BBC Legends: Rubinstein

On this CD:

1. Concerto for piano & orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21, CT 48 Maestoso
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Artur Rubinstein
Conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

2. Concerto for piano & orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21, CT 48 Larghetto
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Artur Rubinstein
Conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

3. Concerto for piano & orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21, CT 48 Allegro vivace
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Artur Rubinstein
Conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

4. Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT 2 (Four Ballades)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

5. Mazurka for piano in C minor, Op. 56/3, CT 85
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

6. Scherzo for piano No. 4 in E major, Op. 54, CT 200
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

7. Etude for piano in E flat minor, Op. 10/6, CT 19
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

8. Etude for piano in F major, Op. 10/8, CT 21
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

9. Etude for piano in F minor, Op. 10/9, CT 22
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

10. Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise for piano, Op. 22. Andante spianato. Tranquillo
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

11. Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise for piano, Op. 22. Grande Polonaise brillante. Allegro molto - Meno mosso
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

Tracks:

I Allegro
II Adagio Un Poco Moto
III Rondo. Allegro
Rhapsody In G Minor, Op. 79 No. 2 Molto Passionato, Ma Non Troppo Allegro
Intermezzo In B Flat Minor, Op. 117 No. 2 Andante Non Troppo E Con Molto Espressione
Capricio In B Minor, Op. 76 No. 2 Allegretto Non Troppo
Impromptu In G Flat Major, D899 No. 3 Andante
Impromptu In A Flat Major, D899 No. 4 Allegretto
Nocturne In F Sharp Major, Op. 15 No. 2 Larghetto
Eude In C Sharp Minor, Op. 10 No. 4 Presto
Polonaise In A Flat Major, Op. 53 Maestoso

Piano Concert 2 / Ballade Op 23 / Mazurka Op 56 3

Average customer rating:

I love this recording
Best Rubinstein 2nd Concerto
Another great live-recording of Artur Rubinstein

Piano Concert 2 / Ballade Op 23 / Mazurka Op 56 3
Chopin , Rubinstein , Giulini , and Pao
Manufacturer: BBC Legends
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00006I61U
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

I. Maestoso
II. Larghetto
III. Allegro Vivace
Ballade No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 23 Largo - Moderato
Mazurka In C Minor, Op. 56 No. 3 Moderato
Scherzo In E Major, Op. 54 Presto
Etude In E Flat Minor, Op. 10 No. 6 Andante
Etude In F Major, Op. 10 No. 8 Allegro
Etude In F Minor, Op 10 No. 9 Allegro Molto Agitato
Andante Spianato. Tranquillo
Grande Polonaise Brillante. Allegro Molto - Meno Mosso

Customer Reviews:

I love this recording.......2006-12-19

You feel Rubinstein's joyful energy in this recording. I agree with the other reviewer, the grande polonaise and andante spianato are my favorite as well. I don't mind the wrong notes.

Best Rubinstein 2nd Concerto.......2006-03-19

Even though I am a perfectionist audiophile when it comes to picking or building the finest hardware to play back records, I use it to listen to the most refreshing, searching, enlightening, heartfelt and soul-warming performances, regardless of their sound quality.
I sincerely hope this recording does not get overlooked vis a vis Rubinstein's studio recordings of Chopin's 2nd (actually it was his first) Concerto. Yes, it is mono, which is a pity given the concert was given in 1961, but highly natural-sounding mono. Yes, the transparency of the sound is such that you can occasionally hear someone cough etc. (the BBC's high resolution remasterings are state of the art throughout, useless to blame them for the variable quality of master tapes in their archives). But then, this recording boasts pure joie de vivre in front of an audience, and fully brings across Rubinstein's legendary, full-bodied, rock-solid yet singing tone, unlike my second favourite among his renditions of the 2nd Concerto, the studio recording with Ormandy from 1968 (a more deeply searching interpretation I prefer to the more widely available earlier one with Wallenstein from 1958), in which both the piano and the orchestra sound comparatively thin and worn out. Giulini, by the way, provides great support throughout. If it has to be Rubinstein, make it this one. If you absolutely must have a stereo recording, consider Cherkassy/Kempe 1965 and Haskil/Markevitch 1960 (both musically lightyears ahead of Argerich/Dutoit...).
The above-mentioned virtues apply to the 1959 recital of Chopin solo pieces as well, in my humble opinion Rubinstein's finest on disc next to his legendary 1964 recital in Moscow. Everything on the long playing BBC disc (almost 78 minutes) sparkles with spontaneity and good taste, providing a perfect marriage of architecture and passion. In fact, listening to these live recordings also made me appreciate Rubinstein's studio efforts more. Truly worth the extra dimes and nickles!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

P.S. As to this Legends series as a whole, I have mixed feelings regarding a number of the live performances the BBC unearthed (although in principle we should be grateful for the effort). Some of these recordings not only do not shed extra light on beloved artists, but seem harmful to their reputations.
My current short list of absolute must have BBC discs, apart from this Chopin/Rubinstein one, includes just three more: Grieg & Debussy/Michelangeli, Bach, Beethoven & Schubert/Kempff and the second, 1964 mono Verdi/Giulini Requiem (with Ligabue, Bumbry, Konya, Arie). Michelangeli's 1959 London Gaspard may be "only" his second-best vis a vis his 1960 Prague version on Music & Arts, but since when would that be a reason not to want to own it? Although Tennstedt's Beethoven Ninth is not the finest, let alone the only great live performance, it shares Furtwanglerian traits and boasts good sound unlike most of the legendary historic recordings - unfortunately the Ninth thrives on great sound (sound quality is approximately on the level of, say, Peter Maag's live, but below Rene Leibowitz's studio recording). Sviatoslav Richter aficionados may also want to look at his Beethoven Hammerklavier, Debussy and Schubert recitals. Baker fans will want to hear her Berlioz Nuits d'Ete and Stokowski mavens his Mahler Second, although neither can make me forget Crespin/Ansermet and Bruno Walter, respectively. The same is true of Svetlanov's Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade vis a vis Fritz Reiner's irreplaceable studio recording. Fans of the pianist may also want to listen to Annie Fischer's recital of music by Bartok, Brahms, Dohnanyi, Liszt. Last but not least, I love Stokowski's 1964 De Falla Amor Brujo, but would not go so far as to claim it makes for more essential (i.e. idiomatic) listening than Fruhbeck de Burgos (now also available as JVC XRCD), Ansermet, Argenta or even Maazel.

Another great live-recording of Artur Rubinstein.......2003-05-07

The main attraction for me is the Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise. Here we find Rubinstein at his most virtuosic. The finale of the Polonaise is powerfull and stunning. Compared to his studio recordings, this is by far a more attractive performance, despite some wrong notes you may hear sometimes.
The Concerto suffers from the usual cut in the First movement, but Rubinsteins playing is beautifull, and the orchestra's playing is very distinguised. As in his studio-recordings of this concerto, the violins do not play "con legno" as Chopin indicated.
The other solo-pieces are well-played, and it makes you look forward to more new issues of live-recordings of Rubinstein.

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1; Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1; Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor

Manufacturer: BBC Legends
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

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