Artur Rubinstein

[jwinter]

Brahms before all, love it. Solo piano: especially 1941 and 1953 sessions (volumes 10 & 64 of Rubinstein Collection). The chamber music: Sonatas with Szeryng and Piatigorsky, 1st & 2nd Trios with Fournier and Szeryng, Quartets & Quintet with Guarneri's.  2nd Concerto with Krips, or even with Coates.

I also like his Schumann, although except for Fantasiestucke (1962) don't think he'd be my first choice pick in any particular piece.

Cesar Franck's Prelude, choral et fugue from 1970 is another huge favorite.

His second recording of Schubert D960 (1959) might sound lightweight compared with Richter and the likes but the Andante Sostenuto is meltingly beautiful.

Directness of expression.

Thanks bro!

"Directness of expression," I like that, sums it up well I think.

[pbarach]

The Mendelssohn piano trio belongs among a list of his best.

[jwinter]

Done then

Much obliged!

[kishnevi]

I found his Mozart concertos to be well done, although perhaps not my first choice.  The Collection has them as Volume 61, actually a two CD issue, with one of the concertos being split between the discs.

[Wakefield]

I found his Mozart concertos to be well done, although perhaps not my first choice.  The Collection has them as Volume 61, actually a two CD issue, with one of the concertos being split between the discs.

Do you have Da Collection, Jeffrey? Many times I have been really tempted...

[George]

When I want to listen to Rubinstein, he rarely disappoints, especially in the earliest recordings. It took me a long time to appreciate his art, as he lacks the over the top bravura or a Horowitz and the over sentimentality of a (fill in whomever you like here.) He's solid, consistent and subtly interesting. However, if I want to listen to Chopin or Beethoven or Brahms or Rachmaninoff or Schubert, etc, he is never my favorite.

[kishnevi]

Do you have Da Collection, Jeffrey? Many times I have been really tempted...

I have scattered elements--the Mozart concertos, a Schumann recording(Vol. 20),  his later Beethoven sonata CD (Vol. 56), Beethoven PC 4/5 with Leinsdorf (Vol . 58) the  third recording of the Nocturnes (vol. 49)---which by the way I tend to think of as THE BEST EVAH CHOPIN RECORDING BY ANYONE ANYWHERE ANYTIME--plus the Chopin waltzes and the Chopin Ballade/Scherzos in issues not related to the Collection.  I also have the EMI Icon box which collects all his EMI Chopin recordings.  There may be more lurking on my shelves, but I'd have to start poking around to find them.

I'm tempted, but the price is high enough, and my checkbook low enough that I will probably hold off on getting it....

[Wakefield]

When I want to listen to Rubinstein, he rarely disappoint, especially in the earliest recordings. It took me a long time to appreciate his art, as he lacks the over the top bravura or a Horowitz and the over sentimentality of a (fill in whomever you like here.) He's solid, consistent and subtly interesting. However, if I want to listen to Chopin or Beethoven or Brahms or Rachmaninoff or Schubert, etc, he is never my favorite.

Yes, those are mostly my own ideas about him. However, his Chopin is probably my favorite near-complete-cycle. I mean it's not a favorite in every piece, but absolutely wonderful and consistent in average. I also like his Brahms (the composer of the things almost said), but I'm still searching for my ideal Brahms performer. I would like to know his Schubert...

[Wakefield]

I'm tempted, but the price is high enough, and my checkbook low enough that I will probably hold off on getting it....

I should do the same, but I'm terrified that jewel will go OOP soon. 

[xochitl]

i recently heard his beethoven op57 [stereo] and was absolutely astounded, and my reference is brautigam!

did not know he was so good in beethoven...

[Holden]

.. and I must make a correction. I said 1941 but it was actually 1945 for that performance.

[The Raven]

I would like to know his Schubert...

i can have you listen to any of these if you want to:

D 760, D 899/3, D 899/4, D 960 - 1965, D 960 - 1969, D 898 w/fournier&szeryng, D 898 w/heifetz&feuermann(mono), D 929 w/fournier&szeryng

[The Raven]

...he rarely disappoints, especially in the earliest recordings...He's solid, consistent...

those should be it.

[bigshot]

Listening to the box set, it appears that there are two Rubinsteins. The earlier recordings are more mercurial and hell bent for leather. In the stereo era, he went for a different aesthetic- more precisely judged and magisterial. Both Rubinsteins are wonderful. He rerecorded many pieces, and it's always interesting to compare the different versions. The DVD documentary made by his son in the box set is amazing. Rubinstein is very honest about the mistakes he made in his youth and how he turned his career around when it was heading for the rocks.

[The Raven]

is it time to remove the links jw? do you need anything else from the set to try? I've read that you given up the set and acquired his brahms recordings. Please let me know what you think about the quartets and sonata no 3

[jwinter]

is it time to remove the links jw? do you need anything else from the set to try? I've read that you given up the set and acquired his brahms recordings. Please let me know what you think about the quartets and sonata no 3

Yes, feel free to take those down, thanks!  They were very useful.  I will probably pick up some more Beethoven concerti soon; I have some with Leinsdorf, will probably complete those and possibly add the Krips.

I'll definitely give a shout when I've listened to the Brahms.  The only Rubinstein Brahms I have currently is PC1 with Reiner and the quintet, so lots of good new stuff in the box. 

[George]

The above 2CD set is under $14 from amazon third party sellers - Rubinstein's first complete set of Mazurkas, recorded in 1938-39. Transfers by Ward Marston.

[kishnevi]

The above 2CD set is under $14 from amazon third party sellers - Rubinstein's first complete set of Mazurkas, recorded in 1938-39. Transfers by Ward Marston.

Actually, this
[asin]B0032700TY[/asin]

is available on Amazon MP for $20.30 including s/h.  I'm not in the mood to dig out the details, but the sound was decent;  the only "bad" sound I remember (meaning, in this instance,  the recording sounded like it was made when it was made) was the concertos.

ETA:  and now that I think of it, the mazurkas in particular made me feel that a search for a "better" set would be fruitless, no matter how good the sound.  (Although I suppose I should get his later recording of the Mazurkas, at least.)

[George]

That's the problem with EMI, Jefffrey, they filter out all the hiss (and the high frequency info), making the recordings sound 'newer.' I don't like that approach to remastering.

[kishnevi]

That's the problem with EMI, Jefffrey, they filter out all the hiss (and the high frequency info), making the recordings sound 'newer.' I don't like that approach to remastering.

Perhaps I should explain that when I said "sounded like the recordings were made when they were made" I mean something along the lines of "they sound like the performers were sitting in a barrel and the recording apparatus was covered by a bunch of pillows".  It's a fine line, of course, and the Marston effort I have (IIRC, limited to the Knappertsbusch recordings of Parsifal and Meistersinger as released on Naxos) walk it fairly well,  but my ears would rather the errors are made in the EMI way:  even a little bit of "old sounding" goes a long way with my ears. 

BTW, of Rubinstein's two other recordings of the Mazurkas do you have a preference? 
I've already read the Chopin Mazurka thread and what you, jwinter et all have said,  and have wishlisted the Luisada.