# Artur Rubinstein Recordings



## TinyTim

Sadly, I heard Artur Rubinstein live only once, a solo piano concert in San Diego in 1971? when he was in his eighties. I was in the military at the time and had a front row, keyboard-view seat. I have listened to many of the vast number of recordings that Rubinstein made over his long career.

I'm interested to hear what are your favorite Rubinstein recordings: solo, chamber or orchestral. By the way, I would recommend Rubinstein's two-volume autobiography, _My Young Years _and _My Many Years_


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## JCarmel

This is my favourite of all Rubinstein recordings...that I have on a now well-worn LP. I don't know whether it's obtainable on cd.
It was/is the Wanderer Fantasy recording that I liked so much.


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## joen_cph

I prefer the early Rubinstein in particular, up to 1955 or so, and especially of the 30s and 40s. I collect basically everything I can find from those years.

People tend to neglect his early Chopin, which is very different from his later style and at times reminds of Horowitz in its temperamental virtuosity. In this way his life was a journey towards the subdued, like it was also the case with Arrau, Klemperer and Serkin for instance (speaking in general terms, since there are exceptions, such as the relatively lively, late Appassionata recording). But some of his late recordings can be interesting for me too, such as the well-articulated, impressive broadness of his Mozart concerti on RCA with Krips, Wallenstein etc.

I´ve read the self-biography too & it is interesting to hear about his early Polish background and connections back then. It is rather brutal in its honesty at times.


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## Ravndal

His recording of Saint Saens piano concerto nr 2 is breathtaking.


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## DavidA

I got the Liszt album from RCA. Tremendous!


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## joen_cph

Ravndal said:


> His recording of Saint Saens piano concerto nr 2 is breathtaking.


Among them, the early with Mitropoulos in mono is the most extrovert and dramatic.


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## ptr

Rubinstein was featured on one of the longest running radio shows in the world; BBC's Desert Island Discs, in 1971, this episode is available *on-line* and is much fun to waste a few minutes on!

Almost all of what Rubinstein ever recorded is (or has been) available as re-releases from RCA and some other labels, I don't think that the same coupling is available today (B minor Sonata and Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy, they were at least separated by RCA in the Rubinstein Collection, Liszt on Vol 68 and Schubert on Vol 54  )..

For me Rubinstein in any Chopin is the benchmark!

/ptr


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## WJM

A few months ago I've bought The Complete Album Collection. It contains all of his studio recordings, a few live recordings, and some recordings never before released, with some pieces quite new to Rubinstein's recording repertoire (like Chopin's Etude Op. 10 No 12). But there are more, some CD's released by BBC Legends, Medici, DVD's, movies, and also a few piano rolls. 

Of course there are many pieces he recorded repeatedly, most prominently Chopin's Polonaise Op. 53 - there are three official studio recordings, but if you look better, you can find at least 13 of them, first one from 1935 and the last one from 1975 (two from 1975 actually). It's really hard to say which is my favorite, but I'd probably say that the live recording from Warsaw, 1960. But the others are great also.


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## Itullian

his stereo recordings of the Beethoven piano concertos
with Leinsdorf have always been one of my favorites.


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## WJM

Chopin's Ballade Op. 23 - studio recording (there are also two live recordings which are very, very similar, the main difference is sound quality), Sonata in B flat - live recordings (Moscow and Carnegie Hall), Nocturnes and Mazurkas, Piano Concerto Op. 11 - stereo, 1961, Piano Concerto Op. 21 - again, hard to choose, but I think I would prefer live recordings - London 1961 or Warsaw 1960.

Beethoven's Appassionata - somehow I like the 1947 recording very much, which is widely hated from what I hear.

And many, many others, but personally, I enjoy almost all of Rubinstein's recordings, some less, some more, but almost always they're at least good. Not always the best existing of course, but just good.


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## Ukko

I purchased the LP with _the_ jacket art - a single long-stemmed rose on a piano keyboard - when it was new. Rubinstein/Leinsdorf/BSO, Brahms #1. That is still my favorite recording of the work.


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## WJM

I just bumped into this

http://webuser.bus.umich.edu/feinf/Ruby/live.html

There are some recordings here which I know (Moscow Recital and London 1959), and one recital which I haven't heard before but I found it now

http://www.amazon.com/Rubinstein-Performs-Concert-Arthur/dp/B000059M5B

And there are there others which I can't find any info about. Somebody knows something perharps?


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## Marisol

Rubinstein and Chopin's Étude Op. 10 No. 3 in E.

He once said it was too hard for him but I seriously doubt he wars serious about it, nevertheless as far as I know there is no single recording available of Rubinstein playing this particular piece.

Here is Lang Lang playing the piece:


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## Pianoxtreme

Rubinstein really shines in his recordings of Chopin. I love his recording of Chopin Concerto No. 2, even though it's a tad slower than what most break-neck-speed pianists play it at.


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## WJM

Marisol said:


> Rubinstein and Chopin's Étude Op. 10 No. 3 in E.
> 
> He once said it was too hard for him but I seriously doubt he wars serious about it, nevertheless as far as I know there is no single recording available of Rubinstein playing this particular piece.


Rubinstein knew all of Chopin etudes, but somehow he felt that he couldn't play them well enough, so he only performed some of them in live recitals, never in studio recordings. He tried to record complete etudes once, but quickly gave it up.

There are recordings of Rubinstein playing 10 of Chopin Etudes (at least that I know of, not counting Trois nouvelles etudes which Rubinstein also recorded), and sadly, no Op. 10 No. 3.


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## Ravndal

Marisol said:


> Rubinstein and Chopin's Étude Op. 10 No. 3 in E.
> 
> He once said it was too hard for him but I seriously doubt he wars serious about it, nevertheless as far as I know there is no single recording available of Rubinstein playing this particular piece.
> 
> Here is Lang Lang playing the piece:


Haha. That interpretation always makes me laugh. So awful 

Maybe Rubinstein wasn't satisfied with the way he played it? Most likely. I'm 99% certain that he didn't mean that it was to technical for him.


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## bigshot

Holy cow! Did he down a whole bottle of downers before sitting down at the piano?!


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## Il_Penseroso

It's so interesting to see here people speaking about Rubinstein! I've just finished watching L'amour de la Vie, a documentary on his life and art of playing. 
My father attended one of his concerts, and it was in Perspolis, Shiraz Jashn-e honar (Shiraz Arts Festival). Remaining one of the big fonds of Rubinstein, he had collected many of his recordings on 78rpms and later on LPs before. 
As the others mentioned Chopin, I think especially in Nocturnes he is on the peak, no other recording of the complete cycle I've found better than him.
The spanish piano music of Granados, Albeniz and Falla. His interpretation of Albeniz/Severac Navarra is still a unique gem. He recorded it twice as far as I know, 1929 and 1941, I like the latter more, but both are superb. 
And Grieg piano concerto, there are several recordings from different times, 1942 with Ormandy, 1949 with Dorati and 1961 with Wallenstein. There is also a video recording with André Previn from 70s. The best, as he himself believed, is 1961 with Wallenstein conducting the RCA Victor symphony orchestra. He also recorded a couple of the Lyric Pieces in 1950s.


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## Ravndal

bigshot said:


> Holy cow! Did he down a whole bottle of downers before sitting down at the piano?!


I thought so too. But then came the part at 2.30.


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## ptr

Ravndal said:


> Haha. That interpretation always makes me laugh. So awful


I've only seen one pianist with worse mannerisms then Lang[SUP]2[/SUP]

And that is Olli Mustonen.. But at least his playing makes some kind of sense! (Unfortunately no Chopin with him on Youtube for comparison..)






/ptr


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## Marisol

ptr said:


> I've only seen one pianist with worse mannerisms then Lang[SUP]2[/SUP]
> 
> And that is Olli Mustonen.. But at least his playing makes some kind of sense! (Unfortunately no Chopin with him on Youtube for comparison..)


Worse mannerisms, playing doesn't make any sense? 

Lang Lang is one of the great pianists of our times.


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## Ravndal

I disagree. I think he is one of the worst. Though he has a couple good interpretations. His liebestraum is quite interesting.


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## ptr

Marisol said:


> Worse mannerisms, playing doesn't make any sense?
> 
> Lang Lang is one of the great pianists of our times.


Yea sure, Have You seen him, great in comparison to what? A lollipop? ..He might have the technical prowess of a machine, but so has any 8 year old Russian Piano Prodigy, his range of interpretation, if You have any experience with interpretative issues, are at best lacking, at the moment he is mostly just imitating what he has heard from recordings. He has got the vehicle but he has yet to load it with anything great! Who knows it might come, but then he has to learn to listen less on his economical advisers and more to someone who understands the core pianistic repertoire!

/ptr


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## WJM

Lang Lang has definitely more haters than he deserves. Personally I think he's OK.





(Liszt/Schumann Widmung)

I like this one much.


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## StlukesguildOhio

This is THE essential Rubinstein recording for me:










Some other favorite recordings... from among a great many:


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## StlukesguildOhio




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## StlukesguildOhio

ptr said:


> Yea sure, Have You seen him, great in comparison to what? A lollipop? ..He might have the technical prowess of a machine, but so has any 8 year old Russian Piano Prodigy, his range of interpretation, if You have any experience with interpretative issues, are at best lacking, at the moment he is mostly just imitating what he has heard from recordings. He has got the vehicle but he has yet to load it with anything great! Who knows it might come, but then he has to learn to listen less on his economical advisers and more to someone who understands the core pianistic repertoire!
> 
> /ptr


Generally, I agree... although I found his performance on this disc to be far more sensitive than usual:










Perhaps it's the chamber music genre where a flashy star is not what is needed. Perhaps it was working with more mature musicians. But of course the Cross-over classical/pop audience wants Lisztmania and flash.


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## bigshot

Ravndal said:


> I thought so too. But then came the part at 2.30.


You mean the part where his articulation went out the window?


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## Ravndal

bigshot said:


> You mean the part where his articulation went out the window?


Yup. When he went from downers to crystal meth.


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## Marisol

Ravndal said:


> Yup. When he went from downers to crystal meth.


How about having some respect for the musicians?
I for one do not appreciate these drug references.


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## bigshot

Don't be a buzzkill!


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## handlebar

While I adore many of his recordings, my favorite is by far the RCA set of ballades.


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## ptr

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Generally, I agree... although I found his performance on this disc to be far more sensitive than usual: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51I6HausrgL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
> Perhaps it's the chamber music genre where a flashy star is not what is needed. Perhaps it was working with more mature musicians. But of course the Cross-over classical/pop audience wants Lisztmania and flash.


Sure, mostly I would think because he is surrounded by two experienced Russian Gentlemen that have deep schooling in the art interpretation!

/ptr


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## Rehydration

StlukesguildOhio said:


> This is THE essential Rubinstein recording for me:


Completely agreed. I got it for Christmas--probably the only Nocturnes recording that I've heard, but still excellent.


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## KateSmith

It's very pitty that people don't know Artur Rubinstein ! He is really a very talented person! I strongly recommend you to listen to his masterpieces!


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## JohnD

StlukesguildOhio said:


> This is THE essential Rubinstein recording for me:


I love his versions of the Nocturnes too.


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## Vaneyes

Brahms Piano Quartets w. the Guarneri. :tiphat:


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## Itullian

I always enjoyed his Beethoven piano concertos with Leinsdorf.


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## WJM

WJM said:


> Marisol said:
> 
> 
> 
> Rubinstein and Chopin's Étude Op. 10 No. 3 in E.
> 
> He once said it was too hard for him but I seriously doubt he wars serious about it, nevertheless as far as I know there is no single recording available of Rubinstein playing this particular piece.
> 
> 
> 
> Rubinstein knew all of Chopin etudes, but somehow he felt that he couldn't play them well enough, so he only performed some of them in live recitals, never in studio recordings. He tried to record complete etudes once, but quickly gave it up.
> 
> There are recordings of Rubinstein playing 10 of Chopin Etudes (at least that I know of, not counting Trois nouvelles etudes which Rubinstein also recorded), and sadly, no Op. 10 No. 3.
Click to expand...

I recently found out I was slightly wrong on that one.

Rubinstein made some number of piano rolls before he started to make recordings. Among them there was Chopin's Etude Op. 10 No. 3, made for Ampico in 1920. Unfortunately, I don't think a recording of this roll was ever issued, but the roll exists.


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## JACE

I love Rubinstein.

Along with Rubinstein's autobiography (already mentioned), I'd recommend Harvey Sach's biography, _Rubinstein: A Life_.

Some of my favorite recordings:
- Chopin: Nocturnes (stereo version) 
- Brahms: Sonata No. 3 & Ballades
- Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 (with Wallenstein)
- Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 (with Ormandy & the Philadelphia O)
- Schumann: Carnival


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## JACE

StlukesguildOhio said:


> This is THE essential Rubinstein recording for me:


Yes. Couldn't agree more.


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## WJM

JACE said:


> Along with Rubinstein's autobiography (already mentioned), I'd recommend Harvey Sach's biography, _Rubinstein: A Life_.


Indeed, these books should definitely go together. Sachs's biography is not only a good book by itself but it's a great supplement to Rubinstein memoirs, explaining some mistakes and intentional inaccuracies made by Rubinstein.

By the way. Sachs's book includes complete list of piano rolls recorded by Rubinstein with numbers and dates of issue - I've seen a small part of it on Google Books. Unfortunetaly the edition issued where I live doesn't include this. Is there a similar list in the Internet somewhere? Or maybe somebody could upload scans of this part?


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## hpowders

The best Rubinstein I ever heard was "My Favorite Brahms" containing the 4 ballades.


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## Triplets

TinyTim said:


> Sadly, I heard Artur Rubinstein live only once, a solo piano concert in San Diego in 1971? when he was in his eighties. I was in the military at the time and had a front row, keyboard-view seat. I have listened to many of the vast number of recordings that Rubinstein made over his long career.
> 
> I'm interested to hear what are your favorite Rubinstein recordings: solo, chamber or orchestral. By the way, I would recommend Rubinstein's two-volume autobiography, _My Young Years _and _My Many Years_


 I was in College in Ann Arbor and he must have been in his 90s, one of his last Concerts. He played Schumann's Fantasiestucke and Beethovens Sonata Op 31/3. He made a few flubs but what a singing gorgeous tone and what poetry!


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## jenspen

Surprisingly perhaps, it was Rubinstein who opened my ears to French piano music. Old recordings re-issued on a CD called "The Music of France" - not the best sound quality but I love it. Of course, Rubinstein had personally known some of these composers during his early career.

Another favourite is the earlier of Rubinstein's two recordings of Schubert's B flat piano sonata, D960.

As Brahms was Rubinstein's declared favourite and chamber music a great passion of his I have all his recordings of those and am listening my way through them.


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## Lever Du Jour

I really enjoy this concert here, he specially plays Chopin with great taste


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## Vahe Sahakian

For me Rubinstein performance of Rachmaninoff Piano concerto #2 with Reiner is one of his finest.
Rubinstein's Brahms, particularly the late piano works are outstanding.
As for Chopin all Rubinstein performances are good, but for Chopin I prefer other pianists, listen to Maria J. Pires performance of Nocturnes, no one comes close.


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## Rfh1957

I grew up listening to his recording of the Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2. This and Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique Symphony we’re the genesis of my interest in classical music. The Rachmaninov was on 78 RPM records, and must have been recorded in the ‘40s. I’ve never been happy with any other interpretation, and I wonder if this was remastered and issued on CD. Might have been the NBC Symphony Orchestra, but I don’t recall the conductor. I also saw Rubinstein live in St. Louis in the ‘70s. I would have been in high school. If anyone can steer me to the recording referenced above, or if he performed and recorded it later and it received favorable critical reviews, please let me know.


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## Kreisler jr

The earliest recording of the Rachmaninoff 2 by Rubinstein is from 1946 with Golschmann/NBC Symphony. It has been in the big Rubinstein edition but the only recent single issue I can find is from Naxos (see below ASIN) but there should have also been a single CD including the piece in the late 1990s Rubinstein collection. There are two subsequent stereo? recordings but I don't know how they are comparatively rated.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0018D896A


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## Bwv 1080




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## Josquin13

I tend to shy away from Rubinstein's Chopin due to the excessive 'creative' liberties that he takes with the scores, as he will often goes against what Chopin asks for, & I doubt the composer would have been happy about it. Generally, I prefer pianists that pay more scrupulous attention to Chopin's scores, such as Ivan Moravec & Vladimir Ashkenazy. & yet, I do like Rubinstein's 1959 4 Ballades on RCA, and his 51 Mazurkas are good, too. Though in the difficult Mazurkas I tend to prefer Maryla Jonas, and Halina Czerny-Stefanska. (By the way, Rubinstein considered his second recording of the 51 Mazurkas to be one of his finest records, though interestingly, collectors sometimes prefer his earlier recording.)





https://www.amazon.com/Chopin-Ballades-Scherzos-Frédéric/dp/B0002TKFS6

For me, Schumann and Brahms are two of Rubinstein's best composers. & I like the following two albums,

--Schumann Fantasiestucke, 1962 (there's another earlier mono recording of the Fantasiestucke that is excellent, too, & a later recording that is inferior to these two, IMO. It's a work that Rubinstein excelled in, I believe): 



--"The Brahms I Love": 




I also like his recording of the Brahms Cello Sonatas 1 & 2, with cellist Gregor Piatigorsky: 



, and his various recordings of the Brahms Piano Trios, especially the legendary 1941 recording of the Piano Trio no. 1 with cellist Emmanuel Feuermann & violinist Jascha Heifetz: 



, but also the recordings of nos. 1 & 2 with cellist Pierre Fournier & violinist Henryk Szeryng: 



. Although there are times when I can find the latter performances overly romanticized.

Another Rubinstein favorite is this 1961 Carnegie Hall concert on RCA: 




I also recall Alicia de Larrocha once speaking highly of Rubinstein's playing of the Spanish composers, such as Albeniz, but I've yet to hear this recording (since I've been content with my "Iberia" recordings by Rosa Sabater & Rafael Orozco, along with de Larrocha's): 




Finally, Rubinstein's recording of Beethoven's 'Moonlight' Sonata is special, too:


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## Kreisler jr

Rubinstein recorded the Mazurkas, Scherzi, Nocturnes and a few more Chopin pieces three times, once in the late 20s-30, once around 1950 and finally in the early 1960s in stereo. Generally, the earliest are the "wildest" and the latest the "mellowest" with the ca. 1950 (in good mono) often striking the best balance.

I agree that Rubinstein was at least as good in Brahms as in Chopin. All the Brahms chamber recordings are highly recommendable (and most are good stereo), although I personally find the op.26 a bit too mellow, and it is a pity that he recorded only a selection of the late piano pieces. Both recordings of the f minor sonata are also very good. Among the recordings of the piano concertos, the B flat with Krips and the d minor with Reiner are probably the best (both early stereo).

I listened through most of the huge pink complete box about 2-3 years ago but of course I don't remember everything. 

My favorite Beethoven (I had had those before) are probably the 1940s Appassionata and op.31/3 (this sonata was a special favorite and he made 3 or more recordings), Les Adieux, the c minor concerto with Toscanini and the Archduke trio with Feuermann and Heifetz. As mentioned before, the three recordings with that trio are essential: Brahms B major, Schubert B flat major and Beethoven op.97.
Another great late-ish chamber recording with the Guarneris is the Dvorak quintet.


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## tdc

I like his playing in the Ravel Piano Trio.


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## Eramire156

I have the Rubinstein Collection issued in the late 90's









the disc I listen to the most is the music of Spain









Glorious


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## JTS

If you want to be electrified, try his Liszt album!


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## Kreisler jr

A overlooked anthology I also found very nice is the Grieg Album.


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## JohnD

I'm currently listening to the Nocturnes. Wonderful!


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## Wigmar

JohnD said:


> I'm currently listening to the Nocturnes. Wonderful!
> View attachment 166053


Artur Rubinstein made a masterpiece recording 'The Brahms I love' (Rome 6/1970).
The Brahms piano trios recording with Szeryng and Fournier is also outstanding. 
His many Chopin recordings are brilliant, as e.g. the nocturnes and mazurkas. Schumann's 'Arabeske' op. 18 (1961) is also delightful.


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## Wigmar

WJM said:


> Indeed, these books should definitely go together. Sachs's biography is not only a good book by itself but it's a great supplement to Rubinstein memoirs, explaining some mistakes and intentional inaccuracies made by Rubinstein.
> 
> By the way. Sachs's book includes complete list of piano rolls recorded by Rubinstein with numbers and dates of issue - I've seen a small part of it on Google Books. Unfortunetaly the edition issued where I live doesn't include this. Is there a similar list in the Internet somewhere? Or maybe somebody could upload scans of this part?


Maybe this could help. 
Best regards, 
wigmar


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## Alinde

Wigmar said:


> Artur Rubinstein made a masterpiece recording 'The Brahms I love' (Rome 6/1970).
> The Brahms piano trios recording with Szeryng and Fournier is also outstanding.
> His many Chopin recordings are brilliant, as e.g. the nocturnes and mazurkas. Schumann's 'Arabeske' op. 18 (1961) is also delightful.


I read, but can't remember where, that Rubinstein was particularly fond of Brahms. He said that people didn't understand that Brahms and the young Rubinstein had been contemporaries. I'd also read that Rubinstein enjoyed playing chamber music but I hadn't come across those recordings. Thank you.

Rubinstein also mentioned somewhere that, though he personally loved Schubert, there was not the audience demand for Franz's piano works till during his heydey. I cherish a recording he made of D960.


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## Viajero

Wonderful replies about one of my favorite musicians. I am a Classical Guitarist who plays predominately 19th Century/Early 20th Century Romantic Music and in the last several years, I have turned to Rubenstein as a master teacher of musical nuance who, while being very creative, still maintains the perceived intentions of the composer. His "Chopin Nocturnes" are a lesson in poetry and should be required listening for any serious musician as his instinctive sense of pacing, rubato, and personal inflection are second to none. The musical world has always been inundated with impressive technicians but the poets are few and far between. 
Viajero


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