Piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz was born in Russia, but made his name at his sensational 1928 Carnegie Hall debut performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. His command of the technically difficult work of Liszt and Rachmaninoff was unparalleled, as were his interpretations of the music of Scriabin and Clementi.

His many recordings won him almost two dozen Grammy awards and worldwide acclaim. He was married in 1933 to Wanda Toscanini, daughter of the conductor Arturo Toscanini.