# Vladimir Horowitz

> Russian/Ukrainian and American pianist (1903-1989)

**Wikidata**: [Q192506](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192506)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Horowitz)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vladimir-horowitz

## Summary
Vladimir Horowitz was a Russian and American pianist (1903–1989) renowned as one of the greatest classical music performers of the 20th century. He was affiliated with major record labels including RCA Records and Deutsche Grammophon, and received prestigious awards such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

## Biography
- **Born**: September 18, 1903 (also listed as October 1, 1903, and October 1, 1904)
- **Died**: November 5, 1989
- **Nationality**: Russian (Russian Empire/Soviet Union) and American (United States)
- **Education**: Ukrainian National Academy of Music
- **Known for**: Classical music performance and piano virtuosity
- **Field(s)**: Classical music
- **Record Labels**: RCA Records, Deutsche Grammophon

## Contributions
Vladimir Horowitz contributed to the classical music genre primarily through his performances and recordings. His work period began in 1920. He released music through major labels including RCA Records (an American record label founded in 1901) and Deutsche Grammophon (a German classical music record label founded in 1898). His recordings and performances remain influential in the classical music canon.

## FAQs
**What awards did Vladimir Horowitz receive?**
Vladimir Horowitz received numerous prestigious awards including the National Medal of Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. He was also appointed Knight of the Legion of Honour and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. Additionally, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

**What is Vladimir Horowitz's educational background?**
Vladimir Horowitz was educated at the Ukrainian National Academy of Music, a conservatoire located in Kyiv.

**What record labels was Vladimir Horowitz affiliated with?**
He was affiliated with RCA Records, an American record label founded in 1901, and Deutsche Grammophon, a German classical music record label founded in 1898.

**Who is related to Vladimir Horowitz in the provided context?**
Byron Janis, an American musician (1928–2024), is listed as a key person associated with Vladimir Horowitz in the provided knowledge base.

## Why They Matter
Vladimir Horowitz matters as a monumental figure in the world of classical music, whose career bridged the Russian and American musical traditions. His influence is cemented by his extensive catalog of recordings released through industry giants like RCA Records and Deutsche Grammophon, which helped define the standards of piano performance and recording quality. His recognition through the highest civilian and artistic honors—including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, National Medal of Arts, and Knight of the Legion of Honour—underscores his status not just as a musician, but as a cultural icon of the 20th century. His legacy persists through his recordings and the continued reverence for his interpretative style in classical piano repertoire.

## Notable For
- Being a Russian and American pianist.
- Winning the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- Receiving the National Medal of Arts.
- Winning the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
- Being appointed Knight of the Legion of Honour (France).
- Being appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
- Having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Being educated at the Ukrainian National Academy of Music.
- Recording with RCA Records and Deutsche Grammophon.
- A work period (start) in 1920.

## Body
### Early Life and Background
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz (also known as Vladimir Samoilovich Horowitz) was born on September 18, 1903. Alternative birth dates provided in the records include October 1, 1903, and October 1, 1904. He was born during the existence of the Russian Empire, a sovereign state that spanned Eurasia and North America from 1721 to 1917. He was a human (instance of Homo sapiens) and later held citizenship in the Soviet Union (a former country in Eurasia, 1922–1991) and the United States.

### Education
Horowitz received his education at the Ukrainian National Academy of Music. This institution is a conservatoire located in Kyiv, Ukraine, which was founded in 1863.

### Career and Musical Contributions
Horowitz's occupation is defined as a pianist (a musician who plays the piano) and a composer (a person who is an author of music in any form). His work period commenced in 1920. He specialized in the genre of classical music, a broad tradition of Western art music.

He was professionally affiliated with major record labels that shaped the music industry:
- **RCA Records**: An American record label founded on January 1, 1901, by Emile Berliner and Eldridge R. Johnson. It is currently a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. RCA is associated with genres including jazz, pop, rock, rhythm and blues, classical music, hip-hop, electronic music, blues, and country music.
- **Deutsche Grammophon**: A German classical music record label founded on December 6, 1898, by Emile Berliner. It is currently owned by Universal Music Group and is one of the oldest and most prestigious classical music labels in the world.

### Awards and Recognition
Vladimir Horowitz received an extensive list of awards and honors throughout his lifetime:
- **National Medal of Arts**: An award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984.
- **Presidential Medal of Freedom**: The joint-highest civilian award of the United States, bestowed by the President (established in 1963).
- **Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award**: A music award given to individual performers or groups (established in 1962).
- **Grammy Award for Album of the Year**: An American music award for excellent albums (established in 1959).
- **Knight of the Legion of Honour**: The first rank of the French Legion of Honour.
- **Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic**: An Italian order of knighthood.
- **Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame**: An award in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located in Hollywood, California, United States.

### Key Relationships
In the context of the provided knowledge base, Byron Janis (1928–2024), an American musician, is listed as a key person related to Vladimir Horowitz.

### Identifiers and Legacy
Vladimir Horowitz holds numerous identifiers across global databases, confirming his widespread recognition. These include VIAF ID 105144775, Library of Congress authority ID n81042607, and MusicBrainz artist ID 81269a28-c616-4e87-8942-a6f8e59b68e4. His image is archived as "Vladimir Horowitz C37292-1 (cropped).jpg" and his signature as "Horowitz Signature.png." He passed away on November 5, 1989.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. datos.bne.es
4. IdRef
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. data.bibliotheken.nl
7. Musicalics
8. Find a Grave
9. [Source](https://www.arts.gov/honors/medals/vladimir-horowitz-posthumous-award)
10. [Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-07-29-mn-19588-story.html)
11. [Source](https://www.grammy.com/artists/vladimir-horowitz/16847)
12. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0395332/awards)
13. International Standard Name Identifier
14. MusicBrainz
15. CiNii Research
16. SNAC
17. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
18. [parish register](https://cdiak.archives.gov.ua/images/arxiv_cetera/ac_2016_09_20/1164_0001_0467_0661.jpg)
19. Munzinger Personen
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21. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
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24. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
25. [Source](http://digitale.beic.it/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?fn=search&vid=BEIC&vl%283134987UI0%29=creator&vl%28freeText0%29=Horowitz%20Vladimir)
26. CONOR.SI
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29. The Movie Database
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31. performing-arts.ch