 Despite his early success as a pianist, Horowitz maintained that he wanted to be a composer and undertook a career as a pianist only to help his family, who had lost their possessions in the Russian Revolution.In December 1925, Horowitz emigrated to the West, ostensibly to study with Artur Schnabel in Berlin but secretly intending not to return.The 22-year-old pianist stuffed American dollars and British pound notes into his shoes to finance his initial concerts.