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Vladimir Horowitz

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Musician

The Resume

    (October 1, 1903-November 5, 1989)
    Became a U.S. citizen (1944)
    Won 25 Grammy awards
    Recorded famous versions of Rachmaninoff's 'Third Piano Concerto'

Why he might be annoying:

    His sound is harsh, which is further aggravated by his preference for spiky pianos.
    He often reworked entire sections of the pieces he performed, an absolute 'don't' among classical musicians.
    In fact, much like Glenn Gould, he didn't even need to change the notes to alter a work beyond recognition.
    In order to spare his son military service, Horowitz's father claimed he was born in 1904, giving rise to a persistent confusion as to his date of birth.
    He was a go-getter: marrying famous conductor Arturo Toscanini's daughter Wanda as merely a career move.
    His indifference to Sonia, his only child, led to her commit suicide - he couldn't have cared less.
    He hid his homosexuality.
    He was to bow ties what Imelda Marcos was to shoes.
    He was depressed which was treated with electroshock treatment.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He wasn't a child prodigy.
    He was a great chess player and excelled at cards.
    He overcame his health problems. He suffered from colitis for most of his adult life.
    When unable to be on stage, he recorded; sometimes in his own living room! (Until his very last days).
    He championed composers who, like Scarlatti or Scriabin, were to become part of the mainstream repertoire.
    His compositions (he never wrote them down) feature stunning virtuosic effects: some passages created, for instance, the impression that he played with three hands at once.
    His dynamic range, that went from hardly audible pianissimos to almost unsufferable fortissimos, and the variety of his colors make him one of the most imitated pianists.

Credit: Sviatoslav Mixer


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 17 Votes: 5.88% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 10 Votes: 10.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 41 Votes: 48.78% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 16 Votes: 18.75% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 87 Votes: 73.56% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 18 Votes: 38.89% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 20 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 22 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 50 Votes: 42.00% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 20 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 40 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 97 Votes: 55.67% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 123 Votes: 47.15% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 104 Votes: 49.04% Annoying