Wonderful Young Arthur Rubinstein's Arm Weight

[mrcreosote]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut8dr4W2x4Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFlyKTyFfrs

Starting out as a child I was a Rubinstein fan, then I discovered Horowitz and was blown away by his monumental ability.  Then the stupendous technique of Cziffra who just didn't seem to get much recognition - too much tech, not enough interpretation, not enough repitoire, or ?

But just learning about rotation and arm weight, I'm back to Rubinstein and am so impressed to see him play. 

My favorite this instant is Rub (and always Horo and Sokolov, Clib, Cz, Ingmar - and of the girls:  always Martha, Valentina (most graceful hands), 'tishvili vs Yuja, Zlata, Yulianna

And from what I can see, people have more fun playing Prok and too bad but Rub said he was too lazy to learn P's sonatas - what a shame...  I've have loved to see him play Dance of the Knights.

Some really good angles of his technique.

Fearless drops, some from above his head, few want to assume that risk.  Nevertheless, this is the way I am trying to play.  For me these drops are more difficult than leaps because a leap starts from a keyboard reference whereas the drop does not. 

And then there is the showmanship...

[toughbo]

Relevant:

=13m14s

[mrcreosote]

Great video!

I like how Pollini says what Rub told him about arm weight was the best advice he had gotten in years.  And further, he said as time passed, years later, he realized how precious that advice was.

Wish there were videos of Debussy and more of Prokofiev.  I like how the movie guy, trying to convince Tub to do the movie, asked him "What would you give to see Chopin play?"  and Rub says "... (maybe 10) years of my life."  So upon saying that Rub basically consented.

[mrcreosote]

Rubinstein at 73 told the 18 year old Pollini about arm weight in 1960.

Obviously R had been using it for a long time since it was the "basis" of his technique and yet, the 18 year old Pollini had no clue.

Without the internet, it would still be a "magicians' secret."