My future is in my past and my past is my present. I must now make the present my future.
Vladimir HorowitzRead
Played percussively, the piano is a bore. If I go to a concert and someone plays like that I have two choices: go home or go to sleep. The goal is to make the piano sing, sing, sing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of expression and artistry in playing the piano rather than simply executing notes.
In this quote, Horowitz expresses his belief that a piano performance should transcend technical playing, aiming instead for emotional depth and beauty. He finds merely playing percussively to be uninteresting, suggesting that the true artistry lies in making the piano resonate with life and emotion, effectively making it 'sing'.
Themes
PianoMusicArtistryExpressionPerformance
In practice
Example use cases
During a music class, a teacher might use this quote to encourage students to find their own voice in their piano playing.
More from Vladimir Horowitz
All quotes →I may play the same program from one recital to the next, but I will play it differently, and because it is always different, it is always new.
Vladimir HorowitzRead
I must tell you I take terrible risks. Because my playing is very clear, when I make a mistake you hear it. If you want me to play only the notes without any specific dynamics, I will never make one mistake. Never be afraid to dare.
Vladimir HorowitzRead
The score is not a bible, and I am never afraid to dare. The music is behind those dots.
Vladimir HorowitzRead
You have to open the music, so to speak, and see what's behind the notes because the notes are the same whether it is the music of Bach or someone else.
Vladimir HorowitzRead
Always there should be a little mistake here and there - I am for it. The people who don't do mistakes are cold like ice. It takes risk to make a mistake. If you don't take risk, you are boring.
Vladimir HorowitzRead
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