Chabrier: Piano Works, Vol. 1

On this CD:

1. Bourrée fantasque, for piano (also for orchestra)
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Georges Rabol

2. Pièces posthumes (5), for piano Feuillet d'album
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Georges Rabol

3. Pièces posthumes (5), for piano Ballabile
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Georges Rabol

4. Pièces posthumes (5), for piano Caprice
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Georges Rabol

5. Petite valse, for piano
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Georges Rabol

6. Habañera, for piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Georges Rabol

7. Pièces pittoresques (10), for piano
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Georges Rabol

Tracks:

Valses nobles et sentimentales: Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Presque lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Moins vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: (Epilogue) Lent
Mouvements Perpetuels: Assez modere
Mouvements Perpetuels: Tres modere
Mouvements Perpetuels: Alerte
Intermezzo In A-Flat: Intermezzo In A-Flat - As-dur - la bemol majeur
Forlane (Le tombeau de Couperin, No. 3)
La vallee des cloches (Miroirs, No. 5)
Nocturne No. 3, Op. 33, No. 3 In A-Flat: Nocturne No. 3, Op. 33, No. 3 In A-Flat - As-Dur la bemol majeur
Intermezzo No. 2 In D-Flat: Intermezzo No. 2 In D-Flat - Des - dur re bemol majeur
Scherzo-valse (Pieces pittoresques, No. 10)
La Soiree dans Grenade (Estampes, No. 2)
Jardins sous la pluie (Estampes, No. 3)
Hommage a Rameau (Images, Book I: No. 2)
Reflets dans l'eau (Images, Book I: No. I)
La plus que lente (Valse)
Poissons d'or (Images, Book II: No. 3)

Customer Reviews:

Ravel blind taste test ..........2000-08-25

So, last night I sat four of my kids down and played four different pianists performing the first of the Ravel "Valses nobles et sentimentales". They were Paul Crossley, Jean Yves Thibaudet, Friedrich Gulda, and Arthur Rubinstein. I didn't tell them who the pianists were and simply asked them which of the performances they preferred. My middle daughter (13) and middle son (15) immediately and without hesitation picked the Rubinstein performance. They commented on the care he took to PLAY the piece. My son felt the other performers pounded too much and my daughter felt some of the others too rushed. They all liked the Gulda second best, the Crossley third. The middle daughter hated the Thibaudet. She said it sounded harsh and clanged. Brian felt the Thibaudet was all over the place - rushed, then too slow, then rushed again. My youngest daughter (9) liked them all. She noted that they were different, but didn't feel she could like one better than the others. My seven year old son was just too young but knew he liked the music. Then I played the orchestrated version conducted by Boulez and the ALL loved and responded in a big way and decided that the orchestrated version was MUCH nicer than the piano version because of the rich sounds of the orchestra.

For my own rating, I love the Rubinstein, admire the Gulda, and like the Thibaudet and Crossley for what they are while not being totally convinced by their performance choices. And being a pianist of a sort, I always like the piano best even when I also like orchestrations.

Rubinstein at His Best.......2000-08-11

Some of Rubinstein's best work on record is on this disc. Although known as a Chopin player, that was by no means the limit of his pianistic culture. Rubinstein, who lived a considerable portion of his life in Paris, was especially adept in the French repertoire.

Ravel's Valses Nobles and Sentimentales, and the other pieces, benefit from Rubinstein's urbane, unfussy approach. Rubinstein never attempts the "piano without hammers" approach of Gieseking, but his tone is far from percussive.

The Chabrier Scherzo Valse demonstrates Rubinstein's remarkable memory and ability to assimilate new music. While recording this album, a friend showed Rubinstein the printed score for the Scherzo Valse. The pianists liked the piece, memorized it overnight, and recorded it the next day. He sounds like he has known the piece his entire life.