MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Horowitz: The Last Recording

"The album of last recordings is the only fruit of his renewed association with CBS and the piano sound is a bit different from (his) DG releases. As recorded, the piano sounds to my ears like a completely different instrument-the tone is much more even. The Haydn Sonata in E flat... is superbly articulated, with every note being utilized to expressive effect. But this is very much a Horowitz tamed; the manic attention to detail has been exchanged for a much more relaxed approach, but with no loss of insight. The Adagio slow movement is a wonderful display of vocal decoration transposed to the medium of the piano, the ornamentation is often playfully done and the non legato touch is magnificently effective in colouring the right-hand part. There may be a slightly unstylish use of the pedal in the finale, but here again it is so well-played that one would find it hard to guess the age of the interpreter." Gramophone