Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 16

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Artur Rubinstein was a Chopin specialist and recorded the composer's work often throughout his very long career. But he only recorded the complete 24 Preludes once, in 1946, and that is the recording we have here. (All the other material on the CD was recorded the same year, albeit at different times.) The Preludes are wonderful little works, none longer than four and a half minutes. Rubinstein is particularly masterful in the popular Nos. 19 and 20, which can sound too familiar; he makes us hear them anew. I also wouldn't want to be without the fiery No. 8 or the elegant No. 11, and elsewhere there are fine details to be found as well. As for the other works, the big Sonata, op. 35, is a gem, with its oft-heard but always gripping Funeral March and its overt theatricality, which Rubinstein takes full advantage of. He may have added more depth (and the sound is certainly fuller-bodied and clearer) in his later recordings, but his energy and brilliant technique were never better than they are here. --Robert Levine

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 16, Music, Fryderyk Chopin, Artur Rubinstein, Barcarolle for Keyboard, Berceuse for Keyboard, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Collection of Preludes for Keyboard, Impromptu for Keyboard, Keyboard, Romantic Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 50
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
All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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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:

For collectors of historic recordings
Rubinstein Shines in Early Grieg Recordings

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 13

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 22
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 27
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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 1
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 51

ASIN: B000031WBM
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Piano Concerto, Op. 16 In A Minor: Allegro molto moderato
Piano Concerto, Op. 16 In A Minor: Adagio - attacca
Piano Concerto, Op. 16 In A Minor: Allegro moderato molto e marcato - Quasi Presto - Andante maestoso
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Theme: Andante espressivo
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. I: Poco meno andante, ma molto tranquillo
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. II: Allegro agitato
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. III: Adagio
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. IV: Allegro capriccioso
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. V: Piu lento
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. VI: Allegro scherzando
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. VII: Allegro scherzando
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. VIII: Lento
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. IX: Un poco andante
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. X: Un poco allegro e alla burla
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. XI: Piu animato
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. XII: Meno allegro e maestoso
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. XIII: Allegro furioso
Ballade, Op. 24 In G Minor: Variation No. XIV: Prestissimo
Album Leaf, Op. 28. No. 4
Lyric Pieces: Cradle Song, Op. 68, No. 5
Lyric Pieces: Spring Dance, Op. 47, No. 6
Lyric Pieces: Berceuse, Op. 38, No. 1
Lyric Pieces: Folk Song, Op. 38, No. 2
Lyric Pieces: Papillons, Op. 43, No. 1
Lyric Pieces: Spring Dance, op. 38, No. 5
Lyric Pieces: Shepherd Boy, Op. 54, No. 1
Lyric Pieces: Little Bird, Op. 43, No. 4
Lyric Pieces: Folk Song, Op. 12, No. 5
Lyric Pieces: Elfin Dance, Op. 12, No. 4
Lyric Pieces: March Of The Dwarfs, Op. 54, No. 3

Customer Reviews:

For collectors of historic recordings.......2003-02-04

If you are a collector of historic recordings, or an avid Rubinstein collector, than this record is for you. I, on the other hand, am neither, and I had trouble enjoying the Piano Concerto due to the poor sound quality of this 60-year old recording. The sound quality of the remainder of the disc was much better. So, if an "old" sounding record doesn't bother you, I'm sure you'll love it. I'm from the CD generation, and I'm going to look for another version of the Concerto.

Rubinstein Shines in Early Grieg Recordings.......2001-01-02

Arthur Rubinstein was midway through his 75-year-long performing career before he learned the Grieg Concerto. In his autobiography, he reports that he was under the then-common impression that the Concerto was "cheap stuff" and not worthy of his time. RCA wanted to record him playing the piece, and Rubinstein's wife liked the Concerto. She purchased the score and placed it on his piano. Reading through it, he realized it "was easy to play and lovable." Thus began a love affair that was to continue until the pianist's retirement in 1976.

This performance, recorded in 1942, was the first of four recordings of the work Rubinstein made--there is an additional, filmed performance from 1975. One can take the technical finish of this brisk, polished performance for granted. Not to be underestimated is the orchestral contribution. Eugene Ormandy, one of the most underrated conductors of the 20th century, was an especially sympathetic and gifted accompanist. He matches Rubinstein phrase-for-phrase, rubato-for-rubato.

The solo works on this album are taken from the legendary "Rubinstein Plays Grieg" LP recorded in 1953. This recording had the unique distinction of remaining in the active catalogue until the demise of the LP in the late-1980s. The performances here are as fresh, direct, and lacking in phony sentiment as the Concerto. It is a pity that Rubinstein was never persuaded to re-record these solo pieces in stereo, as there are always those closed-minded individuals who will refuse to purchase a mono recording, no matter how great the performance is.

Tracks:

24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 1 In C
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 2 In A Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 3 In G
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 4 In E Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 5 In D
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 6 In B Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 7 In A
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 8 In F-Sharp Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 9 In E
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 10 In C-Sharp Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 11 In B
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 12 In C-Sharp Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 13 In F-Sharp
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 In E-Flat Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 In D-Flat
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 16 In B-Flat Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 17 In A-Flat
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 18 In F Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 19 In E-Flat
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 20 In C Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 21 In B-Flat
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 22 In G Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 23 In F
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 24 In D Minor
Berceuse, Op. 57 In D-Flat
Barcarolle, Op. 60 In F-Sharp
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 ('Funeral March') In B-Flat Minor: Grave - Doppio movimento
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 ('Funeral March') In B-Flat Minor: Scherzo
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 ('Funeral March') In B-Flat Minor: Marche funebre: Lento
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 ('Funeral March') In B-Flat Minor: Final: Presto
Impromptu No. 3, Op. 51In G-Flat

Amazon.com

Artur Rubinstein was a Chopin specialist and recorded the composer's work often throughout his very long career. But he only recorded the complete 24 Preludes once, in 1946, and that is the recording we have here. (All the other material on the CD was recorded the same year, albeit at different times.) The Preludes are wonderful little works, none longer than four and a half minutes. Rubinstein is particularly masterful in the popular Nos. 19 and 20, which can sound too familiar; he makes us hear them anew. I also wouldn't want to be without the fiery No. 8 or the elegant No. 11, and elsewhere there are fine details to be found as well. As for the other works, the big Sonata, op. 35, is a gem, with its oft-heard but always gripping Funeral March and its overt theatricality, which Rubinstein takes full advantage of. He may have added more depth (and the sound is certainly fuller-bodied and clearer) in his later recordings, but his energy and brilliant technique were never better than they are here. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

ignore the 1 stars.......2004-04-05

apparently the people who voted one stars don't know jack about historical recordings... this recording sounds how it's supposed to sound: 1940's but the sound doesn't take away from the good performance given by rubinstein here. my five star is to counter those two one star votes... if we still treasure schnabel's 1930's traversal of beethoven sonatas, there is no reason to ignore this because of sound... sound mavens u can stay away because obviously you do not care about a good performance.

Self-recommending Rubinstein Chopin and a listening tip.......2002-02-25

I waited years for reissues of historic Rubinstein recordings and am grateful for this one especially. It is the only complete set of the Preludes. When I put this disc on I heard the noise, too. But I have been down this road before and suggest one should turn down the treble drastically. Won't that make the sound "muffled"? Not at all. Try it on someone who has never heard the CD before and see if they don't think the recordings sound fine. The remastering is wonderful, but BMG is not tampering too much with the source material as was so often done in the bad old days. You are being shown respect as a record buyer. Try sound tailoring of this special kind on historic recordings when necessary.

It's still Ruby.......2001-09-04

This CD is best suited for Rubinstein's fans; other listeners have no reason to prefer these recordings of the Sonata, the Impromptu, the Berceuse and the Barcarolle to the later stereo versions. The Preludes are a strange case in Ruby's carreer: though being the best performer of Chopin ever, Rubinstein never found the key to the heart of these pieces; anyway, it's still Ruby, and you can feel it in that particular mixture of passion and noblesse that surrounds, for example, n. 6, n. 15 or n. 16, or in the beautiful tone of n. 1 and n. 21. Sound quality is quite bad, but I don't think that's enough for a one-star review, right?

Terrible........2001-08-07

Take this review with a grain of salt, for I am by no means an expert on Chopin interpretation/performance. I also am not quite sure what "digitally remastered" is supposed to mean. But if the CD I bought isn't defective, it has got to be the worst--THE WORST--sounding CD ever produced. Granted, the recordings were made in 1946...but, umm, I thought "digital remastering" was supposed to take care of the incessant "pops" and "hisses" on this recording. I'm not sure how to judge the performance, because in some places I have trouble hearing the piano over the hissing! I've heard 30-year old vinyl that sounds better than this...vinyl, mind you, that WASN'T well taken care of. I say again, IF MY CD WAS WORKING PROPERLY, this recording is terrible. Avoid. [Pollini's performance of the Preludes isn't half bad, and sure sounds better (a 70's-era recording). Try that one instead.]

Noisy Source material overwhelms........2001-01-21

The folks at RCA put this on the market despite many technical flaws. Perhaps the original source material from the 40s had lots of back ground noise (record hiss and pop and crackle) so I should not be surprised, however the back ground noise on this CD is really distracting. I have some RCA LPs having the same performer and music and they play better than this CD.

Don't spend the money. RCA probably wanted to bring these Rubinstein recordings out to add to their Rubinstein ouvre. But

Tracks:

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 83
Grieg: Piano Concerto, Op. 16

Customer Reviews:

The epitome of the Romantic player!.......2006-04-22

The figure of Artur Rubinstein in the musical stage was very similar respect Chopin in the previous Century. Far from his beloved Poland, this unforgettable pianist possessed the magnetic charisma, and joyful kindness to play the most profound Polish sentiment all around the world, with special emphasis in the Thirties when the figure and transcendence of Alfred Cortot was notoriously decaying. His double condition of emigrant and no one land citizen (due his Jewish roots) made of him a personality who surmounted the limits of the musical stages.

So, while the great number of directors and soloist were spread all around the world in the Thirties due political reasons, Rubinstein played the Romantic repertoire with notable solvency. We should remind his powerful performances in the Thirties until the middle Forties.

In this sense this Grieg is loaded of forceful expression and fervent nationalist ardor and sublime vehemence. Particularly and in spite of the fact this Piano Concerto has suffered of a process of exhaustive abuse, this version remains among the most solid conceptual and musically performances in any age. You should not forget three additional performances: the fantastic version of Dinu Lipatti, the remarkable reading of the supreme colorist Walter Gieseking in the Forties, and finally the sensible performance of Radu Lupu n the middle Seventies.

The Brahms Piano Concerto is exquisitely well phrased and played. Munch as always was superb conducting the legendaries musicians of the Boston Orchestra.

Acquire this historical register before it' s too late.

Rubinstein in Two of his Favorite Concertos.......2001-05-16

Volume 22 of RCA's mammoth Arthur Rubinstein Collection features the pianist in his second recorded go-rounds of two of his favorite concertos. He recorded both the Brahms Second and Grieg Piano Concertos four times. The mono recordings on this CD were eclipsed by stereo versions made in the late 1950s.

Rubinstein's 1952 performance of the Brahms Second Concerto is considerably more controlled than his 1929 version (Volume 1). There are a few inconsequential mistakes here-and-there. Magnetic tape recording was in its infancy at the time, and recording producers were a bit more cautious with tape splicing than in today's recordings, which are usually spliced together bar-by-bar. Nevertheless, this remains an extroverted, youthful performance of the concerto, far superior to Rubinstein's 1971 remake (Volume 71). The Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Charles Munch provides a glowing accompaniment. This recording was made in Boston's Symphony Hall, one of the most acoustically perfect halls in the world, and it shows in the vibrant, clear recorded sound.

Rubinstein's 1949 version of the Grieg Concerto is given a crisp, bracing performance. Here, as in the Brahms, Rubinstein's subtle use of rubato is never allowed to interfere with the forward motion of the music. Antal Dorati and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra provide a strong accompaniment. (In reality, the "RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra" didn't exist. This was a name given to whatever pickup orchestra RCA could put together, whether in California, New York, or abroad. In this case, it was mostly assembled from musicians from Hollywood film scoring orchestras.) This recording was made at Republic Studio's film scoring stage in Hollywood. The sound is a bit dry, but well balanced and acceptable.

Tracks:

Kleileriana, Op.16: Aeusserst Bewegt
Kleileriana, Op.16: Sehr Innig Und Nicht Zu Rasch
Kleileriana, Op.16: Sehr Aufgeregt
Kleileriana, Op.16: Sehr Langsam
Kleileriana, Op.16: Sehr Lebhaft
Kleileriana, Op.16: Sehr Langsam
Kleileriana, Op.16: Sehr Rasch
Kleileriana, Op.16: Schnell Und Spielend
Fantasia, Op. 17 In C Major: Durchaus Fantastisch Und Leidenschaeftlich Vorzutra Gen
Fantasia, Op. 17 In C Major: Maessig Durchaus Energisch
Fantasia, Op. 17 In C Major: Langsam Getragen

Customer Reviews:

wanting more from Rubinstein.......2006-02-09

Both performances are not virtuosic at all, taken both at slow tempos that miss the whirlwind of activity present in both first movements (of the Fantasy and Kriesleriana). This has to be the worst playing of the Fantasy I have heard. Only in the third movement does Rubinstein leave you feeling at ease that Schumann is being portrayed correctly.

Kriesleriana is completely missing the turbulence, energy, and neuroticism of an early opus Schumann. I think Rubinstein was too well-balanced and free of neuroticism to handle Schumann in character.

Mostly wonderful.......2000-10-24

While it's true that the "Fantasie" could be more energetic and incisive, as noted in the previous review here, Rubinstein's "Kreisleriana" is just amazing. This difficult piece, alternating and combining lyricism, obsessive passion, and eccentric wit, receives an "elder statesman's" performance in the best sense from the nearly 80-year-old master. The rapid passages are crytalline, the slower ones sing, and the poetry of the whole work comes alive, without exaggeration or showiness; plus, the sound of the piano is unfailingly beautiful. This "Kreisleriana" is a great example of the art of Schumann and of Rubinstein.

Schumann Without the Spark.......2000-08-19

Kreisleriana and the Fantasie in C are two of Schumann's most virtuosic, yet intimate, large scale piano works. Rubinstein, with his legendary mix of brio and poetry, would seem tailor made for these pieces. Alas, these are among the blandest performances of these youthful works I have ever heard. Rubinstein was always known as a more exciting--if less accurate--performer in public that he was in the studio, where the need for a note perfect "product" sometimes hampered his sponteneity. This seems to have been the case here. It is worth noting that the Fantasie, recorded in 1965, was not released until 1980, which seems to indicate Rubinstein had misgivings about the recorded performance contained herein.

For those wishing to aquaint themselves with these works, I recommend Horowitz (Sony, 1965) and Kissin (BMG/RCA) in the Fantasie, and Horowitz (Sony, 1969; DG 1985--both recordings radically different but equally well worth having) and Perahia (Sony) in Kreisleriana.

Customer Reviews:

Get this especially for Maryla Jonas.......2005-12-08

I heartily agree with Mr. Morrison's previous review and would only add that one of the more obscure pianists on this set, Maryla Jonas, was de Pachmann's successor -- and there is no higher praise.
Vladimir de Pachmann was lauded in the late 19th century for rescuing Chopin from Lisztian virtuosi and restoring him to the charm, intimacy and mystery of the salon (although de Pachmann managed to make his confessional tone carry in the largest halls).
More recently, the salon aspects of Chopin have been disparaged and pianists like Rubinstein were praised for giving us more masculine, literal performances. But Rubinstein, who spent more time training in Berlin with Joachim and his circle than he ever did in Poland, always struck me as being more sympathetic to Brahms than he was to Chopin. Indeed, it took many years and a changing aesthetic for Rubinstein's Chopin to be hailed by the same audiences who considered Toscanini and Heifetz to reign supreme.
Which brings us to Maryla Jonas. She was Polish through and through and somehow, like the Russian de Pachmann, channeled what I sense was Chopin's own capricious, witty, nostalgic and nocturnal poetry.
It speaks well for Rubinstein that, though his compatriot's playing was so different from his own, he helped bring Jonas back to the piano after the broken woman was forced to flee to Brazil to escape the Nazis. Sadly, Maryla Jonas was too ill to build a major carreer and died at just 48.
For more Jonas, including her revelatory Schumann, buy the Pearl issue before it disppears. But this is a fine introduction.

A Treasure Trove of Historic Chopin Performances.......2005-03-25

Collected here on 4 CDs, in Volume 2 of this Andante series, are historic performances of some of Chopin's solo piano works. In Volume 1 were performances of the Waltzes, Impromptus, Scherzos, Andante spianato and Grande polonaise, Ballades, Études, Préludes, the 2nd & 3rd Sonatas, Barcarolle and Berceuse. In Volume 2, CD 1 are the legendary performance of the Op. 10 Études by Edward Kilenyi, plus some single études played by various other great historic artists (including the only student of Chopin to live into the recording era, Francis Planté). On CD 2 are Nocturnes played by such artists as Rubinstein, Paderewski, Sofronitsky, Busoni, Cortot, Lipatti, Maryla Jonas, and Raoul Koszalski. On CD 3 are some Polonaises, most played by Rubinstein, but with single polonaises played by Paderewski, Friedman, Sofronitsky and Jonas. CD 4 is devoted to Mazurkas played by Horowitz, Friedman, Sofronitsky, Kapell and Jonas. Volume 1 was a huge artistic success (although for some strange reason it has not been reviewed here at Amazon.com). The same is true for the present volume. It is hard to imagine any other collection containing so many important historic recordings all in one place. If you are a Chopin lover you will be in heaven.

Not all the performances are necessarily the very best available, one supposes--although the marvelous performances far outnumber those about which one might have some question--but the different pianists give us a view of how Chopin playing may have changed or varied over the years. Musically, from start to finish, this is a very satisfying collection. I've spent literally hours and hours listening and comparing with other Chopin performances I own. I know that I would never want to be without this collection. Add to that the very fine presentation with a hard-bound book that contains essays in three languages, and one has a real winner.

As to individual performances I would want to single out, let me just mention a few. First of all the Kilenyi performances, which I'd heard a few of in the past but never heard at such length, are terrific. Of course, Kilenyi, who recorded the études of Op. 10 in 1937, had made the first really good recording of the set and they were the standard-bearer for years. (Cortot's first recording of them antedated Kilenyi's but they are, to be honest, not nearly as good; he rectified that in later recordings.) While we're talking about the Études I must mention also the two in E major, No. 3, recorded by Paderewski and Brailowsky. The sound, here as in almost all the examples in this set, is marvelous, and both artists caress the keyboard in such a way that this most romantic of all the études is given sumptuous treatment. Busoni's performance of No. 5 in G flat is in not very good sound (an exception) but there are glints of lightning in his playing. Jean-Marie Darré's performance of Étude No. 6 in G sharp minor 'Thirds' is electrifying.

The Nocturnes disc (CD 2) is arranged so that one often gets several performances of a single Nocturne in a row so that one can compared Rubinstein, say, with Paderewski (No. 2) or Sofronitsky with Cortot (No. 4). I was particularly struck with the two (Nos. 19 and 20) by Maryla Jonas, a Polish pianist only vaguely known to me previously. I must hasten to add that these discs do not attempt to give complete traversals of, say, the Nocturnes or Polonaises. These are selected single performances.

CD 3 (the Polonaise disc) starts with performances of six of them by Rubinstein from 1934, among the earliest recordings he made. Not only is the sound marvelous, the playing is supple and echt-Chopin. (I confess that I was weaned on these performances, so they strike a particular chord with me.) Also included, though, is a gangbusters Paderewski performance of the popular A major Polonaise, Op. 40, No. 1 and this then is followed by two performances that are even more striking: Friedman and Sofronitsky in the A flat major, Op. 53 (the one with the horrific left hand octaves). Wow!

The set closes out (CD 4) with two of the greatest ever players of the Mazurkas--Horowitz, who plays eight of them, and Friedman who plays six. But then, and new to me, are performances of ten of them by Vladimir Sofronitsky, recorded in somewhat crude sound but no matter, that blew me away with their rhythmic spring. These are followed by another set very familiar to me, five mazurkas (Nos. 9, 14, 24, 35, and 44) by William Kapell. Simply superb. The disc closes out with four played by Maryla Jonas. She was unknown to me before, but I was won over by her rather airy take on these mazurkas which, for all their delicacy, are so rhythmically alive that one wants to get up and dance.

Hats off to Andante for this wonderful collection of treasurable performances, the excellent sound of the transfers, and for the really classy presentation. First class all round.

Recommended.

4 CDs TT=5hrs 20mins

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

Rubinstein and Ormandy, Aged but Prime
Grand Grieg and Luxurious Rachmaninoff

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 60

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005427K
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

Pno Con in a, Op.16: Allegro Molto Moderato
Pno Con in a, Op.16: Adagio - Attacca
Pno Con in a, Op.16: Allegro Moderato Molto E Marcato - Quasi Presto - Andante Maestoso
Pno Con No.2 in c, Op.18: Moderato: Allegro
Pno Con No.2 in c, Op.18: Adagio Sostenuto
Pno Con No.2 in c, Op.18: Allegro Scherzando

Customer Reviews:

Rubinstein and Ormandy, Aged but Prime.......2003-04-22

Unlike Artur Rubinstein's famous 1956 recording of Rachmaninoff's Second Concerto with Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony, this lesser-known recording with Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, originally released as a quadraphonic LP recording, has captured my heart in a way no other recording of the Second has been able to.

In 1971, Artur Rubinstein was already in his 80s, and this disc clearly evinces that fact. His timing has slowed down a fraction and he even misses a couple of notes. However, what Rubinstein lacks in speed, he more than makes up in profundity and emotion.

When I received this late addition to my library, I shelved it with the other dozen or so other versions I have of the Second. Although I am a die-hard Rachmaninoff fan, I must confess that the Second is my least favourite of the five works he wrote for piano and orchestra. I much prefer the Third Concerto.

At least, I *did*; I've been living with it since I was four years old, and my mind tends to jump ahead of the music as I'm listening to it thinking "I know what's going to happen next......."

Yet, when I pulled this CD remastering of Rubinstein's 1971 recording off the shelf, from the opening chords on the solo piano to Artur Rubinstein and Eugene Ormandy the close of the brilliant, sunlit finale, it was as though I was hearing Rachmaninoff's Second Concerto for the very first time.

Though Rubinstein, because of old age and arthritis-wracked hands, played slowly, he certainly did not play with a heavy hand. Quite the opposite; here his touch is as light as ever. Whereas before, I would marvel at Rubinstein's ability to gracefully and flawlessly execute the concerto in the 1956 recording, in this version, I heard a Rubinstein that is almost absent before his final performances. Here, I listened intently, and I heard the old master endow each note - so clearly and distinctly played - with a sense of beauty, warmth and an honest love for the music itself. Through Rubinstein's mind and hands, something very unique has been wrought.

Accompanying with Rubinstein is Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, both of whom Rachmaninoff himself chose to accompany him on his own recordings of his works and to whom he dedicated his final masterpiece, "Symphonic Dances," Op. 45.

Yet, "accompany" does not quite do justice to Ormandy's contribution to this recording, for the word suggests passivity. As with so many other recordings Ormandy made with the great soloists of his time, the Philadelphia under his baton comes across sympathetically. Often, a conductor will sound as though he is "competing" with the soloist, either by beating too quick a tempo, making the soloist have to "keep up," or by overpowering the performer with sheer volume. What Ormandy and the Philadelphia do is provide a sumptuous orchestral collaboration with Rubinstein's equally sonorous playing, giving the soloist plenty of room to subtly change tempo or dynamics.

But Ormandy does not take a backseat to Rubinstein either, for the
strings provide a warm harmony over which the pianist can weave his medlodic themes. The winds are demure at times, thoughtful at others, but always appropos. The percussion is crisp and forceful, and the brass is equally dramatic.

Together, Artur Rubinstein, Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia
Orchestra weave a beautiful tapestry of sound that will make you hear each phrase and nuance discretely, yet will allow you to soak in the whole work as a seamlessly unified whole. The actual recording, engineered by Paul Goodman, has a very natural, unobtrusive, full sound (I was listening to it over a Carver tube amplifier and through ADS speakers).

It is booked with Grieg's Piano Concerto, Op. 16. RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, Alfred Wallenstein, conductor. This is my favorite of all the Rubinstein recordings of this "warhorse": Majestic, but not weighty, this recording is Rubinstein's most convincing statement of this music and its meaning.

Like a fine wine, Rubinstein just kept getting better with age.

Grand Grieg and Luxurious Rachmaninoff.......2001-10-22

Rubinstein was never satisfied with his 1956 recording of the Grieg Concerto, with the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alfred Wallenstein. The performance was rather perfunctory, with an undistinguished orchestral contribution, and dry, constricted sonics. This 1961 remake, with the same collaborating forces, fares much better. Tempi are more relaxed, and phrases are molded with greater flexibility. The orchestral playing is also on a higher level, with silky strings and sweeter sounding winds. Rubinstein was so pleased with this recording, that he issued a bold statement which appeared on the album cover: "In the rare coincidence of sound, balance, and performance of conductor, orchestra, and soloist, this is the most perfect recording I have made."

Rubinstein recorded surprisingly little of Rachmaninoff's music. Among that composer's works, however, the Second Concerto had pride of place in Rubinstein's repertoire. The pianist made his third, and final, recording of this work with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, which Rachmaninoff himself considered the world's finest orchestra. Rubinstein does not play the Concerto's outer movements with as much drive as in his earlier recordings. But the pianist's exquisite tone, phrasing, and balancing of inner voices more than make up for any lack of virtuoso fireworks. (It should be noted that, at 84, Rubinstein still plays the work with more elan than most pianists half his age.) This rich, lush "Philadelphia Sound" that Rachmaninoff loved is very much in evidence here.