This is not the Horowitz of old age that conquered the world delivering first rate performances. Here is a Horowitz of undeniable skill, but also with anger and frustration poured all over the keyboard. Although the man himself always denied it, it is safe to say he was depressed and sexually frustrated most of his life. Although happily married and devoted to his wife, after his death his personal assistent Kenneth Leedom admitted to have been his secret lover in the Fifties.
During the period of these recordings Horowitz went through electro shock therapy to cure him from depression. In the Forties he was going to a psychiatrist to cure his homosexual orientation. He once said “there are three kinds of pianists: Jewish pianists, homosexual pianists, and bad pianists.
Some really nice recordings here, but material of highly differing quality. Horowitz might be famous for his romantic piano playing, but I like his Scriabin better.