Classical Terror, Vol. 2

Track Listings

1. Rakóczy March from the Damnation of Faust

2. Overture to Fra Diavolo

3. Tragic Overture

4. Ballet Music from Faust

5. Queen of the Night's Aria from the Magic Flute

6. Dream of a Witches' Sabbath from Symphonie Fantastique

7. Funeral March of a Marionette

Tracks:

Andaluza: Danza espanola No. 5 In E Minor
The Three-Cornered Hat: Miller's Dance
Cordoba, Op. 232, No. 4
Goyescas, No. 4: The Maiden And The Nightingale
Cancon i dansa No. I
Pieces espagnoles, No. 4: Andaluza
Iberia, No. I: Evocacion
Navarra (Completed By Severac)
Suite espanola, No. 3: Sevillanas
El Amor Brujo: Dance Of Terror
Cancon i dansa No. 6
Nights in the Gardens of Spain: En el Generalife
Nights in the Gardens of Spain: Danza lejana
Nights in the Gardens of Spain: En los jardines de la Sierra de Cordoba
El Amor Brujo: Ritual Fire Dance

Customer Reviews:

Rubinstein's Love Affair with Spain.......2006-09-06

Arthur Rubinstein was from the earliest days of his long fabled career a proponent of the music of Spain. Whether in that extraordinary follow-up to the protean display pieces of Liszt, Albeniz's Iberia, or the memorable lyrical passages of the ill-fated Granados, Rubinstein's way with this music stood out in that bygone era of legendary virtuosi. (Of note - Granados tragically was killed trying in vain to rescue his wife following a U-boat attack on their return to Barcelona following the succesful 1916 Met premiere of his opera Goyescas. His success was so great in America he even played at the White House for President Wilson. The CD has one selection from Goyescas, the famous "The Maiden and the Nightingale" in a wonderfully evocative performance by Rubinstein.)
At the same time as the Goyescas' Met premiere the young Artur Rubinstein was traveling across the breadth of the Iberian peninsula, giving over a hundred concerts between 1916 and 1917. Rubinstein became friends with the Albeniz family. (The composer had died in 1909.) He became a huge public favorite and was feted far and wide in Spain, including by the Spanish Royal family. Throughout his life he kept a home in Spain in that extraodinary Costa del Sol cityscape that is Marbella. Rubinstein's appreciation for Spain and Spanish music was unparalled among any other non-Spanish performers of the last century.
This selection was made according to the back cover between 1947 and 1955, but actually, as one reviewer correctly noted, the earliest recording, Navarra from Iberia, was made earlier, in June of 1941. The remainder are from 1947 or later. The performance of the delightful Spanish piano concerto, De Falla's Noches en los Jardins de Espana, captures Rubinstein at the peak of his career - his later stereo performance lacks the froth, sparkle and genuine magic given off in this version. The piano sounds wonderful and has been superbly restored in this issue. The only downside to this CD is that it represents most of the Spanish music Rubinstein recorded.
If you thought Rubinstein simply meant Chopin then this CD will certainly be a revelation. Some of the greatest Spanish piano music played by one of its greatest interpretators. Highest possible recomendation!
P.S. When a customer searches for this title why does Amazon insist on listing an old no longer available CD of this RCA CD and not this much more recent and in stock remastering? This version has a drawing of Rubinstein by Picasso.

Rubinstein Topples de Larrocha.......2001-02-10

Dear Readers, Rubinstein does not deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence with de Larrocha. The fact is that he "LOVED" Spanish music and de Larrocha made her career on it. It's very beautiful what she does, but Rubinstein goes to the heart everytime. You'll get a glimpse of this if you compare the two. They are in very different zones.

Rubinstein "Speaks" Spanish Without an Accent.......2001-01-02

After Alicia De Larrocha, Arthur Rubinstein was the 20th century's greatest exponent of Spanish piano music. On his first tour of Spain, in 1915, the Polish pianist fell in love with the country--its food, wine, women, and music. The love was mutual. Spain took Rubinstein to heart and became friends with some of the composers featured on this CD. Critical reactions to Rubinstein's performances of Spanish music were ecstatic--many musicians remakring that he played Spanish music "without an accent," i.e., like a born Spaniard.

The performances on this CD were recorded from 1941-1955. Every track on this disc demonstrates what the critics in Spain were writing at the time, Rubinstein had a natural feel for this repertoire that defies born nationality. Particularly effective are the Albeniz and Falla selections.

It is a pity that Rubinstein was not persuaded to re-record all of these works in stereo (there are stereo versions of Falla's Fire Dance, Nights in the Gardens of Spain, and Albeniz' Navarra), as there are those closed-minded individuals who will refuse to buy this CD simply because the recordings featured on it are monaural. The loss is theirs.

Tracks:

Rak March from the Damnation of Faust
Overture to Fra Diavolo
Tragic Overture
Ballet Music from Faust
Queen of the Night's Aria from the Magic Flute
Dream of a Witches' Sabbath from Symphonie Fantastique
Funeral March of a Marionette

Average customer rating:

An artist at work
Vintage Early Rubinstein

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000031WBL
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Waltz No. 2, Op. 34, No. 1 In A-Flat Major
Waltz No. 7, Op. 64, No. 2 In C-Sharp Minor
Mazurka No. 23, Op. 33, No. 2 In D Major
Mazurka No. 35, Op. 63, No. 1 In B Major
Mazurka No. 39, Op. 63, No. 1 In B Major
Consolation No. 3 In D-Flat Major
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 In E Major
Liebestraum No. 3 In A-flat Major
Prelude, Op. 3 , No. 2 In C-Sharp Minor
Preludes, Book I: No. 10: La cathedrale engloutie
Pour le piano, No. 1: Prelude In A Minor
Le tombeau de Couperin: Forlane
Goyescas, No. 4: The Maiden And The Nightingale
El Amor Brujo: Dance Of Terror
El Amor Brujo: Ritual Fire Dance
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No. 2: Moreninha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No. 6: A pobrezinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No. 7: O Polichinelo

Customer Reviews:

An artist at work.......2001-09-13

When these recordings were made, hearing music coming from a rudimental display was probably considered a miracle; discs were made to amaze people, maybe to show off technical improvements, an above all to sell music: the quality of the recorded performance didn't matter too much, while the important thing was to have a Waltz by Chopin or a Prelude by Debussy on record. But Arthur Rubinstein always did concern about quality: he didn't make any mechanical piano recording, because he thought the piano sounded "like a banjo", and he accepted to get into a studio only after being sure the results were going to be worthy. While other musicians did anything to get immortalized into Concerto-for-banjo-like recordings, Ruby chose to wait until recorded music was a serious thing. Indeed, in this early selection of encores, we hear a great pianist, but an even greater artist, in whom we can easily recognise the main character of Rubinstein's beautiful autobiography.

Vintage Early Rubinstein.......2000-10-10

The recordings on this CD date from 1929-1937, and catch Rubinstein during his years as a devil-may-care virtuoso. Because of the limited playing time of 78rpm records, all of the pieces featured here are shorter works, which makes for a wonderful grab-bag of selections showcasing Rubinstein's wide pianistic culture. With two exceptions, all of the performances here show Rubinstein at his best.

One exception, Chopin's Waltz Op. 34, No. 1, suffers from some crudely banged out bass notes during the coda. Rubinstein transforms this piece from "Grande Valse Brilliante" into "Grand Valse Violente."

Of special importance here are Rubinstein's first official recordings of several pieces associated with him. Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 is irresistable in his hands, the friska being tossed off with flirtatious elan. (There is actually an earlier recording, from 1910, of the Rhapsody which was not included in this collection) The ever popular Consolation No. 3, on the other hand is rather strange: the left hand part suffers from some uneven fingerwork which makes the piece sound like a habanera, ruining the poetic atmosphere of the music.

Rubinstein's arrangements of Falla's Dance of Terror and Fire Dance were favorite encores which flatly contradict his criticism of Vladimir Horowitz' Carmen Variations as being in poor taste. As encores, both pianists' arrangements were marvelous pieces that brought audiences to their feet.

Concluding this volume are three selections from Villa-Lobos' Doll Suite. They are wonderful pieces of charming fluff that Rubinstein performed from time to time.

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1. Rakóczy March from the Damnation of Faust
2. Overture to Fra Diavolo
3. Tragic Overture
4. Ballet Music from Faust
5. Queen of the Night's Aria from the Magic Flute
6. Dream of a Witches' Sabbath from Symphonie Fantastique
7. Funeral March of a Marionette