“Every now and then a performer appears in our lives who makes such a big impression that after hearing him once, we ourselves are changed forever...”
(D. Pollock, artist, USA)
This day, October 1, 1903, a prominent Ukrainian pianist of Jewish origin, Volodymyr Horovyts, was born, an outstanding pianist-virtuoso, whose footsteps reverberating through the streets of Kyiv left a mark in his music. He was born in Kyiv, in a wealthy family: his father was a famous engineer and philanthropist, and his grandfather was a merchant. His mother, Sofia Horovyts, who had a musical education, taught him to love music. When the boy was 10 years old, she sent him to lessons with the outstanding pianist and teacher Volodymyr Puhalskyi at the Kyiv Music School, where she herself had previously studied.
In 1917, the Horovyts family lost all their property. The young man had to earn money by performing at solo concerts. At first, the number of viewers was small, and they paid him mainly in products. However, Volodymyr actively toured, and later the fame of the young virtuoso began to spread throughout the Soviet country, and later - abroad. In 1925, he got the opportunity to go on tour to European countries. The audience enthusiastically applauded his expressive performance, wanted to hear and see the incredibly talented playing of the young pianist and shouted: “Bravo, maestro!”. Solo concerts of V. Horovyts become very popular, tickets for them sell out instantly. He surprises the audience with the depth and versatility of his talent. Within a few years, Horovyts became one of the highest paid pianists in the world.
However, the Russian Bolshevik authorities put pressure on the artist and demand his return home. However, Horovyts understands that there is no turning back and accepts an invitation to go on tour in the USA. Then there were concert tours in the USA (in particular, performances in the White House and Carnegie Hall), again in Europe – in France and Switzerland. In general, since the end of the 1920s, the musician has been living in the United States, later receiving citizenship.
Love bursts into his life with a wild spring wind: in 1933, Volodymyr marries Wanda Toscanini, the daughter of the outstanding Italian opera conductor Arturo Toscanini.
V. Horovyts was inspired by music and conveyed this passion to people. His performance was not just a concert - it was a real musical discovery, a journey into the world of emotions and beauty. However, the path to success was very difficult. Due to his emigration, the pianist was constantly threatened, and his relatives living in the USSR were used as hostages. His father and brother became victims of political repression.
People who knew and often communicated with the maestro said that Horovyts was, like most prominent personalities, somewhat eccentric, sometimes even childishly funny. Sometimes it was difficult to understand when he was joking and when he was serious. Journalist David Dubal recalled such a telling episode: once Horovyts performed with an English orchestra and was dissatisfied with the slow tempo of the team's performance. “I'm from Ukraine, and I'm going to show these Englishmen what pace is!” – exclaimed the maestro excitedly. Thus, the pianist recognized that the land where he was born is a component of his genius.
During his lifetime, he received 25 Grammy awards. And at the end of his life, V. Horovyts was awarded the highest American award – the Medal of Freedom. The musician gave concerts until his death. Volodymyr Horovyts died on November 5, 1989, at the age of 86.
In Kyiv, they did not forget about their countryman. At the house on the street M. Kotsyubinsky, where the musician lived, a memorial plaque was installed. And since 1995, in search of geniuses of the level of Volodymyr Horovyts, the International Competition of Young Pianists in Memory of the Musician has been held annually. As a result of the competitions, many gifted young performers were found. But, probably, people like Horovyts are born once in a thousand years…
Lyudmila Sandul