Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 21

On this CD:

1. Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Anton Rubinstein

2. Capriccio for piano in B minor, Op. 76/2
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Anton Rubinstein

3. Intermezzo for piano in B flat minor, Op. 117/2
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Anton Rubinstein

4. Rhapsody for piano in B minor, Op. 79/1
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Anton Rubinstein

5. Rhapsody for piano in G minor, Op. 79/2
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Anton Rubinstein

6. Rhapsody for piano in E flat major, Op. 119/4
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Anton Rubinstein

Tracks:

Mazurka No.1 in f#, Op.6
Mazurka No.2 in c#, Op.6
Mazurka No.3 in E, Op.6
Mazurka No.4 in e flat, Op.6
Mazurka No.1 in B flat, Op.7
Mazurka No.2 in a, Op.7
Mazurka No.3 in f, Op.7
Mazurka No.4 in A flat, Op.7
Mazurka No.5 in C, Op.7
Mazurka No.1 in B flat, Op.17
Mazurka No.2 in e, Op.17
Mazurka No.3 in A flat, Op.17
Mazurka No.4 in a, Op.17
Mazurka No.1 in g, Op.24
Mazurka No.2 in C, Op.24
Mazurka No.3 in A flat, Op.24
Mazurka No.4 in b flat, Op.24
Mazurka No.1 in c, Op.30
Mazurka No.2 in b, Op.30
Mazurka No.3 in D flat, Op.30
Mazurka No.4 in C#, Op.30
Mazurka No.1 in G#, Op.33
Mazurka No.2 in D, Op.33
Mazurka No.3 in C, Op.33
Mazurka No.4 in b, Op.33

Tracks:

Mazurka No.1 in c#, Op.41
Mazurka No.2 in e, Op.41
Mazurka No.3 in B, Op.41
Mazurka No.4 in A flat, Op.41
Mazurka No.1 in G, Op.50
Mazurka No.2 in A flat, Op.50
Mazurka No.3 in C#, Op.50
Mazurka No.1 in B, Op.56
Mazurka No.2 in C, Op.56
Mazurka No.3 in c, Op.56
Mazurka No.1 in a, Op.59
Mazurka No.2 in A flat, Op.59
Mazurka No.3 in f#, Op.59
Mazurka No.1 in B, Op.63
Mazurka No.2 in f, Op.63
Mazurka No.3 in C#, Op.63
Mazurka No.1 in G, Op.67
Mazurka No.2 in g, Op.67
Mazurka No.3 in C, Op.67
Mazurka No.4 in a, Op.67
Mazurka No.1 in C, Op.68
Mazurka No.2 in a, Op.68
Mazurka No.3 in F, Op.68
Mazurka No.4 in f, Op.68
Mazurka 'A'Emile Gaillard' in a
Mazurka 'Notre Temps' in a

Amazon.com

Chopin wrote mazurkas throughout his all-too-brief life, using this Polish dance as the basis for short pieces that encompass a world of harmonic explorations and varied emotions, from the subtly comic to the intensely sad. Rubinstein plays the 51 in the standard canon, skipping the unpublished youthful ones. Of his three recordings of the set, connoisseurs tend to prefer his first, from 1938-1939 (available on RCA, EMI, and Naxos) for their spontaneity. But these 1965-1966 stereo recordings in refreshingly alive transfers can't fail to please most listeners. They're a bit weightier than the early ones, but the added depth and Rubinstein's characterization of each piece yield big dividends. In the great C sharp minor Mazurka, Op. 50, No. 3, for example, he plays the beautiful opening theme with disarming simplicity that invests it with mournful regret, manages the transitions to bolder statements flawlessly, and turns a charming dance into a dramatic tone poem that says in five minutes what some composers need a full symphony to say. That miracle is repeated often in this set, as Rubinstein appears at first to be underplaying a piece until you realize the sophistication of his carefully modulated dynamics, gentle rubato, and varied tone. His was an outward simplicity that hid complex art. Throughout, he plays with a wonderful, singing tone, rhythmic life, and an aristocratic authority few have matched. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

piano for the suburbanite.......2005-04-23

nothing artistic here.
plays like a student.
pass it up...

This would be the greatest exce[pt...........2002-01-08

This would be the greatest of all Rubinstein Chopin recordings except...there are the Polonaises (Volumte 28!), and the Nocturnes (Volume 46!). Count this one tied for 3rd, with the Ballades, the Waltzes, the.... Hey, wait -- you might as well get them all.

My only problem with this recording is that the repeat button on my CD player isn't working. I listen to one and say, "That's gotta be the best Rubinstein/Chopin Mazurka there could possibly be," but no sooner than I think that, that another one comes on, EVEN BETTER.

Okay, I have my fav. The great B Minor Opus 33 Number 4. This is mid-period Chopin at his finest, and Rubinstein at his finest, and we are privileged to be alive so that we can rehear it.

Who Better than to Record the Mazurkas?.......2001-12-01

Chopin. Rubinstein. Mazurkas. Perfection. The impeccable Rubinstein rubato shines most when he plays the works which invite overindulgence, like the dance forms, or the easily sentimentalized nocturnes. Especially in these mazurkas where his rhythmic restraint is admirable. These recordings are quirky yet authoritative enough to make me wonder whether only a fellow Pole can play Chopin with such multifariousness (16 letters!) of movement within the staff. I've heard other recordings of the mazurkas, mainly Ashkenazy (boring... where's the life?) and individual performance pieces in compiliations, but none sparkle like the way Rubinstein makes them sparkle. Sublime.

Arthur Rubinstein: Chopin's 51 Mazurkas.......2001-04-07

Fabulous! Polish music at its best!

The unsurpassable Rubinstein.......2001-03-29

While his recordings of other composers is somewhat uneven, Rubinstein is the absolute master of Chopin. Noone else captures the beauty, nuance, depth, poetry, and feel of his music in quite the same way, and the Mazurkas (which by the way sound wonderful in their new remastering) are no exception. Even the very familiar ones sound fresh in Rubinstein's hands, and whether you listen to these a few at a time (as I usually do) or straight through, I highly recommend this recording as well as the other reissues in this series.

Average customer rating:

Bueno pero.....
Rubinstein -MOZART
A TRUE MASTER PLAYS MASTERFULLY REMASTERED MOZART CONCERTOS
I don't know everything, but, I know what I like !
Sensational performances, vastly improved sound

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 61

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 59
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 58
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 57
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 54
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 51

ASIN: B000031WC1
Release Date: 2001-01-09

Tracks:

Allegro
Andante
Allegretto
Allegro
Romance
Allegro Assai
I. Allegro Maestoso

Tracks:

II. Andante
III. Allegro Vivace Assai
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro Assai
Allegro
Larghetto
Allegretto

Amazon.com

It's a shame Rubinstein didn't record more of Mozart's music, for his obvious affinity for the composer shines through these 1958-1960 stereo recordings of five concertos. Rubinstein's Mozart is forthright--he refuses to sentimentalize by swooning over the music's beauties or to indulge in larger-than-life playing that would rupture its classical framework. Even in the famous Andante of the 21st Concerto, his melting legato traces the curve of the melody without excess. Moderation was his byword, so while there are times one could wish for over-the-top risk taking--a more unbuttoned Allegro of the K. 453, a tad more melodrama in the first movement of the K. 466, some extra sizzle in the outer movements of K. 488--what we have is built to last for the long term. These are performances you can't get tired of. There's a general sense of rightness about tempo choices, and everything, from the singing tone to the exquisite phrasing to the perfectly managed transitions, reflects a master pianist playing music he feels deeply. The accompaniments are fine and the transfers significantly improved over past issues. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Bueno pero............2007-03-10

La interpretacion al piano de Rubinstein es magnifica el problema es la orquesta es bastante mediocre y el sonido es bueno para haberse grabado en los 60's, vale la pena tener este CD.

Rubinstein -MOZART.......2005-10-05

In 2 CD we have 5 MOZART' concertos played perfectly by
Arthur RUBINSTEIN.
Concerto n.24 with the great Josef KRIPS(1958)
Concertos n.17,20,21,23 with Alfred WALLENSTEIN(1961)
I had already these concertos by Rubinstein on 3 ninyls but on
CD,in new remastering,the sound is better.

A TRUE MASTER PLAYS MASTERFULLY REMASTERED MOZART CONCERTOS.......2004-03-08

___________________________________________________________________________________________

This is Mozart the way he was meant to be played. Each of these concertos is a delight to listen to and they keep you coming back for more. It's hard to pick favorites here, although I thoroughly enjoyed K. 467. I sometimes cringe at a pianist's attempt to play his own cadenzas, particularly in a Mozart concerto because the music is so perfect and delicately balanced in the first place - something that can so easily be ruined. This is certainly not the case in this rendition of K. 467. Rubinstein does a magnificent job weaving his own variations among the main body of this sublime work. I was also deeply moved by his performance in the dark central movement of K. 453, simply gorgeous.

Part of what so many reviewers have expressed here concerning their appreciation of Rubinstein's Mozart has to do with the artist's view of and great love for the composer. In a 1962 interview (recounted in the CD Booklet) Rubinstein says, "Mozart and Hayden have just as much emotion in them . . . as any Beethoven had. For me Mozart can express in a few bars more than Beethoven in a whole movement of a sonata. I adore Mozart; he is my great, great, great, deep love. The thing is simply that Mozart was able to put all his heart and soul, his musical talent, his genius, into the forms, into the mold . . . " I share this quote here, not as a put down to Beethoven at all and I'm sure Rubinstein didn't mean it that way either. He made these comments at a time when Beethoven, then as now to a large degree, was preferred by many audiences due to the more bombastic and controversial nature of his work. Mozart's concertos, though bright and beautiful, are just so jam-packed with emotion on a very deep and consistent level.

We're very lucky to have this selection of concertos so lovingly performed by Rubinstein. I can only wish there were more. The remastered quality is excellent. This two CD set is a gem, a real treat that'll keep you coming back again and again.

I don't know everything, but, I know what I like !.......2001-10-14

I listen to a lot of music.
I have dabbled in performance, but, I am not a professional.
With that disclaimer, I feel I must do everything in my power to
promote this exceptional collection of exceptional performances.
I have each and every one of these concertos performed by various pianists.
I won't name names or compare one to another.
I had one that I even particularly liked.
For some reason I am continually returning to these hypnotic
and enthralling performances.
I can't put it into any sort of learned or academic terms.
I am just simply captivated by the graceful force of Rubinstein's playing and the direction and sonority of the orchestras in these recordings.
What else can I say ?
Well, I have quite a few more of these discs from the Rubinstein
collection.
I heartily recommend them to any music enthusiast !
Check out his Villa-Lobos.
Yummylicious!

Sensational performances, vastly improved sound.......2001-03-22

Although you may think of Rubinstein primarily as a Chopin interpreter, where he is unsurpassed, his Mozart can stand up to anyone in terms of tonal beauty and imagination, if not technical perfection. These are all classic performances of four of the very greatest piano concerti ever written, and Rubinstein puts his individual stamp on each of them, well worth listening to even if you already have a favorite recording (such as, in my case, Perahia). The great thing about this new release is that the sound quality is DRAMATICALLY improved and you would scarcely know that these are recordings from the late 50s and early 60s.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful!
disappointed
Gorgeous versions of Schubert's masterpieces
Rubinstein Plays Schubert Better Than You-Know-Who

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 54

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 51
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ASIN: B000031WBY
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Piano Sonata, D.960 In B-Flat: Molto Moderato
Piano Sonata, D.960 In B-Flat: Andante Sostenuto
Piano Sonata, D.960 In B-Flat: Scherzo: Allegro Vivace Con Delicatezza
Piano Sonata, D. 960 In B-Flat: Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
Fantasie, Op. 15, D.760 ('Wanderer'): Allegro Con Fuoco, Ma Non Troppo
Fantasie, Op. 15, D.760 ('Wanderer'): Adagio
Fantasie, Op. 15, D.760 ('Wanderer'): Presto
Fantasie, Op. 15, D.760 ('Wanderer'): Allegro
Impromptu, Op. 90, No. 3
Impromptu, Op. 90, No. 4

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!.......2006-03-05

This is one of my best-loved CDs. It's full of magic and charm. Although Rubinstein's style of playing is what one would call 'classical' (in this I can compare him only to Clara Haskil), his B-dur sonara is full of life, wit and 'style'. You should definitely buy it.
I re-listen this CD at least 2 or 3 times a week:)

disappointed.......2004-10-18

rubinstein has for some time been my favorite pianist. schubert's 960 has for some time been my favorite sonata, maybe even my favorite piano piece period. how could i go wrong? the problem, for me, is that rubinstein plays this sonata as if it were from the classical period. he plays it perfect, but it is too stiff and formal. too fast! i feel as if there is no emotion in this recording. of the impromptus, they are perfectly played, and sound as if they are effortless, as if rubinstein is floating over the keys. typical rubinstein. the problem is, that is not the rubinstein that played the sonata, and that's the only reason i bought the cd.

Gorgeous versions of Schubert's masterpieces.......2001-03-29

The Sonata in B flat is, in my opinion, one of the two or three finest works ever written for solo piano, but it is so complex and nuanced that recordings of it vary tremendously. Of all the versions I have heard, the best are Brendel (I must respectfully disagree with the other reviewer's criticisms) and this recording by the old magician Rubinstein, who approaches the work with the finesse, sense of beauty, and impeccable timing that characterize his unsurpassable Chopin recordings. From the mysterious bass trills that open the work, through the glorious theme and variations of the first movement, the hauntingly desolate second movement, the joyful dance of the third movement, and the ambivalent but ultimately positive finale, Rubinstein is very close to the heart of this music, and listening to it, one is transfixed and renewed. I would buy the Brendel too, particularly his earlier analogue recording that is out of print if you can find it (a CD I treasure) although his later digital recording is fine too, but don't miss this one. By the way the sound is vastly improved in the new remastering as well. Excellent versions of the Wanderer and the Impromptus too, although the heart and soul of this CD is the great Opus Posthumous sonata.

Rubinstein Plays Schubert Better Than You-Know-Who.......2000-11-01

The performances compiled on this CD were recorded from 1961-1965.

Rubinstein never played much Schubert in concert or on record. With the exception of one Sonata movement, this is Rubinstein's entire recorded Schubert repertoire. This is a pity, as these performances are more natural sounding and enjoyable than those by many Schubert "specialists."

The Impromptus were recorded in 1961. The G-flat Impromptu is played in Rubinstein's usual straightforward style, with the accompaniment exquisitely balanced against the melody. The A-flat Impromptu is a deceptively simple performance, the repeated note "falling" theme sounding as if it were being pulled earthward by gravity.

For the original LP release, Rubinstein coupled the Wanderer Fantasy with the Liszt Sonata as a demonstration of how Schubert anticipated Liszt's cyclical musical construction. As played by Rubinstein, the Fantasy emerges as more of an architectonic masterpiece than a virtuoso calling card. In some of the more bravura sections, he is clearly holding back a little, but the performance does not suffer from Rubinstein's refusal to show off. Incidentally, Rubinstein, who was never particularly concerned with performing a piece from an authoritative printed edition, does not play the left hand D-natural at the end of the second movement. In the nearly unplayable fugue, where many pianists cover up the difficulties in a haze of pedal, Rubinstein firmly sounds every note. A stunning performance.

Rubinstein had a difficult relationship with the B-flat Sonata, Schubert's final essay in the form. He attempted to record it four times: twice in 1963, again in 1965, and finally returning to the studio for a last attempt in 1969. Rubinstein approved the 1969 version, which was released to lukewarm critical reception. It was generally felt at the time that Rubinstein had allowed himself to "over-think" the piece and the performance was rather bogged down and joyless. The 1965 version, first released in 1987 and included on this CD, is far superior. Phrasing, tempi, and rubato are all unforced and sponteneous sounding. It is noteworthy to compare this performance with Alfred Brendel's various recordings. Though Rubinstein was 78 when this recording was made, the elder pianist sounds far more youthful than the chronologically younger Brendel. It goes without saying that Rubinstein's legendary tone is infinitely more beautiful than Brendel's annoyingly shallow sonority. Many pianists, mostly those of the German School, have tried to impose upon this work the notion of the Winter Wanderer Shadowed by Death. Rubinstein doesn't downplay Schubert's suffering, but his performance reminds us that Schubert was, after all, only 31 when he completed this masterpiece.

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.2, Op.21: Maestoso
Piano Concerto No.2, Op.21: Larghetto
Piano Concerto No.2, Op.21: Allegro Vivace
Fantasia On Polish Airs, Op.13: Largo Non Troppo
Fantasia On Polish Airs, Op.13: Andantino
Fantasia On Polish Airs, Op.13: Kujawiak: Vivace
Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise, Op.22
Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise, Op.22: Untitled

Customer Reviews:

Rubinstein's Late Chopin.......2002-05-28

Volume 69 of RCA's mammoth Rubinstein Collection contains some of Rubinstein's last authorized recordings of the music of his compatriot Chopin.

Rubinstein made no fewer than four recordings of Chopin's popular Second Concerto (there is an additional, filmed, performance from 1975). The pianist's conception of the concerto changed over the course of his career, from the brilliant, scintillating, and somewhat sectionalized playing of his early years, to the more mellow, mature, and structurally minded performance heard here. Rubinstein, 81 at the time of this recording, is occasionally cautious during the concerto's more demanding passages, uses less rubato, and less pedal than in his earlier recordings. Eugene Ormandy proves a most sympathetic accompanist here, even accommodating Rubinstein's rather questionable changes to Chopin's text: Rubinstein ordered a cut at the end of the first movement, and the violins in the mazurka episode of the finale play the passages with their bows, rather than sul ponticello (with the wood) as Chopin indicated.

The Fantasia on Polish Airs is one of the few works by Chopin that has never made it into the standard repertoire. Rubinstein rarely played the piece, and this is his only recording of it. His straighforward performance, along with Ormandy's accompaniment, fit the music like a glove.

Chopin's Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise is better known as a solo piece than in the version with orchestra heard here. Indeed, Rubinstein made three versions of the solo version. Truth be told, the orchestration is rather scanty, and best dispensed with altogether. Rubinstein plays the piece with his usual brilliance, and the pick-up orchestra under Alfred Wallenstein tries to stay out of the pianist's way.

Tracks:

Allegro Maestoso
Andante Espressivo
Scherzo: Allegro Energico
Intermezzo: Andante Molto
Finale: Allegro Moderato
Capriccio, Op.76, No.2 In B Minor
Intermezzo, Op.117, No.2 In B-Flat Minor
Op.79, No.1 In B Minor
Op.79, No.2 In G Minor
Op.119, No.4 In E-Flat

Customer Reviews:

Not the greatest, but not the worst, either.......2001-08-05

This is a decent collection of Brahms music, by the renowned pianist Rubinstien. The recording quality of this CD surprised me, since it's from the last 40s/early 50s. While the piano sounds a little flat at times, without the resonance of today's recordings, there are very few hisses and scratches, which one might expect from an old recording.

There are a few clunkers in the first mvt. (especially) of the Brahms sonata that seem to come from a lack of control more than anything else. And while the Intermezzo and Rhapsodies aren't my favorite recordings (I enjoy the Radu Lupu recordings, on London), they are good. What I don't like is how he doesn't seem to get into the soul of Brahms, especially in the Intermezzo and Rhap. 79, no. 1 and 119, no 4. Also, I prefer a seemingly hard-to-find recording of Yefim Bronfman on the sonata. But, these are good recordings, and a good historical addition to one's collection.

What is most interesting about this recording was mentioned above: Rubinstein approaches Brahms as a contemporary, not as a long-dead composer. This provides some interesting background to why Rubinstein plays it as he does.

While I would not make the claim that these are a definitive recording of this music, they are decent, although I think they provide more enlightenment to Rubinstein than Brahms himself.

An Hour of Thrilling Brahms Playing.......2001-03-17

Johannes Brahms was alive until Arthur Rubinstein was ten years old, and the pianist regarded the composer as a contemporary, rather than an "old master." That spirit fills this superb collection, recorded in 1949 and 1953.

There are two recordings by Rubinstein of Brahms' youthful Sonata in F minor, Op. 5, this version, recorded in 1949, and a stereo version made ten years later(Volume 63). The earlier version has slightly more forward motion and youthful impulsiveness than the more relaxed remake. In an age when Brahms performances are becoming increasingly ponderous and phlegmatic, Rubinstein's brio is most welcome.

The shorter works are similarly compelling. Both the B minor and G minor Rhapsodies are more convincing--technically and musically--than Rubinstein's 1970 remakes. On the other hand, Rubinstein's later version of the Intermezzo has an autumnal glow which suits the piece. This version E-flat Rhaphsody--from 1953--was Rubinstein's last recording of the work.

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio
Adagio
Scherzo: Allegro
Allegro Assai
Molto Moderato
Andante Sostenuto
Scherzo: Allegro Vivace Con Delicatezza
Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Customer Reviews:

Ruby has two faces.......2002-04-07

We're used to think of Rubinstein as of a cheerful guy... I mean, reading his autobiography, or other people's opinion on him, we get the portrait of an old but always youngish man with a lot of energy, who doesn't take "everything" for serious, and enjoys life in all its beauty. That's the Rubinstein we often hear on disc: compare his Beethoven Concertos with performances by Backhaus or Schnabel; with Ruby you get "Latin" rhythm and passion not immediately associated with those works. His performance of Sonata n. 3 is no exception; the energy heard in the fast movements and the tone clarity of the slow one are without match in the whole discography of the Sonata.

But there is another Rubinstein: a man who's faced death and sadness, war and loss, a man who watched the world he loved falling apart; most of all, an artist always able to express such different feelings as pain and melancholy. That's the Rubinstein we hear in the latest Chopin recordings (vol. 44-50 and 69), in Spanish music (vol.7 and 18) and in unforgettable performances of Brahms' late piano works. The present recording of Schubert's Sonata shows this face of Rubinstein's artistry; slow tempi, controlled rubato, dark and full sound; we're not used to hear him playing this way, and maybe we're not used to hear the Sonata played this way, either. But I think nobody has ever shown so many ghosts flying through Schubert's classical perfection.

There might be better discs in the Collection, but this one is the best and most complete available portrait of Arthur Rubinstein.

Schubert for the evening hours..........2002-04-03

For me, the Schubert B-flat is a brooding introspective work. Rubinstein spoke of how it reminded him of death. I didn't know that the first time I heard this recording, but that is certainly how I felt about it as well.

Rubinstein recorded it several times before he found a version that he was happy with. Unfortunately, in 1987 when RCA went to release the CD version, they decided to go with a more conventional performance that Rubinstein had recorded a few years earlier rather than the version he authorized for release.

And most folks nodded their head and said, "yes, this is as it should be..." Except, Rubinstein and a handful of us prefer this version.

So, why? Because it captures the darkness that Schubert intended for the work. Rubinstein plays the opening a bit slower than most though thankfully not as slowly as Richter. Listen to the ending of the first movement, it just withers away. The second movement is - mournful, gentle -- as beautiful as the movement has ever been played. The third movement brings hope -- and is intended to balance some of what has preceded it.

I've performed this sonata and own a goodly number of the recordings of this work including 3 Brendel performances, Uchida, Hough, Goode, Schnabel, Afanassiev, Kempf, Dalberto, Cooper, Schiff, Barenboim, Weichert, Richter (3), Kovocivich, Lupu, Pires, and perhaps a dozen others...

While I love a few of these and a couple are technically better performed, this Rubinstein recording is a performance that really touches the heart. Rubinstein liked it. I think you would too. Just be aware that a lot of "experts" disagree.

Since, this a minority view, you might be well advised to purchase this version of the sonata while you still can. The "experts" will likely dictate that this performance be once again hidden from the world.

Oh yes, and the Beethoven...the performance has a Rubinstein stamp on it...but this recording you want for the Schubert.

Ponderous Beethoven and Fussy Schubert.......2001-03-07

William Hupfer, for many years Steinway's chief piano tuner, liked to use baseball analogies when talking about pianists. Vladimir Horowitz, said Hupfer, was like Babe Ruth, hitting a home run. Arthur Rubinstein, on the other hand, was more like Lou Gehrig, always dependable, playing every day he was scheduled. Rubinstein's "batting-average" as a pianist was extraordinarily high--he seemed suited to a very wide range of music. Although he is successful in the works of Beethoven and Schubert elsewhere in this collection, this disc represents his occasional shortcomings.

The Beethoven Sonata, Op. 2, No. 3 is lacking two elements crucial to this early work--charm and humor. Rubinstein's playing throughout is rather bogged-down, ponderous, and lacking in imagination. The wit of Kempff's version (on DG) is sorely missing. Rubinstein seldom played this Sonata in public (he much preferred the Appassionata, which was better suited to him) and listening to this recording one can imagine why.

Rubinstein had a troubled relationship with Schubert's final Piano Sonata. He attempted a recording in the Autumn of 1963, just before embarking on a concert tour which featured the work. His conception of the work changed during the tour, and in the spring on 1964, he tried again in Carnegie Hall. But Rubinstein and his producer, Max Wilcox, were dissatisfied with the recorded sound. A third recording, made at RCA's Italiana Studios in Rome in 1965 satisfied pianist and producer, but was held back because Rubinstein wished to add more music to the LP. Finally, in 1969, Rubinstein tried again. However, the morning of the session, the pianist had a very upsetting telephone conversation with his oldest son, Paul, which preceded an estrangement which lasted until the pianist's death in 1982. It is hard to blame Rubinstein, then, for sounding distracted in this version. The phrasing does not flow, rubato seems contrived, and the performance as a whole fails to cohere. While preparing Rubinstein's recordings for their first CD release in 1986, Max Wilcox pulled the tape of the 1965 version and immediately realized it was a far better performance. That was the performance released, with the permission of Rubinstein's widow, on CD in 1987. The 1965 version is available as Volume 54 of the Rubinstein Collection.

No complaints about the sound, but due to the aforementioned performance issues, this CD is for Rubinstein completists only.

Rubinstein's Schubert -- a revision.......2001-03-07

This review is from a non-musicologist, which may explain why the opinions expressed differ from those of the 'experts'.

My first introduction to the Schubert sonata was a radio-discussion on the BBC in which the old recording by Schnabel was played. When I eventually came to buy the piece on LP in the 1970s, I was only interested in acquiring Rubinstein's interpretation. I gave the LP away and kept a taped copy, whose quality was somewhat less than satisfactory. So, starting a CD collection in the late 80s, this was the first CD I sought. The very first bars, however, indicated that this was not the version to which my ears had grown accustomed, and a perusal of the accompanying notes revealed that the LP-release, recorded in 1969 and approved by the pianist, was substituted on the CD by an earlier recording because (i) the LP-version had been poorly reviewed at the time, and (ii) the recording-engineer preferred the earlier one anyway. Only now has the recording company seen fit to re-release the 1969 version on CD, and to my mind it is the canonical version amongst all those that I have heard.

For me, recordings of this sonata stand or fall on the performance of the first two movements. Schubert was facing death when he composed this masterpiece, and one naturally expects agony to be reflected through tempo and phrasing of the beautiful melody that (typically for this composer) characterises the first movement. Whilst the majority of listeners are not in the same predicament as Schubert, nevertheless most of us are faced by various travails, and it is musing over the darker side of life that seems to be captured in the 2nd movement with the rising theme starting at 3'12" suggesting an assertion of the indomitability of the human spirit. No other performance I know quite speaks to me in this way as does the Rubinstein 1969 recording (that on volume 54 of the Rubinstein Collection is simply too fast and smooth in both these crucial movements). How it can be described as 'dry' or 'detached' is beyond my comprehension.

Given the interpretation of the music offered above, imagine my surprise at reading the dramatic family-circumstances that lay behind this particular recording, as detailed in Harvey Sachs' gripping Rubinstein biography! The pianist had a long, heated and virtually final conversation that morning with one of his children. And so, one can only imagine his mood as he sat down at the piano in Rome, reflected perhaps by the halting rhythm in his 1st movement interpretation but stating his own (well-known) indomitable spirit at that crucial moment in the 2nd.

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 11 In E Minor: Allegro maestoso
Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 11 In E Minor: Romance: Larghetto
Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 11 In E Minor: Rondo: Vivace
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 21 In F Minor: Maestoso
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 21 In F Minor: Larghetto
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 21 In F Minor: Allegro vivace
Trois nouvelles etudes, Op. Posth.: No. 1 In F Minor
Trois nouvelles etudes, Op. Posth.: No. 2 In A-Flat
Trois nouvelles etudes, Op. Posth.: No. 3 In D-Flat

Customer Reviews:

i must hurl.......2005-05-23

really it's that bad...
for me, naxos is a safe bet of any classical recordings.

Fine Chopin Playing in these Early Stereo Recordings.......2001-01-10

Rubinstein recorded the Chopin Concertos numerous times. This version of Chopin's first Concerto is the most successful of Rubinstein's several versions, partly thanks to the sensitive accompaniment of the New London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Stanislaw Skrowaczewski. Tempos are well-judged, phrasing is supple and natural, virtuosity is there, but not for its own sake. The sound on the original LP and the first CD issue, was plagued by dropouts at the beginning of the Concerto--these have been smoothed over remarkably, but not entirely eliminated. Balance between orchestra and piano has also been improved. The Second Concerto is somewhat less successful. Here, Rubinstein is partnered by Alfred Wallenstein, his favored accompanist during the 1950s and early 1960s. Wallenstein secures reasonable playing from the Symphony of the Air, then long past its earlier glory as the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Rubinstein's playing is fine, but the overall enjoyment of the performance is hampered by the sonic picture, which remains synthetic and dryish--despite the best efforts of the remastering team. Purists should be warned that, at Rubinstein's insistence, the violins do not play "con legno" as Chopin indicated.
The Three New Etudes, recorded in 1962, are similar to--if less fleet fingered than--Rubinstein's earlier stereo version from 1958.

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Around the World with Arthur Rubinstein

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 11

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | 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
Similar Items:

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 8
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 9
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 72
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 51
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 42

ASIN: B00004VL71
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

Pno Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Les Adieux: Adagio; Allegro
Pno Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': L'absence: Andante Expressivo
Pno Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Le Retour: Vivacissimamente
Pno Son No.18 in E flat, Op.31 No.3: III. Menuetto: Moderato E Grazioso
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Prld
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Chorale
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Fugue
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
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.8. Bruxa
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.5. Negrinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.3. Caboclinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.1. Branquinha
Alegria Na Horta (Ste Floral, Op.97 No.3)
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.1. Sostenuto. Molto Rubato
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.2. Scherzo: Allegramente. Poco Vivace
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.3: Moderato
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.4: Allegramente, Risoluto
Saudades Do Brasil: No.5. Ipanema
Saudades Do Brasil: No.9. Sumare
Saudades Do Brasil: No.11. Larenjeiras
Prld No.2
Valse Oubliee No.1

Customer Reviews:

Around the World with Arthur Rubinstein.......2001-05-15

There is something for nearly everyone in Volume 11 of RCA's complete Arthur Rubinstein collection. More than any other volume in the collection, these mono performances, originally recorded on 78RPM discs from 1940-1946 demonstrate Rubinstein's incredible diversity and breadth or repertoire.

Beethoven's "Les adieux" Sonata, Op. 81a, was a great favorite of Rubinstein's. In addition to the 1940 performance featured here, there is a stereo recording from 1962 (Volume 56). The earlier performance is somewhat more freewheeling and sectionalized than the later more architecturally minded version. But there is a beauty to Rubinstein's sound (which comes through even on these old mono recordings) and a natural rise-and-fall to his phrasing which silences all criticism--even of the brief tangling of fingers in the transition from slow movement to finale. The 1945 performance of the slow movement from Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 31, No. 3, was originally recorded as a filler for the Appassionata Sonata Rubinstein recorded that same year.

Rubinstein recorded Franck's Prelude, Chorale & Fugue three times, this one being the earliest version. The pianist must have pulled some strings to record this work, which despite its excellent quality has never been a repertoire staple. Rubinstein makes an excellent case for the work here, as he does in his other recordings (the 1970 version is the best of the three versions).

Heitor Villa-Lobos was a close friend of Rubinstein's, and the pianist performed that composer's Prole do bebe ("The Baby's Dolls," roughly translated) from 1920 until his retirement. Unfortunately, he never made a complete recording of the suite--and for some reason decided to perform the pieces out of order in this recording. Nevertheless, this and the Allegria da horta from Villa-Lobos' Flower Suite are a joy to hear.

Rubinstein was also a close friend with his fellow Pole Karol Szymanowski. The four Mazurkas Rubinstein plays here were dedicated to the pianist. This 1946 performance is more rustic than the suave, aristocratic version of the Mazurkas Rubinstein recorded live in Carnegie Hall in 1961--reminding us that the Mazurka is a Polish peasant dance.

Though Rubinstein was also associated with Darius Milhaud, this version of the Saudades do Brasil is the only recording the pianist made of the French composer's music. He captures the underlying savagery and modernity of the pieces without ever sounding ugly.

Despite being an American citizen from the 1940s onward, the only American work Rubinstein performed publicly was Gershwin's Second Prelude. If this is an example of Rubinstein's approach to American music, it's probably for the best he avoided it. The performance is completely unidiomatic: both tempo and phrasing are inappropriate; and he even tampers with Gershwin's harmonic scheme, eliminating the blues chord at the end! This performance is the only failure on the CD.

Liszt's Valse Oubliee is a satisfying encore to an effective recital.

Tracks:

Pno Son No.8 in c, Op.13 ('Pathetique'): Grave; Allegro Molto E Con Brio
Pno Son No.8 in c, Op.13 ('Pathetique'): Adagio Cantabile
Pno Son No.8 in c, Op.13 ('Pathetique'): Rondo: Allegro
Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 ('Waldstein'): Allegro Con Brio
Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 ('Waldstein'): Intro: Adagio Molto
Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 ('Waldstein'): Rondo: Allegretto Moderato
Pno Son No.23 in f, Op.57 ('Appassionata'): Allegro Assai
Pno Son No.23 in f, Op.57 ('Appassionata'): Andante Con Moto
Pno Son No.23 in f, Op.57 ('Appassionata'): Allegro Non Troppo

Customer Reviews:

Close, but no Cigar.......2001-10-10

Volume 33 of RCA's Complete Arthur Rubinstein Collection includes the pianist's 1954 recordings of three of Beethoven's most popular Sonatas.

Rubinstein made three recordings of the Pathetique Sonata (the only sonata to be given a name by the composer). The first one, recorded on 78RPM discs in 1946, was rather episodic and performed on an out of tune piano. This performance is a bit better, and so is the piano. The work comes across more as a whole than in the earlier version, with steadier tempos, less rubato, and greater pianistic clarity. However, Rubinstein's wholesale ignoring of Beethoven's dynamic markings in the first movement prevents this version from getting an absolute recommendation. His stereo remake from 1962 remains his best achievement in this piece.

The Waldstein Sonata was peripheral to Rubinstein's repertoire, and this is his only recording of the work. The pianist seems strangely uncomfortable in the piece. Throughout the first movement, there are little hesitations and tempo changes which indicate that he had not really studied this piece in depth. Portions of the third movement drag, as if the pianist were tired. The end of this piece is home to one of the great Beethoven textual debates: in the score, the composer indicates that the pianist should play several runs as octave glissandi. Unfortunately, these are not really playable on modern pianos which have a much heavier touch than the pianos of Beethoven's time. Rubinstein, as did Vladimir Horowitz, plays the runs as prestissimo and staccato octaves.

Rubinstein played the ubiquitous Appassionata Sonata more often in concert than any other Beethoven piece. This recording is a remarkable improvement over the pianist's almost comically slapdash 1946 version, which ignored the composer's tempo indications and left more notes out than it kept in. Tempo, pedaling, and phrasing are much more sensible here, yet the music loses nothing of its visceral excitement. Rubinstein also includes the third movement repeat which was skipped in the earlier version. Although different in details, this performance can be rated on about the same level as Rubinstein's 1963 stereo remake.

Tracks:

Vn Partita No.2, BWV 1004: Chaconne
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Prld
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Chorale
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Fugue
Pno Son in b, S. 178: Lento Assai
Pno Son in b, S. 178: Andante Sostenuto
Pno Son in b, S. 178: Allegro Energico
Pno Son in b, S. 178: Stretto Quasi Presto
Vals Oubliee No.1
La Plus Que Lente (Valse)
O Polichinelo (Prole Do Bebe, Book I, No.7)

Customer Reviews:

My Desert Island Rubinstein CD.......2001-10-27

The program in Volume 68 of RCA's Complete Arthur Rubinstein Collection is uncommonly well balanced to demonstrate that the pianist's musical sympathies went far beyond Chopin and Brahms.

Rubinstein considered Ferruccio Busoni's arrangements of J. S. Bach's music to be the ideal transference of Bach's musical thought to the modern piano. This, Rubinstein's only recording of the Chaconne, was recorded in 1970. The pianist moves through the shifting moods of Bach's variations smoothly, characterizing the contrasting episodes while maintaining the basic pulse. Anyone who thinks Rubinstein did not possess a rock-solid piano technique need only listen to this performance as proof of the pianist's abilities. He can match his younger colleagues finger for finger, and tonally he can't be beaten. Unlike, say, Kissin, Rubinstein is able to push the piano to its dynamic limits, without ever creating a harsh sound.

If I had to choose one solo recording to demonstrate Rubinstein's gifts as a pianist and interpreter, it would be this version of Franck's Chorale, Prelude & Fugue, also recorded in 1970. Basically, the key to bringing this difficult piece to life lies in the careful balancing of totality and detail. Despite his posthumous reputation as a "Romantic" pianist, Rubinstein was essentially concerned with the big-picture, musically speaking. By avoiding the temptation to point out certain details in Franck's piano writing, the framework of the piece emerges more clearly. Rubinstein, at 83, plays with all the brilliance heard on earlier versions, and with even greater structural control.

I don't think Rubinstein loved Liszt the way he loved Chopin or Brahms. Although he performed Liszt's mammoth Sonata virtually from the beginning of his career, he did not record it until 1965, when he was 78. There are three basic approaches to this work: Demonic, Narrative, or Structural. Rubinstein unhesitatingly chooses the latter course, with just a dash of the previous two. This performance does not have the frisson or diabolical qualities of Horowitz' legendary 1932 recording. Nor does it have the ineffectual mooning of Watts' unfortunate 1985 version. Nor, thankfully, is it sterile, as is Pollini's recording. Rubinstein plays the Sonata as a SONATA, not as a balancing act between orgies of speed and sentimental interludes. The music gains from Rubinstein's approach, which is reasonably brilliant, warm, and coherent. Also included on the CD is Liszt's Valse-oubliee, along with the Sonata Rubinstein's only stereo recording of Liszt's solo music.

Rubinstein was playing Debussy's music when it was hot off the press, and La plus que lent was a great favorite is his. The Villa-Lobos O Polichinelo was long associated with the pianist, and was the last piece he ever played in public. It makes an effective encore here.

RCA's remastering preserved Rubinstein's unique tonal qualities, and has greater dynamic impact than previous issues.

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