Orchestral Works 3, Vol. 15

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Chandos's Grainger Edition brings yet another cornucopia of delights delivered with indefatigable dedication and twinkling charisma by Richard Hickox and the BBC Philharmonic. The formula is the same as on this team's first and second volumes of Grainger's orchestral music, with tried-and-trusted nuggets such as Green Bushes and Colonial Song (both given here in particularly lavish orchestrations from 1905-06 and 1919, respectively) sitting alongside genuine rarities like The Merry King (based on a folk tune from West Sussex and boasting a seductively ornate piano contribution) and the amazingly colorful English Dance No.1 (a riot of a piece that prompted Gabriel Fauré to exclaim: "It's as if the total population were a-dancing!"). Perhaps the most startlingly original items here were conceived for wind band, namely the bracingly tangy Hill Song No.2 and that ambitious, extraordinarily titled essay The Power of Rome and the Christian Heart (which also draws on material from the first movement of Grainger's glorious Danish Folk Song Suite). Chandos's thrillingly realistic sonics fairly leap from the loudspeakers. All told, this disc is not to be missed. --Andrew Achenbach

Amazon.com

Sàndor, still active at 90 as this reissue appears, was a student of Bartók and a preferred interpreter of his music. Since this set appeared on nine LPs in the early 1960s, it has been the standard for Bartók's piano music; in this fine-sounding reissue, it still is. Sàndor can hit hard enough for such virtuoso pieces as the Piano Sonata and "Out of Doors," but he also retains the romantic element heard in the composer's own playing which tempers the harsher qualities of the music. While this collection isn't quite as complete as advertised (some early, insignificant piano music by Bartók is omitted), it includes all of Bartók's significant piano music, including such relatively obscure gems as the Bagatelles, eight Improvisations, and many delectable folk arrangements which will appeal even to listeners who think Bartók is too challenging for them. Vox's recorded sound, superbly remastered, resists obsolescence as effectively as Sàndor's performances. Even with the inclusion of the early books of "Mikrokosmos," which will appeal mostly to piano students, this set is worth several times the asking price. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Microcosmos.......2007-03-08

Sándor was a champion not only of Bartók's music but also of Bartók's style of playing. He often complained that people were too quick to see Bartók as ultra-modern, and to fail to appreciate the rich seam of lyricism that also runs through his music.

The piano music is dominated by short pieces, many of them written for piano students, notably the collections "Microcosmos" and "For Children". These, together with suites of folk dance arrangements, make up the bulk of the solo piano output.

Sandór plays these short, and often simple pieces, with neither too much nor too little art. As a gifted teacher, he knew unerringly how much music each of these small vessels held. The result is beguiling - but be warned: no-one can listen to the 153 short pieces of Microcosmos end-to-end. This is an anthology to be dipped into, not swallowed whole.

The remastering is pretty successful (fortunately - some of Vox's CD reissues are plagued by severe deterioration of the original tapes). And it's for half nothing-what's not to like?

Great value with a few flaws.......2006-07-28

I am not a Bartok expert by any scale, but I do like the way these pieces, without exception, are played. There are, however, a couple of other problems.

As mentioned by an earlier reviewer, very few of the works are split into tracks - Mikrokosmos is divided into 7 for each of its six volumes, and to accomodate for a full CD. In these seven tracks there are 121 songs. I would have much preferred if the songs had been split into tracks. Almost the entire CD set is this way - Fifteen Hungarian Songs is one track, Fourteen Bagatelles, etc. It is very annoying when one wants to hear a particular song in those tracks and not the others.

Another detriment to the collection is the recording quality. It is decent most of the time, but in loud sections the piano buzzes. One might be able to ignore it, but I think that it detracts from the passion of the forte quite a bit.

Overall, for $18 it is pretty decent, but if you are like me and like to keep your music library neatly organized (and aren't extremely cheap), I would not recommend this set.

eeh, I guess I don't like Bartok that much.......2006-07-25

I like the fact that Bartok is into the folk tradition and all, but he just tends to forget the fact that melody has to be SOMEWHERE in the music. I'm all for creative expression when you're sitting alone at the piano, but abstract music should be reserved for performance art. I like playing some of your stuff Bela, but I just don't want to listen to you.

Best classical value out there.......2005-10-05

To put this set in perspective, for months I would go to my local Tower Records fishing for worthwhile classical CDs at least once a week. One of the discs that sat in the bins the longest was a single CD of Bartok piano music, played by Zoltan Kocsis. It was Volume 7 of a complete series. This CD listed for $17.99, and as long as I went to that Tower Records, it did not budge an inch, nor was its price amended.

Now, Kocsis is one of the greatest pianists alive, and if anyone is worthy of commanding a premium, it is him. And to be fair, that CD is going to be re-released on October 11 as part of a Collector's Edition - eight CDs, $63.97 MSRP. But it's already going up against this little gem, which contains five CDs with all of the truly great solo-piano works by an internationally recognized Bartok specialist for $21 - not much more than the cost of one CD from the other set. This kind of value is not to be taken lightly.

I came to this set with my impression of Sandor informed by his complete Prokofiev - ultra-hard, sometimes rhythmically slack, always melodically lacking in some way or another. But he held a very special feeling for Bartok, and saved his best playing for the great Hungarian. In passages like the first of the Three Csik Dances, the opening of the Improvisations Op. 20, or in the Ten Easy Pieces, there is a simplicity, charm and wistful homesickness that is quite touching. In pieces like the Out of Doors suite, the Sonata, or the Burlesques, there is a vicious, impulsive energy, a wicked sense of humor and an overabundance of overtones. It is never mindless, inappropriate or even overly harsh - it's just very, very loud.

In this set I like best the endless landscape of the Sonatina, the unusual colors and fragrances in the Etudes, the brilliantly conceived Bear Dance (the last of the Ten Easy Pieces), and the multifaceted, complex, gorgeous Improvisations. Any fan of Bartok should hear these.

5 Stars for the music and performance.......2005-04-04

This is a fantastic deal, but the problem with this Collection stems from the fact that the pieces are often not separated by tracks. This is especially annoying for the Children's Pieces and Mikrokosmos. There are so many pieces, one wears out the fast forward button and still may miss the particular piece one is looking for. The booklet is fairly insightful, and the performer is widely hailed as the supreme interpreter of Bartok's piano music. So aside from this slightly annoying at times and ridiculously annoying at other times flaw, this is one of the best deals in Classical music. Don't hesitate. Add it to the cart.

Average customer rating:

piano for the suburbanite
This would be the greatest exce[pt....
Who Better than to Record the Mazurkas?
Arthur Rubinstein: Chopin's 51 Mazurkas
The unsurpassable Rubinstein

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 50

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | 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
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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 48
Arthur Rubinstein - Chopin 19 Nocturnes (Vol. 49)
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 46
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 45
The Rubinstein Collection Vol 47 - Chopin: Waltzes, Impromptus, Bolero

ASIN: B00004ZD5E
Release Date: 2001-03-06

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:

Orchestral Works 3, Vol. 15

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Percussion | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music

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Grainger Edition, Vol.6: Orchestral Works
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ASIN: B00004XPK7
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Tracks:

Green Bushes
Hill-Song No. 2
The Merry King
Eastern Intermezzo
Colonial Song
Spoon River
Lord Maxwell's Goodnight
The Power Of Rome And The Christian Heart
The Immovable Do
Irish Tune From County Derry
Ye Banks And Braes O' Bonnie Doon
English Dance No. 1

Amazon.com

Chandos's Grainger Edition brings yet another cornucopia of delights delivered with indefatigable dedication and twinkling charisma by Richard Hickox and the BBC Philharmonic. The formula is the same as on this team's first and second volumes of Grainger's orchestral music, with tried-and-trusted nuggets such as Green Bushes and Colonial Song (both given here in particularly lavish orchestrations from 1905-06 and 1919, respectively) sitting alongside genuine rarities like The Merry King (based on a folk tune from West Sussex and boasting a seductively ornate piano contribution) and the amazingly colorful English Dance No.1 (a riot of a piece that prompted Gabriel Fauré to exclaim: "It's as if the total population were a-dancing!"). Perhaps the most startlingly original items here were conceived for wind band, namely the bracingly tangy Hill Song No.2 and that ambitious, extraordinarily titled essay The Power of Rome and the Christian Heart (which also draws on material from the first movement of Grainger's glorious Danish Folk Song Suite). Chandos's thrillingly realistic sonics fairly leap from the loudspeakers. All told, this disc is not to be missed. --Andrew Achenbach

Average customer rating:

The Transcendental Rubinstein
Restless Nocturnes and Furious Scherzos

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 26

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 27
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 28
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 1
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 32
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 29

ASIN: B000054277
Release Date: 2001-07-10

Tracks:

Nocturne in b flat, Op.9, No.1
Nocturne in E flat, Op.9, No.2
Nocturne in B, Op.9, No.3
Nocturne in F, Op.15, No.1
Nocturne in F#, Op.15, No.2
Nocturne in g, Op.15, No.3
Nocturne in c#, Op.27, No.1
Nocturne in D flat, Op.27, No.2
Nocturne in B, Op.32, No.1
Nocturne in A flat, Op.32, No.2
Nocturne in g, Op.37, No.1
Nocturne in G, Op.37, No.2
Nocturne in c, Op.48, No.1
Nocturne in f#, Op.48, No.2

Tracks:

Nocturne in f, Op.55, No.1
Nocturne in E flat, Op.55, No.2
Nocturne in B, Op.62, No.1
Nocturne in E, Op.62, No.2
Nocturne in e, Op.72, No.1 (Posth.)
Scherzo in b, No.1, Op.20
Scherzo in b flat, No.2, Op.31
Scherzo in c#, No.3, Op.39
Scherzo in E, No.4, Op.54
Trois Nouvelles Etudes, Op. Posth.: No.1 in f
Trois Nouvelles Etudes, Op. Posth.: No.2 in A flat
Trois Nouvelles Etudes, Op. Posth.: No.3 in D flat
Fant-Impromptu in c#, Op.66

Customer Reviews:

The Transcendental Rubinstein.......2001-12-23

Although I have just barely started my career as a musicologist, I do have some words to say about Rubinstein's vol. 26. Surpassing Kissin renditions of Chopin's nocturnes, Rubinstein obtains moments of claritative expressiveness that trancends all forms of idiosyncratic critiques and allows listeners to enjoy it's refreshing sound: pure sentimental enjoyment. By juxtaposing Rubinstein's with Horowitz definitive perceptions about who understood Chopin's motives will never be posited, but it is for certain that if a person is interested in Chopin's nocturnes they must buy both to settle this question to their satisfaction.

Restless Nocturnes and Furious Scherzos.......2001-09-16

It probably never occurred to Arthur Rubinstein that all of his recordings would eventually be re-released, available in a gargantuan complete edition, and that enthusiasts would compare and debate the merits of various performances.

Rubinstein made three traversals of the complete Nocturnes (well, mostly complete, except for some juvenile pieces which the pianist ignored). This, the second set, was made for long playing records in 1949-50 and was intended to replace the 78RPM set made in 1936-37. I find this later set curiously unsatisfying. It has neither the seductiveness of the 1930s Nocturnes, nor the sober gravitas of the 1965 stereo remake. There are moments of restlessness here, some technical problems(the trills in Op. 62, No. 1 are thoroughly messed-up), and even some misinterpretations of the text (there is a serious mis-interpretation of the ending of Op. 32, No. 1). Although Rubinstein was the 20th Century's most important Chopin interpreter, he didn't play many of the works in public, and I have the sneaking suspicion that many of the pieces in this collection are being sight-read.

Rubinstein is more successful in the Scherzos. Again this is the second of three complete sets. This version, from 1949, is more stable technically than the rather wild 1932 set, and more dazzling than the 1959 stereo remake. Although each set has its merits, on most levels this is the most successful of the three.

Although Rubinstein never made a complete version of Chopin's Etudes (an attempt at these works was abandoned after one session) he did make two recordings of the Trois Nouvelles Etudes. This first version, from 1958, was one of his first stereo solo recordings, and is somewhat more fleet fingered and lively that the 1962 remake.

Rubinstein's 1964 recording of Chopin's ubiquitous Fantasie-Impromptu (Volume 47) is to be preferred over the earlier version included here. Not only is the recorded sound superior in the later version, but Rubinstein in 1964 performed the piece from a then recently discovered manuscript which is undoubtedly the definitive version.

Tracks:

Scherzo No 1 In B Minor, Op. 20
Three Nocturnes, Op 9: No 3 In B Major
Twelve Etudes, Op 10: No 5 In G Flat Major
Twelve Etudes, Op 25: No 10 In B Minor
24 Preludes, Op 28:: No 13 In F Sharp Major
24 Preludes, Op 28:: No 14 In E Flat Minor
24 Preludes, Op 28:: No 15 In D Flat Major
24 Preludes, Op 28:: No 16 In B Flat Minor
24 Preludes, Op 28:: No 17 In A Flat Major
24 Preludes, Op 28:: No 18 In F Minor
Scherzo No. 2 In B Flat Minor, Op. 31
Waltz In E Flat Major, Op. 18
Nocturne In C Sharp Minor, Op. Posth.
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24:: No. 3 In A Flat Major
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24:: No. 4 In B Flat Minor

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2001-09-30

For anyone considering buying a CD of Chopin, this is a great one to get. The artists who play on this CD play wonderfully and absolutely demstrate that they know what they are doing with the piano. A fine example of some of the greatest Chopin works out there. If you enjoy the piano, you will love this CD.

Tiszta forrás (Pure Springs): Hungarian Folk Tunes and Their Arrangements in Works by Bartók and Kodály

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Tiszta forrás (Pure Springs): Hungarian Folk Tunes and Their Arrangements in Works by Bartók and Kodály

Manufacturer: Hungaroton
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00007138S
Release Date: 2002-10-29

Grainger Edition, Vol.6: Orchestral Works

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Contrasts
Special versions (for Stokowski) of Grainger favorites
Another Percy Grainger admirer

Grainger Edition, Vol.6: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Percy Grainger Edition, Vol. 1: Orchestral Works
Orchestral Works 3, Vol. 15
Grainger: Works for Wind Orchestra 2
Grainger Edition Vol 13 - Works for Chamber Ensemble
Grainger: Works For Wind Orchestra,Vol.4

ASIN: B000000B1X
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Tracks:

Youthful Suite: I. Northern March
Youthful Suite: II. Rustic March
Youthful Suite: III. Norse Dirge
Youthful Suite: IV. Eastern Intermezzo
Youthful Suite: V. English Waltz
Molly on the Shore (BFMS No. 1a)
Irish Tune from County Derry (BFMS No. 15a)
Shepherd's Hey! (BFMS No. 16a)
Country Gardens - Version A (BFMS Unnum.)
Early One Morning (BFMS Unnum.)
Handel in the Strand (RMTB No. 2a)
Mock Morris (RMTB No. 1a)
Dreamery
The Warriors

Customer Reviews:

Contrasts.......2005-07-30

The sixth disc of the Grainger Edition has all five "fripperies" Molly, Shepherds, Country, Mock, and Handel, with maybe the best versions of Shepherds Hey! and Mock Morris. This Country Gardens is a little slow for me and it's very similar to the Band version but I like it cause the Trumpet goes all out on his parts. But these pieces are contrasted by some of Grainger's least known works, i.e. Youthful Suite and The Warriors. Youthful suite is great, especially because he wrote it when he was 17. Doesn't get your blood really going like Molly on the Shore or Danish Folk Music Suite but it'd be nice to read to or listen to while writing. Warriors is in your face in the beginning and end and really quiet in the middle. It uses one of his best themes from Arrival Platform Humlet and the climax is awesome at the end. The middle section has a nice use of offstage brass which is going with the main melodies frantically but quietly while the strings play really smooth long notes. Also on this disc is the most traditional and classically beautiful versions of Irish Tune and also a full and beautiful version of Early one Morning, I always picture getting up really early in the morning and watching the sun rise and there's a moment when it switches from minor to major and it's like the Sun first appearing, glorious! This disc could be a good intro to Grainger, it's not the best of the Grainger Edition but that still means it rocks most other Grainger discs and other CD's in general.

Special versions (for Stokowski) of Grainger favorites.......2004-10-19

The Warriors may be the highlighted item on this disc, but I was blown away by the "versions for Stokowski" of seven Grainger pieces (mostly the great chestnuts) -- both the arrangements and the performances are fantastic! The composer made several versions of each, for strings, full orchestra, wind band, etc.; these Stokowski commissions are perhaps the most interesting. "Room music tidbits" Mock Morris and Handel in the Strand are here, but the other five (folk-music settings) make an especially outstanding set. The beautiful Irish Tune from County Derry and Early One Morning complement the sprightly Molly on the Shore, the somewhat wacky Country Gardens (*very* different from the well-known arrangement), and Shepherd's Hey with an ending that knocks you off your seat.

Another Percy Grainger admirer.......2003-02-08

I have been listening to and fascinated by classical music since college (I'm 57 now ) when I needed an 'easy A' and took a course in 'Music Appreciation'. Yet, I had never heard of Percy Grainger until just two years when I took a stab in the dark and bought a CD through BMG Classical Music called "Percy Grainger - In a Nutshell" (City of Birmingham Sym Orch, Simon Rattle conducting).

Customer Reviews:

Dorati's MLP Bartok is Back.......2005-06-08

Those familiar with my reviews on Amazon know of my great love for the Mercury Living Presence series. Equally great is my disgust that so many of these brilliant recordings have been deleted in the last few years! Thankfully, some of these legendary performances are resurfacing as SACD hybrids. However, they are unfortunately now being sold at full-price, despite a competing Living Stereo hybrid series on RCA/BMG being available at midline. In spite of the added expense, I hope this MLP reissue trend will continue, and maybe we'll even see a few items receiving their CD debut in this series.

These Bartok performances by the great Antal Dorati are nothing short of definitive, and have always been among my favorite MLP offerings. While three of these recordings continue to be available in their original CD incarnations -- the Violin Concerto with Menuhin, Miraculous Mandarin and Wooden Prince discs -- the remaining two discs of material have been out-of-print for some time. However, with this box set Dorati's classic Concerto for Orchestra, and Bluebeard's Castle albums are deservedly restored to the catalog. Even better is the fact that the 5CD box sets being reissued have been reasonably priced, however they are not SACD Hybrids. This set and three others (see my reviews) have a total cost cheaper than the original single issue CDs! Once again, Mercury Living Presence lives!

Average customer rating:

Dazzling & Poetic Chopin from the 1930s Rubinstein

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 5

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

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Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00005426X
Release Date: 2001-08-07

Customer Reviews:

Dazzling & Poetic Chopin from the 1930s Rubinstein.......2001-08-29

For those who know Rubinstein's Chopin only from his stereo recordings, this 2-CD set of Concertos and Nocturnes will come as something of a shock. Rubinstein made three official recordings of the E minor Concerto, and four of the F minor Concerto. (There is an additional, filmed performance of the F minor from 1975.) As was customary during the 78RPM era, the introductions of both concertos are shortened here. Rubinstein's tempos are faster than in later versions, with greater use of rubato and freer phrasing. There are some inconsequential mistakes here and there (both on the part of the pianist and the orchestra), but they are understandable given the fact that editing of recordings was not possible then. Despite the occasional fluffs, and the dated sound, I prefer these versions to Rubinstein's later versions. The London Symphony Orchestra under John Barbirolli provides a strong accompaniment to these often underrated works. As with the Concerto, Rubinstein's 1936-1937 Nocturnes are far different from his 1960s stereo version. His approach to these miniatures is markedly freer, with more sensitive shades of pianissimo (Rubinstein's quiet passages became louder as time progressed, possibly due to hearing loss), and far more pronounced use of rubato. As with his other two versions of these works, Rubinstein ever allows sentiment (empathy) to be confused with sentimentality (schmaltz), and the inherent dignity and structural integrity of Chopin's music is preserved. Considering that these recordings come from the 1930s, the sound restoration is astonishing. There has been some filtering of surface noise, but the high frequencies are well preserved. The balance in the Concerto is acceptable, although the piano has a somewhat "tubby" sound that one usually associates with Decca/London recordings.

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Unforgettable Classics: Piano Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Classics for Pleasur
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Pno Con No.2 in c Op.18: I. Moderato - Cecile Ousset
Wedding Day At Troldhaugen: Lyric Pieces Op.65 No.6 - Daniel Adni
Waltz No.7 in c# - Peter Donohoe
Marche Militaire No.1 in D - Christoph Eschenbach/Justus Frantz
Pno Con No.21 in C 'Elvira Madigan' - Stephen Hough
Minuet in G - Dame Moura Lympany
La Campanella - John Ogdon
Waltz in A flat Op.39 No.15 - Dame Moura Lympany
The Carnival Of The Animals: Pianists - Peter Katin/Philip Fowke
The Carnival Of The Animals: Fossils - Peter Katin/Philip Fowke
Country Gardens - Daniel Adni
Humoresque Op.107 No.7 - Dame Loura Lympany
Rustle Of Spring Op.32 No.3 - John Ogdon
Pno Con No.1 in b flat Op.23: II. Andantino Semplice-Prestissimo-Tempo Primo - Cecile Ousset
Prlds Book I: La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin - Daniel Adni
'Military' Polonaise No.3 in A Op.40 - Daniel Adni
Gnossienne No.3 - Angela Brownridge
Pno Con in G: III. Presto - Philip Fowke

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