re Horowitz and Mohr

[Robert Wilson]

 --- Mickey Kessler <mickeykes2@uf.znet.com> wrote: > 
>Mickey, I'm not so sure this is correct. In the
> reminiscences of Franz Mohr that I have, from the
> book
> 'The Lives of the Piano' He says that Horrowitz
> wanted a brighter sound.
> quote.
> "As I began to file the hammers Horrowitz insisted I
> take off more and more. I protested all the way, and
> told him the piano would sound like tin cans. Well,
> Horrowitz got the sound he wanted, but it was the
> sound of tin cans and I had to throw away the
> hammers
> after his performance, No one else would have used
> them"
> unquote
> 
> This referred to the preparation of a piano for a
> recording of Rachmainov Third, not THE Horrowitz
> piano
> - but it may give some insight into the relationship
> between Mohr and Horrowitz.
> Bob.
>  >
> 
> Thanks, Bob.  This is fascinating stuff (at least to
> me.  Maybe I should 
> get a life.).
> 
> I just remember that bio of Horowitz by, who was it?
> Glenn 
> Plaskin?  Plaskow?  --something like that -- where
> he claimed (in a rather 
> accusatory, 60 Minutes-type tone) that Horowitz
> insisted on changes to the 
> instrument that rendered it virtually unplayable to
> anybody else -- as 
> though that was some kind of gimmick.  I recall
> thinking, "Who cares?  Look 
> what he <does> with it!"  Most of that biography
> struck me as petty, pretty 
> much missing the point of the man's incredible
> artistry.  Oh well.  Just to 
> second what everybody else seems to be saying, it's
> a damn shame we no 
> longer have the actual piano action around to speak
> for itself.  Seems to 
> me a shortsighted decision on Steinway's part. 
> Sigh.
> 
> Anyhow, thanks for the book quote.
> 
> Mickey


I was present at Horowitz's last concert in London and
Mohr was also there.  It was quite an occasion.  My
grandmother saw Horowitz before the last war!  It
seemed incredible that he was still around.

He hobbled on to the platform like an old man - but it
seemed his fingers were as young as ever. Even the
critics were happy and talked about the indian summer
of his great career.  Whether you like the sound of
that piano or not, he was an amazing artiste.

Bob. 

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