# 100 Favorites: #22



## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

*Brahms: Four Ballades, Op. 10 & Other Piano Works / "The Brahms I Love" 
Arthur Rubinstein (RCA)*











Ballade in D Minor, Op. 10, No. 1 ("Edward")
Ballade in D, Op. 10, No. 2
Ballade in B Minor, Op. 10, No. 3
Ballade in B, Op. 10, No. 4
Rhapsody in G Minor, Op. 79, No. 2
Intermezzo in B-Flat Minor, Op. 117, No. 2
Capriccio in B Minor, Op. 76, No. 2
Intermezzo in E Minor, Op. 116, No. 5
Intermezzo in E-Flat Minor, Op. 118, No. 6
Rhapsody in B Minor, Op. 79, No. 1
When people think of Rubinstein, they tend to think of him as a Chopinist, first and foremost. So it's interesting to read what Rubinstein has to say about Brahms in the liner notes to this LP:

_"The music of Brahms has been close to me even longer than that of my great countryman Chopin. In my very early years I had the honor to be the protege of of Joseph Joachim, the legendary interpreter, advisor, and friend of Brahms, and through him I was immersed in Brahms' music from the very beginning. You must remember that Brahms was alive until I was 10 years old, so for me he was a living composer, not an 'old master.' I still approach his music with this feeling, and in my own way I try to give the essence of the Brahms I grew to love in those early days."_

It's easy to hear how much Rubinstein loves this music when he's playing.


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