An analysis of the communicative aspects of the pianist Vladimir Horowitz with the public

Abstract

This work addresses the artistic communication in general, and the musical communication in particular, focusing on one of the most exceptional figures in the history of musical interpretation: the pianist Vladimir Horowitz. First, we provide a dual perspective on when and how the intrepreter intermediates the communication between the composer and the audience: one perspective is that of the artist who shapes his interpretation based on his knowledge and experiences, and the other perspective is of the listener, whose way of listening is affected by emotional, cognitive and socio-cultural factors. In the empirical part we have analyzed the different types of perceptions reported by an audience, that have been selected along a number of characteristics. We related the body language of Horowitz with his way of playing, distinguishing between the perceptions of the audience in those pieces where they could only listen to the music, and those in which they could see the artist performing. In addition, we have investigated the relationship among all the subjects according to their profiles, and analyzed the technical resources employed by Horowitz in capturing the audience's attention, thus evaluating his ability to communicate. Finally, we have sought to advance a definition of the degree of communication between Horowitz and the selected audience, based on their reported sensations and emotions.