Horowitz's Pianos

[comme_le_vent]

I heard somewhere that horowitz had something done to his hammers to produce a more massive sound.
is there any truth in this and/or what did they do?

[chopiabin]

I have no idea, but if Horowitz did it, it must be good.

[krenske]

Its all there in the Horowitz biography [Harold Schonberg]

[comme_le_vent]

and for those of us who dont own the book?

[Axtremus]

Try the library.

Can also search ptg.org's archive for "Franz Mohr." I have come across some interesting discussions there on what Mohr did or had to say about Horowitz's piano. (Mohr was Horowitz's "personal piano technician" of sort, and he has also written a book titled "My Life with the Great Pianists.") Unforunately, I don't have any web address handy. From what I remember from my reading, Horowitz insisted on having his piano voiced excessively bright, especially in his old age -- so bright that only he had the technique to make music on it. (I was left with the impression that what was good for Horowitz the Immortal would not be good for us mere mortals.)

Anyway, I am no Horowitz historian. Search ptg.org for the juicy bits or check out the books from a library.

[Dave_2004_G]

He played with very flat fingers, and the touch on his piano was incredibly light - he would just quiver his fingers and the notes would go down

Dave