Monday, May 27, 2013

THE STARS and STRIPES FOREVER


Arkady Volodos, one of the greatest living piano virtuosi in a field overcrowded with brilliant performers beefs up Vladimir Horowitz's already-high-powered transcription of John Philip Sousa's most beloved All-American march. 

4 comments:

  1. A great way to start Memorial Day 2013!

    Talk about covering some keyboard. Wow!

    I wish that I could play "The Stars and Stripes Forever" this well.

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  2. Volodos is a rare pianistic genius, AOW. He belongs to an extremely rare group of individuals blest by God with gifts even those with high intelligence may never comprehend.

    This transcription of the Stars and Stripes Forever originated with Vladimir Horowitz, who composed it to help celebrate The Allied Victory that ended World War Two. Horowitz of course was a Russian Jew who left his native land early in the twentieth-century and came to the West where future prospects were far brighter for a person of extraordinary talent and capability.

    He loved his adopted country very much, and composed this incredible pianistic feat to show his love for and allegiance to these United States.

    Several video-recordings of Horowitz playing The Stars and Stripes Forever live at Carnegie Hall are readily available on YouTube, but unfortunately none of them show him in motion.

    I chose Volodos, because he is contemporary, still young, an even greater musical genius than Horowitz in my educated opinion, and we can see him in action. And also because I think we should find it heartening that yet-another Russian is carrying on this marvelous tradition, despite the cynicism of our times, and the dismal, corrupting influence of Rock 'n Roll's deeply injurious conquest of Western popular culture.

    May God bless America and help her people, find their way back to The Upward Path.

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  3. Thank you! What a beautiful performance!

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  4. Thank you for visting, Linda. I am so glad you enjoyed Mr. Volodos' unique tribute to our country and what it stands for,

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