Unknown author.

Vladimir played a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 for the first time with the conductor Arturo Toscanini in 1933.

Together with Arturo Toscanini as his conductor, he went on to perform on stage and in recordings many other times thereafter.

He became an American citizen in 1944 even though he had settled in the U.S way back in 1939.

7. Vladimir Suffered from Depression

Despite the rapturous receptions that Vladimir received at recitals, he became increasing unsure of his abilities as a pianist which led to severe bouts of depression.

He withdrew from public performances from 1936 to 1938, 1953 to 1965, 1969 to 1974, and 1983 to 1985 due to depression.

He had to be pushed to stage to perform on several occasions due to severe bouts of depression.

8. Vladimir Married  His Conductor, Arturo Toscanini’s Daughter

Vladimir married Wanda Toscanini who was Arturo Toscanini’s daughter in a civil ceremony in 1933. Arturo Toscanini was his conductor in many of his recitals during his career.

Religion was not an issue in their marriage since neither of them was religiously observant even though Vladimir was Jewish while Wanda was Roman Catholic.

The primary language in their marriage was French since Wanda knew no Russian and Vladimir knew very little Italian.

9. Recordings, Documentary Films And Telecast Attest To His Outstanding Career

In 1928, Vladimir made his first recordings in the United States for the Victor Talking Machine Company.

However, his first-European recording was done by The Gramophone Company/HMV, RCA Victor’s UK based affiliate, of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Albert Coates and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Vladimir continued to make recordings in 1936, 1941, 1943 and all the way to just four days before he passed away.

Four documentary films featuring Vladimir were made including a telecast of a Moscow recital he performed on 20^th April, 1986.

10. Vladimir Taught Seven Students Between 1937 to 1962 Only

Vladimir taught seven students between 1937 and 1962 namely Nico Kaufmann, Byron Janis, Gary Graffman, Coleman Blumfield, Ronald Turini, Alexander Fiorillo and Ivan Davis.

 However, Vladimir claimed that during that period he taught only three students namely Byron Janis, Gary Graffman and Ronald Turini.

He claimed that he taught students for just a few months then stopped work with them because they did not progress.

The fact that Vladimir disavowed most of his students and blurred the facts was due to the erratic nature of his personality according to biographer Glenn Plaskin.