Concert Review

MUS 100 Music Appreciation

25 June 2014

Concert Review

Russian pianist, Vladimir Horowitz, performed a solo instrumental concert. He

performed pieces from various composers by playing the piano at the Musikverein in Vienna, in

1987. The various composers include: Mozart, Schubert, Liszt, Schumann, and Chopin. I have

chosen five pieces from the performance. For this concert review, I will discuss the venue,

audience, performer, and the different elements (tempo, dynamics, and texture) of the five

pieces.

The Musikverein had enough space for the audience and was well suited for the group

and style of music. I could hear and see well, and there was no echo. The sound was just right.

The audience was large and filled with people of all ages. The audience remained quiet and in

their seats during the performance. Everyone came properly dressed for the occasion – either

formal or semi-formal. Horowitz played the piano with grace and ease. He stood up after playing

a piece to give the audience an opportunity to clap, which they did without hesitation. The crowd

clapped and screamed after Horowitz played each piece. At the end of the performance, the

audience yelled out for him to play more songs. They gave him a standing ovation for three

minutes after the concert was over. He left the stage for a minute. When he returned, the crowd

clapped louder.

Mozart’s “Sonata in b flat major K. 333,” (07:52-15:19), was played by Horowitz during

his concert. The piece is from the Classical period. The music is in sonata form with a fast tempo

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and a gradual shift in the dynamics. The short main theme begins on the upbeat and ends with a

perfect cadence in the tonic and chromatic notes. The piece uses functional tonality, modulating

to closely related keys. The texture is best described as melody-dominated homophony. I liked

this piece because of the fast pace and the beat.

Chopin’s “Polonaise in A flat major Op 53,” (69:55-76:42) was another...