Ⅲ.17.2  The Great Comeback “Horowitz at Carnegie Hall” 

The Unreleased private Recitals preceding his Historic Return in 1965

In August, 2019, Sony released a book titled “THE GREAT COMEBACK” including 15CDs. 

      After an absence of twelve years, Vladimir Horowitz’s return to the concert stage was one of New York’s most exciting musical events. It was 3:38p.m., Sunday, May 9, 1965, when the great pianist stepped onto the stage of Carnegie Hall, greeted by a shouting, standing ovation. It was his first public performance since he had left the same stage on February 25, 1953. The recording of his recital would be awarded with three Grammy Awards and become one of the most successful classical albums. 

      In the months before the historic day of May 9, Horowitz went to Carnegie Hall – twice in January, twice in April -to play for his wife and close friends, before he decided he was ready to perform publicly. Columbia Masterworks recorded these intimate private recitals, as well as his subsequent rehearsals for his return in 1966, on tape, and they have remained almost entirely unreleased for more than 50 years. The present edition invites the listener to enter the circle of the few Horowitz Confidants who attended these event in the darkened, almost deserted hall: We hear Horowitz enjoying the freedom of improvisation in previously unheard, sparkling performances, his complete recordings in the brilliant sound of the concert hall, and many witty conversations recorded in an intimate working atmosphere. 

       ( From Sony Classical “The Great Comeback” 19075935332 15CDs book)

CD1      Rehearsal, Jan. 7, 1965, Carnegie Hall 

CD2      Rehearsal, Jan. 13, 1965, Carnegie Hall 

CD3      Recording Session, Jan. 26, 1965, Columbia 30^th Street Studio 

CD4      Rehearsal, Apr. 7, 1965, Carnegie Hall 

CD5/6    Rehearsal, Apr. 14, 1965, Carnegie Hall 

CD7/8    Concert, May 9, 1965, Carnegie Hall “An Historic Return” 

CD9      Rehearsal, Nov. 9, 1965, Carnegie Hall “Blackout Concert” 

              Recording Session, May 18, 1966, Columbia 30^th Street Studio 

CD10/11   Rehearsal, Apr. 5, 1966, Carnegie Hall 

CD12/13   Concert, Apr. 17, 1966, Carnegie Hall 

CD14/15   Interview with Abram Chasins, Jun. 1965

SONY-2019-19075935332-01-EU 

CD1 (1965.1.7) 

 BACH=BUSONI 

5~7. Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C, BWV564 

 CHOPIN 

 9. Polonaise fantaisie in Ab, Op. 61 

DEBUSSY

       11. Pour les arpeges composes 

SCHUMANN 

13. Fantaisie in C, Op. 17 

CHOPIN 

15. Nocturne in F, Op. 55-1 

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CD2 (1965.1.13) 

MOSZKOWSKI 

1. Etude in Ab, Op. 72-11 

CHOPIN 

4. Nocturne in F, Op. 55-1 

SCHUMANN 

6-8. Fantaisie in C  Op. 17 

DEBUSSY 

        10. Pour les huit doigts (excerpt) 

CHOPIN  

        13. Mazurka in C minor Op.56-3 

         15. Ballard No.1 in G minor Op.23 

SONY-2019-19075935332-03-EU 

CD3 (1965.1.26) 

   CHOPIN 

 2-9. Polonaise Fantaisie in Ab, Op. 61 (Take 1) 

10-17. Nocturne in F, Op. 55-1 (Take 1) 

18-32. Ballard No.1 in G minor Op.23 (Take 1) 

        33. Mazurka in E minor Op.41-1 (Take 1) 

        35. Mazurka in B minor Op.33-4 (excerpt) (Take 1) 

        37. Mazurka in F-sharp minor Op.59-3 (Take 1) 

        39. Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat major Op.61 (Take 1, edited)

SONY-2019-19075935332-04-EU 

CD4 (1965.4.7)

BACH=BUSONI 

3-9. Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C, BWV564 

SCHUMANN 

11-13. Fantasy in C, Op. 17 

SCARLATTI 

16.  Sonata in E, L. 23 (K. 380) 

RACHMANINOFF 

17. Prelude No. 23 in g#, Op. 32-12 

    CHOPIN 

       18. Etude No.2 in A-flat major 

 MOSZKOWSKI 

       19.  Etude in A-flat major Op.72-11 

    LISZT 

       20.  Valse oubliee in F-sharp major s 215-1 

CHOPIN 

      21.  Etude in F major Op.10-8 (excerpt) 

SCRIABIN 

      22.  Piano Sonata No.9 “Black Mass” Op.68  

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CD5 (1965.4.14)

BACH=BUSONI 

3-5. Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C, BWV564 

SCHUMANN 

7-9. Fantasy in C, Op. 17 

CD6 (1965.4.14) 

SCRIABIN 

       2.  Piano Sonata No.9 “Black Mass” Op.68

       4.  Poeme in F-sharp major Op.32-1 

 CHOPIN 

        6.  Etude in F major Op.10-8 

         8.  Mazurka in B minor Op.30-4 

         9.  Mazurka in B minor Op.33-4 

MOSZKOWSKI 

         11.  Etude in A-flat major Op.72-11 

　 SCRIABIN 

　  　13.  Etude in C-sharp minor Op.2-1 

  DEBUSSY 

          15. Serenade for the Doll

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CD7 (1965.5.9) 

BACH=BUSONI 

1-3. Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C, BWV564 

SCHUMANN 

4-6. Fantasy in C, Op. 17 

CD8 (1965.5.9) 

 SCRIABIN 

      1.  Piano Sonata No.9 “Black Mass” Op.68 

      2.  Poeme in F-sharp major Op.32-1 

CHOPIN 

      3.  Mazurka in B minor Op.30-4 

4.  Etude in F major Op.10-8 

     5.  Ballade No.1 in G minor Op.23 

DEBUSSY 

     6.  Serenade for the Doll 

SCRIABIN 

　　 7.  Etude in C-sharp minor Op.2-1 

MOSZKOWSKI 

        8.  Etude in A-flat major Op.72-11 

SCHUMANN 

     9.  Traumerei Op.15-7 from Kinderszenen 

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CD9 1-12 (1965.11.9) 

    SCARLATTI 

        2.  Sonata in A major L.494 (K 101) 

        3.  Sonata in F minor L.118 (K 466) 

        4.  Sonata in G major L.209 (K 455)

 BEETHOVEN 

       6-9.  Sonata No.7 in D major Op.10-3

 SCRIABIN

       11.  Sonata No.10 Op.70 

           Applause 

The Northeast Blackout

 CD9 13-23 (1966.5.18) 

      MOZART 

          14.  Sonata No.11 in A major K 331(300i) (Take 1) I Tema. Andante – Var. I-III 

          16.  Sonata No.11 in A major K 331(300i) (Take 1) I Tema. Var. V. – Var. VI 

          18.  II Menuetto – Trio (rehearsal)

          20.  I Tema. Andante Var. V. Adadio (Take2) 

          22.  Tema. Andante (Take2) 

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 CD10 (1966 4.5) 

   SCARLATTI 

       6.  Sonata in F minor L.187 (K 481) 

   BEETHOVEN 

       8.  32 Variations in C minor on an Original Theme WoO 80 

   MOZART 

       10-12.  Sonata No.11 in A major K 331(300i)

 CD11 (1966.4.5) 

  SCRIABIN 

      2.   Sonata No.10 Op.70

  CHOPIN 

      4.  Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat major Op.61 

      6.  Nocturne in E minor Op.72-1 

  SCARLATTI 

      8.  Sonata in E major L.23 (K 380) 

  LISZT

      10. Valse oubliee in F-sharp major s215-1 

  MENDELSSOHN 

      12. Song Without Words in B minor “Shepherd’s Complaint” Op.67-5 

  RACHMANINOFF

      14. Etude-tableau in D major Op.39-9  

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 CD12 (1966.4.17) 

   SCARLATTI 

         2.  Sonata in F minor L.187 (K 481) 

   BEETHOVEN 

         3.  32 Variations in C minor on an Original Theme WoO 80 

   MOZART 

         4-6. Sonata No.11 in A major K 331 (300i) 

   SCRIABIN 

         7.  Sonata No.10 Op.70 

 CD13 (1966.4.17) 

    CHOPIN 

        2.  Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat Op.61 

        3.  Mazurka in B minor Op.33-4 

        4.  Nocturne in E minor Op.posth. 72-1 

        5.  Scherzo No.1 in B minor Op.20 

   MENDELSSOHN 

        6.  Song Without Words in B minor “Shepherd’s Complaint” Op. 67-5 

  LISZT 

        7. Valse oubliee in F-sharp major s215-1 

  RACHMANINOFF 

        8. Etude-tableau in D major Op.39-9 

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 CD14,15 (1965.6) 

       Interview with Abram Chasins  

Go to  III 18 (LP)