Arthur Rubinstein's Recordings

[zhiliang]

If i want a really good survey of Arthur Rubinstein's recordings and his playing, which 10-20 of his whole Arhutr Rubinstein's collection should i get and why? Which are your favourite recordings of his and which are the definitive recordings of his that has made him one of the most well-loved pianist in the 20th Century?

Really want to hear your views! More imput ok?  

Regards,

Zhiliang

[zhiliang]

Guess maybe Arthur Rubinstein is not so well-loved in this generation.  

[dj]

well rubinstein is my favorite pianist...based solely on his chopin recordings....but i don't think i could b of much help in suggesting which of his recordings to get as the chopin is pretty much the only stuff i've heard...sorry  

[allchopin]

His Chopin Impromptus are good (though I don't think the Fantasie-Impromptu ranks up there).  All I would really recommend as a general guideline is don't buy anything with pieces with extreme technical difficulty and speed- this is not Rubinstein's 'forte'.  B/c he'll just slow it down and anger you .  Why doesn't anyone ever download anymore?

[anda]

rubinstein has recorded several times brahms 1st, and one of the recordings is absolutely unbelievable - best brahms 1st i've ever heard. i have three of these recordings, and all are quite good, but this particular one... sorry i don't know when he recorded this, or with who.

also, i've heard a legend - never actually heard the recording, just heard about it. it's about brahms 2nd, recorded live in prague sometimes in the 60s. what i heard was that it definitely wasn't his day - he messed up pretty much everything, except for the passage in thirds (technically the most impossible passage in the whole concert), which he played impecably.

[zhiliang]

Would it happen to be the recording in 1954 of Brahms 1st Piano Concerto with Reiner?

He gave fine readings of the two most famous Russian concerti Tchaikovsky's No.1 and Rachmaninoff's No.2. His masculinity approach fits the Rachmaninoff's 2nd perfectly.

The Saint-Saens Concerto No.2 recorded in 1970 with Ormandy is very fresh too. The solo pieces by Ravel, Poulenc, Faure and Chabrier are good too.

Anyone else have any recommendations? I believe he seems to have the ability to make most of the things he played sounds really good through the joy he conveys in his music-making.

Regards,

Zhiliang

[dchaikin]

I have a CD of Rubinstein and Rostropovich playing Brahms cello and piano sonatas, also with Rubinstein solo on intermezzi.  The emotion he conveys in the intermezzi is incredible.  Not bad technically, either.

[Crucifixus]

Any Rubinstein recording is worth the money. Although as someone above mentioned that he is not a favorite pianist for this generation, he was one of the few who was musicaly oriented. It seems today we crave for the perfect technique, forgetting all about music. And unfortunatelly it seems that names as Argerich, Horowitz mean more to today's pianists for some reason.
Rubinstein gave us the real "soul" of music and in my opinion is that listening to any of his recordings, someone will benefit. It's true that some are better than others, but his concistancy for music making is his great achievement.

[sharon_f]

RCA Red Seal has a nice two-CD set of the Nocturnes that I love.

[allchopin]

And unfortunatelly it seems that names as Argerich, Horowitz mean more to today's pianists for some reason.
Rubinstein gave us the real "soul" of music and in my opinion is that listening to any of his recordings, someone will benefit.

Who says you can't have perfect* tecnique and be musical?  Argerich and Horowitz had the best of both worlds, as did Rubinstein.

*used loosely

[Crucifixus]

Who says you can't have perfect* tecnique and be musical?  Argerich and Horowitz had the best of both worlds, as did Rubinstein.

*used loosely

No body said that, and I do agree* with you.

* used very loosely.

[Rob47]

Rubinstein was an incredible pianist, Ferrucio Busoni was better I think however I have only heard his Liszt CD and I dont know there's somthing fishy about piano rolls which makes me wonder if I'm really hearing the EXACT dynamics in every one.  
And Martha Argerich and Vladamir Horowitz are both better interpreters of romanitc music anyway from what I've heard.  Horowitz moreso than Argerich....his schubert song transcriptions are sublime.(if thats the right word to use).

[dj]

And Martha Argerich and Vladamir Horowitz are both better interpreters of romanitc music anyway from what I've heard.  

i wouldn't call horowitz an excellent interpreter of romantic music. his chopin doesn't even compare with rubinstein's; however, horowitz's rach and scriabin are incredible.

btw, i forgot 2 mention in my earlier post, rubinstein's recording of the rach 2 and rhapsody on a theme of paganini with reiner and the cso is quite good

[trunks]

No. Neither the top 10, nor even the top 100 of Artur Rubinstein's recordings would I compromise for his entire recorded output. I own at least THREE sets of his entire discography - one set on vinyl LP and two on CD . . . and some other singles.

Rubinstein was my pianistic mentor through his recorded Beethoven. Each and every one of his recordings has a unique place in my heart and ears. Every time I listen to a CD and especially an LP of his I feel that golden singing tone communicating directly with me, new and refreshing every time, unmistakably.

If you must choose something from all you should never miss out all of his recorded Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Liszt (the very pinnacle of Liszt recordings I have ever heard, albeit his output of Liszt on disc is regrettably small), Rachmaninoff, Schubert and Schumann. His rendering of Rachmaninoff's Second Concerto is in my opinion way better than even the composer's own, if not as "authentic".

Martha Argerich and particularly Vladimir Horowitz are not even close in that order of artistry. Argerich has too much of her idiosyncracies, not unusually very eccentric indeed. Perhaps that was why she protested before the jury for not crowning Ivo Pogorelich in that piano competition. Horowitz had all the flashing technique and showmanship - but then sadly where in the world had all the music gone? I don't think he could play any music convincingly except Russian composers.

Among the living pianists I would vote for Alfred Brendel with no hesitation.