Vladimir Horowitz - Favorite Encores (1987)

This is another of Sony's "expanded edition" of a classic CBS recording, adding a couple of extra Chopin etudes to the original number of tracks. This being a complilation of works that Horowitz liked to play as encores, there is a mix of live and studio recordings, so the sound quality varies from track to track, but is usually pretty good. Track 3 is the one to watch out for, with very uneven sound, fading from side to side. However, there's nothing wrong with Horowitz's playing. Most of the pieces are from the Romantic era; however, there are a couple of Scarlatti sonatas and Mozart's Turkish Rondo as well, although these are probably too Romanticized for purists' tastes. There's also a good mix of tempos and moods, from Chopin's Revolutionary Etude to Debussy's Serenade for the Doll to Schumann's Traumerei. What's particularly good here pretty much goes by composer, rather than by individual works. Scriabin, Rachmaninov, and Chopin are all composers who perfectly suit Horowitz's talents. Also included is his own Variations on a Theme from Carmen, with which he has a lot of fun. The sampler nature of this album makes it a great introduction to Horowitz's talents.