Pianists from Ukraine
Horowitz on Television
As the Russian military invasion of Ukraine continues, we are witnessing tragic and heartbreaking scenes on a daily basis.
Amid the devastation, a video of someone playing an instrument surfaced, and it struck a deep chord in me—not only because of their heartfelt connection to their homeland, but also due to the profound musicality expressed.
That led me to research musicians from Ukraine, and I discovered an impressive list of outstanding figures.
Vladimir Horowitz
When asked who the greatest pianist of the 20th century is, many names might come to mind—but Vladimir Horowitz is often mentioned first.
[Reference Link]
Vladimir Horowitz on Wikipedia
Horowitz was a true superstar in the classical world, having won the Grammy Award no less than 25 times.
He was born near Kyiv and studied piano at the Kyiv Conservatory, making him a quintessential Ukrainian musician.
His playing technique was extraordinary—his powerful touch, and the ability to make even the softest notes resonate to the back of the concert hall, earned him the reputation of having a “demonic” way of making the piano sing.
I remember being astonished as a child when I saw Horowitz on Television.
His technique was completely different from what was being taught in Japan at the time: instead of the high-finger technique (where the fingers are lifted), he played using a flat-finger style, where the fingers stay more extended.
Back then, Japanese piano teachers often told students not to imitate Horowitz. But in Kyiv, this was part of standard instruction.
One could say that Ukraine was offering the most advanced piano education in the world at the time.
Since Horowitz grew up under the Russian Empire, he may not have had a clear national identity as a Ukrainian. However, when he moved his career abroad from the Soviet Union, he changed the spelling of his name from the Russian "Gorovitz" to the Western "Horowitz."
Given that the Russian language lacks the "H" sound, this change could be seen as a statement of distancing himself from Russia.
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Video Reference
Chopin "Heroic Polonaise" performed by Horowitz (1987, Musikverein, Vienna)
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Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, Heinrich Neuhaus, Sergei Prokofiev
Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter, who are often ranked alongside Horowitz, were also pianists from Ukraine.
Their teacher at the Moscow Conservatory, Heinrich Neuhaus, was also Ukrainian.
The renowned composer Sergei Prokofiev was born in Ukraine as well.
Yet, during the Soviet era, many of these musicians—Prokofiev included—faced criticism from the regime.
Neuhaus was exiled to Siberia for a time.
In his youth, Richter was known as the "phantom pianist," as his performances were inaccessible to audiences in the West.
This was largely because his father, a German, was executed by Stalin as a suspected German spy, and his mother fled to Germany to escape Stalinist persecution.
The Soviet authorities were wary of Richter's potential to defect.
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These Ukrainian-born pianists left a lasting mark on 20th-century classical music.
Although Ukraine has never been considered a wealthy country, its people have a deep appreciation and historical commitment to the arts.
It is this cultural depth that seems to have given rise to so many exceptional musicians.
A Legacy Beyond the Piano
Ukraine has produced not only world-class pianists, but many other great musicians as well.
If we include those of Ukrainian descent, the list grows to include figures such as composer Leonard Bernstein, Nobel laureate Bob Dylan, and jazz saxophonist Stan Getz.
Russia’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine remains difficult to comprehend.
But the determined resistance it has sparked seems rooted in Ukraine’s proud artistic heritage and deep historical consciousness.
A historian in my household remarked that, from a historical perspective, this invasion and resistance have led to the global recognition of Ukraine as a sovereign nation.
Still, I hope deeply that this war—this destruction and bloodshed—will come to an end as soon as possible.
