If you want me to play only the notes without any specific dynamics, I will never make one mistake. Vladimir Horowitz More Quotes by Vladimir Horowitz More Quotes From Vladimir Horowitz Piano playing consists of common sense, heart and technical resources. All three should be equally developed. Without common sense you are a fiasco, without technique an amateur, without heart a machine. The profession does have its hazards. Vladimir Horowitz common-sensepianoheart There are three kinds of pianists: Jewish pianists, homosexual pianists, and bad pianists. Vladimir Horowitz homosexualthreekind Perfection itself is imperfection. Vladimir Horowitz not-being-perfectimperfectionperfection 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 Horowitz mistakesuccesslife False notes [on the piano] are human. Why does everything have to be perfect? You know, perfection itself is imperfection. Vladimir Horowitz pianoperfectdoe I have no style, because I change each time . . . each day I play differently. Today I play differently than yesterday. Vladimir Horowitz styleyesterdayplay Your mind must control, but you must have heart . . . . Give your feeling free. Vladimir Horowitz feelingsheartgiving 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. Vladimir Horowitz pianohomesleep Everyone goes to the forest; some go for a walk to be inspired, and others go to cut down the trees. Vladimir Horowitz cuttingnaturetree The piano is an orchestra with 88...... things, you know Vladimir Horowitz orchestrapianoknows My future is in my past and my past is my present. I must now make the present my future. Vladimir Horowitz my-pastmy-futurepast My face is my passport. Vladimir Horowitz passportsfaces The most important thing is to make a percussive instrument a singing instrument. Teachers should stress this aspect in their instruction, but it seems that very few of them actually do. Vladimir Horowitz teacherssingingstressimportant Imitation is a caricature. Any imitation. Find out for yourself. Vladimir Horowitz outfindyourselfimitation For me, the intellect is always the guide but not the goal of the performance. Three things have to be coordinated, and not one must stick out. Not too much intellect because it can become scholastic. Not too much heart because it can become schmaltz. Not too much technique because you become a mechanic. Vladimir Horowitz performancemeyouheart 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 Horowitz i-amyoumistakepeople Scriabin slept with Chopin under his pillow, and I slept with Wagner under mine. I could not concentrate on memorizing Bach fugues, but I had all of 'Gotterdammerung' in my fingers. Vladimir Horowitz minehispillowfingers It is important for the musician to learn as much about the composer as possible and to study the music he has written. Then, even a short piece by Brahms or Chopin can be played with much more understanding. Vladimir Horowitz shortmusicunderstandingimportant I am a general. My soldiers are the keys and I have to command them. Vladimir Horowitz generalsoldiersi-amleadership Scriabin, as you know, is a mystic composer. His music is supersensuous, superromantic, and supermysterious. Everything is super; it is all a little overboard. Anyway, my parents were pleased that I played for him. Vladimir Horowitz parentsknowyoumusic
