Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894)

Started by Dima, May 12, 2018, 01:07:53 AM

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Dima

#20
Quote from: Biffo on May 12, 2018, 05:28:33 AM
There is a fair amount of Rubinstein available on Spotify though as is sometimes the case it doesn't all show up immediately and you have click on the various albums for other stuff to appear. There is a performance of Symphony No 5 from the Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Barry Kolman - enjoyable though I don't have anything to compare it with.
Barry Kolman peformed well the slow 3d part of the symphony.
For other parts on spotify there is another good rendition of 5th Symphony Rubinstein op.107 (George Enescu Philharmonic, Andreescu). Here is the link (I don't know if it works):
https://open.spotify.com/album/5nQANNsxcJBt7Qmf3XofIO

But I still recommend rendition of Valentin Zverev.

Dima

#21
Quote from: Florestan on May 12, 2018, 05:29:31 AM
:laugh:  :laugh: :laugh:

Well, I certainly see where you're coming from --- as a Romanian I know only too well how good are Russians at smashing others...  ;D

Sorry, couldn't resist --- nothing personal at all.  0:) (Culturally speaking, I am a huge Rusophile, and not only musically).
Florestan, you are very correct, I'm also patriot of russian music (it's not a rule in our country).  And in my post about aliens and "russian tradition" it should be read - very bad russian traditon.

SymphonicAddict

I can't believe there was not a Rubinstein thread so far. He wrote some good stuff. If you don't feel too impressed by his orchestral works, try the chamber ones. There are some gems that can delight you.

kyjo

I don't know much by Rubinstein, so far I've enjoyed his Fantaisie for piano and orchestra, Cello Sonata no. 1, and String Quartet no. 1 quite a bit.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

cilgwyn

Well here's someone who does enjoy Rubinstein's orchestral music!!! :o ;D Or,at least,some of it. I listened to his Second (Ocean) and Fourth (Dramatic) symphonies (on Russian Disc) and enjoyed what I heard. The "Ocean" symphony went down particularly well. I like the tune in the first movement,and remember it from that old Vox Turnabout library Lp I posted about. The movement that follows,very graphically,portraying the movement of the sea. The sound quality seemed superior to the recording of the "Dramatic". I would love to hear these two symphonies with a really good orchestra and top notch,state of the art sound. Incidentally,Respighi's Belkis Queen of Sheba and Metamorphoseon got switched off in favour of the "Ocean" Symphony. I felt I needed something more restful. It was late at night and Rubinstein seemed to fit the bill!

cilgwyn

I didn't realise this was a 2 cd set! I've got to listen  through quite allot of other pieces by Rubinstein before I get to the "Ocean" Symphony,though! Not keen on Cello Concertos generally;which shows my level of intellect. The Wuppertal/Hanson team recorded music by Felix Draeseke,though;and they were very good (as was the sound quality!). I wish they'd record the "Dramatic". Come on,you Wuppertal's!! ;D

   

cilgwyn

Aharr! It's a two for the price of one reissue (like Iceland?!!)!! :) I may investigate at some point?!! Nice painting of him on the front,incidentally. He looks erm,quite formidable! ??? ;D

Dima

I think it may be interesting in UK to know relationship between music of Elgar and Rubinstein.
First of all Rubinstein has his own cycle of 24 secret portrets (as Enigma variations) of people but for piano (Kamenniy-Ostrov, Op. 10).
Secondly Nimrod is one of heroes of his work "The Tower of Babel" op.80.
But the main thing that music of Rubinstein influinced Elgar
(Elgar noticed in his diaries that he listened concert with Second symphony and opera The Maccabees of Rubinstein,
but today there is no even recording of that opera, that was in 19th known as one of his main achievments).
Next fragments sounds stylistical close in my view.
Fragment of Rubinstein's 4 symphony 3 part and Nimrod of Elgar: https://cloud.mail.ru/public/5PQs/yCxMQptqD
And here fragment from Rubinstein's 2 symphony 2 part and also Nimrod: https://cloud.mail.ru/public/LSpa/gGhsDjom1

Dima

Look on amazing playing the 3rd part of 4th piano conceto of A. Runinstein by Pavel Raikerus:
https://youtu.be/FUheiBD2VtM?t=5997

springrite

While acknowledging that some people like it, I have to say that I can't stand his orchestration.

However,

I love his Viola Sonata, Cello Sonatas and much of his piano music. They speak to me perfectly, much like Medtner.
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

Maestro267

Quote from: Dima on May 25, 2018, 09:48:28 AM
Secondly Nimrod is one of heroes of his work "The Tower of Babel" op.80.

This is a rather tenuous link really. Nimrod is the main character in the Biblical tale of the Tower of Babel, called a mighty hunter. Elgar called his ninth Variation Nimrod because it was dedicated to Augustus Jaeger, "Jaeger" meaning "hunter" in German.

Dima

Quote from: Maestro267 on June 10, 2018, 01:23:27 AM
This is a rather tenuous link really. Nimrod is the main character in the Biblical tale of the Tower of Babel, called a mighty hunter. Elgar called his ninth Variation Nimrod because it was dedicated to Augustus Jaeger, "Jaeger" meaning "hunter" in German.
Thank you very much for information. And do you find close the music samples?

Dima

Quote from: springrite on June 09, 2018, 06:50:27 PM
While acknowledging that some people like it, I have to say that I can't stand his orchestration.
You can disagree with me but symphonic poem "Don Quixote" of A.Rubinstein is brilliantly orchestrated piece.
Thanks to the member of the site unsungcomposers.com we can listen it in very good recording (conductor Horst Neumann): https://cloud.mail.ru/public/3wZq/DLrKjKEsg
Tchaikovsky made a piano transcription for 4 hands of this work.

Hattoff

Thank you very much for "Don Quixote". I have been a fan of Rubinstein for some time but had not heard this piece before. I also find it remarkable that he is not better known in the west, he was a very melodic composer.

Dima

#34
When I first heard the next composition I thought it is in style of Chopin but sounds very modern like music of 20th century.
It turned out Anton Rubinstein's composition of 1853 - his slow part from the 3rd piano concerto. From this time I love his music.
You can listen this part here: https://cloud.mail.ru/public/8wsH/YSkfkrKdo

As a fan of Rubinstein's music, I was pleased to know about the release of his unknown opera Moses on CD. The suite of the best moments from it sounds beautiful:
https://cloud.mail.ru/public/GGY4/EmT2bGPmV


Hattoff

I have listened to Moses several times now, it is a great opera with wonderful melodies and some very powerful moments.

Dima

#36
Quote from: Hattoff on November 02, 2018, 01:52:31 AM
I have listened to Moses several times now, it is a great opera with wonderful melodies and some very powerful moments.
And have you already listened to new recording of Caprice russe, Op. 102 for piano and orchestra? As you may know this composition is dedicated to the future Prokofiev's piano teacher - Anna Esipova. And it has been never played so virtuously in my view as on this new recording with Neeme Jarvi and Anna Shelest.



You can listen it here: https://www.deezer.com/en/album/65011032

Dima

#37
This is my video with an overview of several themes of the 1st piano concerto of Anton Rubinstein op.25, 1850 (don't forget to switch on english subtitles):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cTtjtckof8

And here you can listen very rare fist recording of this concerto made in 1979. It is zip archive with mp4.
Michael Fardink (piano), The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Paul Freeman: https://cloud.mail.ru/public/LNVB/sk21siqi8
(press "Скачать" if you want to download the music).

P.S. This concerto has the largest amount of melodies of all piano concertos I know.

vandermolen

Quote from: Dima on November 19, 2018, 02:46:14 AM
This is my video with an overview of several themes of the 1st piano concerto of Anton Rubinstein op.25, 1850 (with english subtitles):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cTtjtckof8

And here you can listen very rare fist recording of this concerto made in 1979. It is zip archive with mp4.
Michael Fardink (piano), The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Paul Freeman: https://cloud.mail.ru/public/LNVB/sk21siqi8
(press "Скачать" if you want to download the music).

P.S. This concerto has the largest amount of melodies of all piano concertos I know.
The video is well worth watching.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Hattoff

Thanks for that, I didn't have the 1st concerto. I shall listen with pleasure. It is remarkably good sound for an LP of that vintage.