Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 50 [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
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 Rubinstein plays the 51 in the standard canon, skipping the unpublished youthful ones.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

Tracks:

Pno Trio in a: Modere
Pno Trio in a: Pantoum
Pno Trio in a: Passacaille
Pno Trio in a: Finale: Anime
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Pezzo Elegiaco: Moderato Assai
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: A. Tema Con Vars: Andante Con Moto
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var I
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var II: Piu Mosso
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var III: Scherzando: Allegro Moderato
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var IV: L'istesso Tempo
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var V: L'istesso Tempo
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var VI: Tempo Di Valse
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var VII: Allegro Moderato
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var VIII: Fuga: Allegro Moderato
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var IX: Andante Flebile, Ma Non Tanto
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var X: Tempo Di Mazurka
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: Var XI: Moderato
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: B. Vars Finale E Coda: Allegro Risoluto Con Fuoco

Customer Reviews:

The Million Dollar Trio.......2001-08-11

It is unfortunate that the "Million Dollar Trio" couldn't have gotten along better, for truly their collaborations produced sheer magic. The story behind this is in the liner notes of the enclosed booklet. It seems that Heifetz was wondering why the marquees and liner notes on their records always read, "Rubinstein, Heifetz, and Piatigorsky". Rubinstein replied that it was customary to list the pianist, violinist, and then cellist in that order. Heifetz swore he had seen it differently and ended up pushing Rubinstein to the edge when he finally snapped and yelled, "Jascha, even if God were playing the violin, it would still read Rubinstein, God, and Piatigorsky!" Great stuff. I am not a Ravel fan, as such, but when I heard his piano trio performed by Rubinstein, Heifetz, and Piatigorsky I appreciate his compositional style all the more. The tonal colors brought out by the trio are simply unique, unlike any piano trio I have ever heard. The Tchaikovsky trio I had heard performed by session musicians on a budget label and never really grew attached to the piece. But once again, The Million Dollar Trio convinced me of the charm of this piece. It is now something I enjoy listening to! The recording of these two works date from 1950, but the mono sound is not nearly as bad as I have heard from other labels. Don't let the mono recording scare you off, these pieces are worth having even in slightly less than perfect sound quality. If you like chamber music, you won't be disappointed.

The Million Dollar Trio.......2001-08-11

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:

Better, on balance, than Rubinstein's stereo version.

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 27

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | 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. 28
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ASIN: B000054278
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

Mazurka No.I 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.I 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.I 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.I 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.I 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
Mazruka No.I 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
Mazurka No.I 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

Tracks:

Mazurka No.I in G, Op.50
Mazurka No.2 in A flat, Op.50
Mazurka No.3 in c#, Op.50
Mazurka No.I in B, Op.56
Mazurka No.2 in C, Op.56
Mazurka No.3 in c, Op.56
Mazurka No.I in a, Op.59
Mazurka No.2 in A flat, Op.59
Mazurka No.3 in f#, Op.59
Mazurka No.I in B, Op.63
Mazurka No.2 in B, Op.63
Mazurka No.3 in c#, Op.63
Mazurka No.I 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.I 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
Impromptu No.1 in A flat, Op.29
Impromptu No.2 in F#, Op.36
Impromptu No.3 in G flat, Op.51
Fant - Impromptu in c#, Op.66

Customer Reviews:

Better, on balance, than Rubinstein's stereo version........2001-05-23

Arthur Rubinstein made three recordings of Chopin's 51 Mazurkas, this second set being made in 1952-1953. As with most everything he made multiple recordings of, the three sets of Mazurkas (along with three Mazurkas he recorded separately in 1932) make for fascinating comparisons. There is a gradual metamorphosis from the more exciting, brilliant, and episodic performances of the 1930s toward the more sober, reflective, structurally cohesive approach of the 1960s recordings.

Rubinstein considered the stereo version of the mazurkas (Volume 50) one of the finest recordings he had ever made. But in my opinion, his earlier versions of the mazurkas are superior. In the 1930s set (volume 6), he more effectively captures the "swing" of this Polish peasant dance, where the 1960s version tends to sound metrically stricter. This 1950s version (Volume 27) melds the youthful and mature approaches. Rubinstein also uses a wider tonal pallette in this second set.

There are many valid approaches to these elusive gems. In addition to this set, collectors would do well to aquire the 29 Mazurkas William Kapell recorded before his early death, and the scattered Mazurkas recorded by Horowitz.

Tracks:

Harmonies Poetiques Et Religeuses, No.7: Funerailles
Valse-Impromptu in A flat
Valse Oubliee No.I
Mephisto Waltz No.I
Liebestraum No.3 in A flat
Hungarian Rhap No.10 in E
Consolation No.3 in D flat
Hungarian Rhap No.12 in c#
Barcarolle No.3 in g, Op.50 No.3
Barcarolle No.4 in G
Valse-Caprice in E flat

Customer Reviews:

this sucks!.......2003-09-20

Well, not bad, but Ive heard Liszt performed with much more flare on the whole.

Rubinstein plays Rubinstein (no relation) & Liszt.......2001-10-15

Arthur Rubinstein was surprisingly ambivalent toward the music of Liszt. This CD, Volume 31 of RCA's reissue of the pianist's complete recordings, contains virtually his entire repertoire of Liszt's music, except the Sonata in b minor. Rubinstein chose his Liszt carefully, constrasting virtuoso works alongside more intimate pieces.

The Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 was a Rubinstein specialty. Apparently, he recorded the work as far back as 1910. That recording, on the Polish Favorit label, has unfortunately been lost. Rubinstein performs the glissandi passages with rare control, carefully balancing them with the left hand passages and building an effective link to the coda. Throughout this piece, and the other virtuoso works, Rubinstein has all the brilliance of certain Liszt "specialists" without the vulgarity one often hears.

Liszt's more contemplative works are also served well here. This is particularly true in the Consolation No. 3, which is vastly improved over the pianist's 1937 recording.

RCA was forever trying to persuade Rubinstein to record the concerto of Anton Rubinstein (no relation). The pianist was savvy enough to recognize the obvious marketing ploy, "Rubinstein plays Rubinstein." In the end, he confined himself to a few short works, which were issued on 7-inch 45RPM records.

Tracks:

Prlds, Book I. No.10: La Cathedrale Engloutie
Images, Book II. No.3: Poissons D'or
Images, Book II. No.2: Hommage A Rameau
Prlds, Book II. No.8: Ondine
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.1 Sostenuto: Molto Rubato
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.2 Allegramente: Poco Vivace
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.3 Moderato
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.6 Vivace (Junacko)
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Lentamente
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Andante
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Allegretto
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Assai Moderato
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Con Eleganza
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Pittoresco
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Ridicolosamente
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Con Vivacita
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Con Una Dolce Lentezza
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Allegretto Tranquillo
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Dolente
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Feroce
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: Branquinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: Negrinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: Bruxa
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: Moreninha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: A Pobresinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: O Polichinelo
Arabeske in C, Op.18
Navarra (Completed By Severac)

Customer Reviews:

Rubinstein at his peak.......2006-02-20

In this collection, drawn from recitals presented at Carnegie Hall from 1960-61, the master sets a level of achievement for the piano recital, that would be hard to duplicate either previously or (most certainly) for those to follow. The Prokofieff "Visions Fugitives" are a model of rhythmic precision and poetry; the Debussy, marvelous examples of color; control of melodic line and nuance; the Villa-Lobos was always a greay favorite with audiences and is presented here in, perhaps, Rubinstein's most exciting and interesting performance. As a group, these pieces provide a stimulating and masterful example of Rubinstein's incredible versatility. Above all, the master's rich "fat" sound at the instrument has only been captured on one other recording as true to the original as this: the Saint-Saens g minor Piano concerto with Wallenstein. Highly recommended!

Bravo, Mr. Rubinstein, Bravo!.......2003-03-20

Rubinstein, unlike Richter, Horowitz, and other distinguished artists of his stature, only approved of a just a few public performances to be published. The works on this disc, Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto (Volume 14), and Schumann's Symphonic Etudes (Volume 39) are all we have to enjoy and remember. After listening to this recording, you will be truly grateful that Rubinstein allowed these little gems to be released.

Claude Debussy requested that when performers play his piano music, they should do it as if they had no bones in their fingers. Rubinstein was sort of in between "bony" and "not so bony", which is really a delightful mix. All four pieces are exquisitely performed with Rubinstein's fragile interpretation.

Rubinstien met Szymanowski when he was around seventeen or so and immediately began playing his friend's pieces. The Mazurkas have a nice "crisp" sound.

The twelve selections from Visions fugitives, Op. 22 are a lovely set. The performer plays them with much bio and character.

Rubinstein helped discover Heitor Villa-Lobos. This composer and his compositions were not at all welcome in his native country (Brazil) since he was expelled from the conservatory he had attended (I am unable to remember the name of it). After meeting him, Rubinstein performed some of Villa-Lobos's pieces while he was on one of his South American tours in the 1910's. Rubinstein was very well liked by the South Americans, but was booed when he played any of the compositions. When Rubinstein performed these new works after he returned to Europe, they were well accepted and much adored. Here, we have a spectacular presentation of six selections from the first Prole do bebe suite.

Schumann's Arabeske is performed with a perfect touch of melancholy. Absolutely extraordinary!

Albeniz's Navarra was quite possible Rubinstein's most effective encore. He gives here an utterly fantastic rendition.

It would have been grand if the entire ten-concert marathon had been published. This disc proves that those concerts must have been really something. The sound is great!

Rubinstein's Musical Gift to the World.......2002-02-16

In the Autumn of 1961, Arthur Rubinstein graced New York with an unprecedented demonstration of musical generosity. He performed ten solo piano recitals at Carnegie Hall, never programming the same work twice. What's more, he donated his entire proceeds to several charities, including the Musicians' Emergency Fund, Big Brother, and the NAACP. RCA recorded all of the concerts, and Rubinstein (who was uncomfortable with live recordings) consented to the release of a small portion of the music, which is mostly geared toward 20th Century music.

Rubinstein was playing Debussy's music when it was hot off the press, and as often as not, being booed for playing such "abstract" modern music. Rubinstein never cared for the "piano without hammers" approach of such Debussy specialists as Gieseking--he wanted more "meat" in his Debussy. However, he doesn't treat the French composer as some sort of 20th Century Chopin. Rubinstein generally uses softer "sound colors" here than he does in Chopin's work. His approach here is analogous to that of a painter substituting watercolors for oil paint.

Karol Szymanowski was a close friend of Rubinstein's, and the Mazurkas heard here were dedicated to the pianist. Rubinstein recorded some of these miniatures during the 78RPM era, and comparison with those recordings shows this later performance to more elegant and urbane than the rustic earlier version.

Rubinstein knew Prokofiev in Paris before the composer returned to Soviet Russia. The pianist performed less of this composer's music than that of his other contemporaries, perhaps because he did not feel at home with Prokofiev's percussive use of the keyboard. These 12 excerpts from the composer's 20 Visions fugitives are, along with the March from The Love for Three Oranges on Volume 70, Rubinstein's entire recorded Prokofiev output. Rubinstein's performance never crosses the line from percussive into ugly.

Rubinstein was an early champion of Villa-Lobos' piano music, and the composer's Rudepoema is said to be a musical portrait of the pianist. One of Rubinstein's favorite works was the Prole do bebe (The Baby's Children), and he often performed excerpts of the work in concert, usually altering the running order of the individual pieces. It's a pity that the pianist never recorded the entire cycle, as his approach to coloration and phrasing suits the work perfectly.

Schumann's Arabesque is the only 19th Century work on this disc. Rubinstein's utterly natural performance suits the music perfectly.

Albeniz' Navarra was one of Rubinstein's favorite encores, and the performance here is a demonstration of how the pianist, who understood that virtuosity meant more than mere technique, could bring down the house and leave the audience begging for more.

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.

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

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Rubinstein, the Trailblazer

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 6

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 4
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 5

ASIN: B00005426Y
Release Date: 2001-10-09

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
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

Tracks:

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 in a 'A Emile Gaillard'
Mazurka in a 'Notre Temps'
Scherzo No.1 in b, Op.20
Scherzo No.2 in b flat, Op.31
Scherzo No.3 in c#, Op.39
Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54

Customer Reviews:

Rubinstein, the Trailblazer.......2002-02-08

Complete recorded editions of Classical music were almost unheard of in the 1930s. Artur Schnabel was making a complete version of Beethoven's 32 Sonatas, but many "musicians" didn't consider Chopin's music worthy of such attention--he was just a salon composer, after all. Arthur Rubinstein, of course, didn't believe any of that nonsense about Chopin. His respect for that composer informed both his interpretation of his music, and his decision to record his Scherzos and Mazurkas.

Rubinstein made three complete versions of Chopin's Scherzos, with this first set dating from 1932. All three versions by Rubinstein are exciting, and offer testament to the pianist's solid technique, innate virtuosity, and natural sense of musical architecture. Tempos are breathtakingly faster in these earlier performances than in the later ones. Considering the fact that editing was impossible during this era, and his considerable risk taking, Rubinstein's very few inconsequential mistakes are understandable.

As with the Scherzos, Rubinstein recorded three versions of the Mazurkas. This first version (from 1938-1939) is markedly freer, more compelling, and more poetic than his later remakes. The pianist's use of rubato is more pronounced, as is his greater emphasis on inner voices, which Rubinstein later banished.

These recordings originate from 78RPM discs. Despite the slight surface noise, and occasional tubbiness in the piano tone, Rubinstein's eternally fresh interpretations come through loud & clear.

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