Arthur Rubinstein – Collection (2004-2007,2018) 4SACD ISO

Disc 1 – Arthur Rubinstein – The Chopin Ballades and Scherzos (1959/2004)
I bought the 20-bit reincarnation (1999 mix in the Rubinstein collection) of this recording just two months before the release of the SACD version, so I had to compare them. The SACD is better. It is smoother and warmer than the 20-bit version. More importantly, the SACD is also CHEAPER! It’s hard to beat Rubinstein’s interpretation of the Ballades. These must be incredibly difficult to play and interpret well. It is easy to over interpret them. I have Wild’s, Zimerman’s, Perahia’s, amongst others. Rubinstein’s seems to be the one that is just about right…not overdone..not too fast… etc. I strongly recommend this SACD for anyone who loves Chopin.

Starting with Ballade no.1 I thought Perahia was even more dramatic and was thinking well Rubenstein was born in 1887 so was over 70 when he made these recordings. Well straight on to number 2 and he was even more fiery than Perahia in the tempestuous outer sections!
Everyone will have favourite recordings (Perahia in the Ballades, Richter or Arrau in the Scherzi)but the more you listen to Rubenstein the more you understand his reputation as a Chopin magician.
The only tempo I would quibble with is the beautiful slow section in the middle of the First Scherzi (based if I recall correctly on an old Polish carol?)- I wish it was even slower.
The piano has a big, bold sound though it is slighlty clattery and of course doesn’t have the depth and resonance of a modern DSD recording.
01. Ballade Nr. 1 g-m,oll op. 23
02. Ballade Nr. 2 F-dur op. 38
03. Ballade Nr. 3 As-dur op. 47
04. Ballade Nr. 4 f-moll op. 52
05. Scherzo Nr. 1 h-moll op. 20
06. Scherzo Nr. 2 b-moll op. 31
07. Scherzo Nr. 3 cis-moll op. 39
08. Scherzo Nr. 4 E-dur op. 54
Disc 2 – New Symphony Orchestra Of London / Alfred Wallenstein, Arthur Rubinstein (1959,1958/2007)

With unique style and grace, the legendary pianist Arthur Rubinstein reawakens the fire and glamour in a trio of sophisticated Romantic works for piano and orchestra by Franck, Liszt and Saint-Saens.
Camille Saint-Saens – Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22
01. Andante sostenuto
02. Allegro scherzando
03. Presto
Cesar Franck – Symphonic Variations
04. Poco allegro
05. Allegro non troppo
Franz Liszt – Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat
06. Allegro maestoso
07. Quasi adagio
08. Allegretto vivace
09. Allegro marziale animato
Disc 3 – Beethoven – Sonatas – Arthur Rubinstein (1962,1963/2006)
I have a bias towards this recording since it was one of my favorite LPs in college in the early 1970s. It was one of those I listened to over and over (along with the great rock albums of the time). The recording was 15 years old then. My overall impression of this compared to other versions I’ve heard is that Rubenstein is playing music, not notes. In fact it seems like he’s missing a note here and there, but it’s still quite beautiful. The hiss has been cleaned up a lot and of course it does not have the harshness of a CD. And the prices for this RCA reissue series is quite good as well.

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor (“Moonlight”), Op. 27/2
01. Adagio sostenuto
02. Allegretto
03. Presto agitato
Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major (“Les Adieux”), Op. 81a
04. Adagio; Allegro
05. Andante espressivo
06. Vivacissimamente
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor (“Pathétique”), Op. 13
07. Allegro di molto e con brio
08. Adagio cantabile
09. Rondo: Allegro
Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor (“Appassionata”), Op. 57
10. Allegro assai
11. Andante con moto
12. Allegro ma non troppo

Disc 4 – Brahms – Piano Concerto No. 1 (Arthur Rubinstein, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta) (1976/2018)

Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op.15
01. I. Maestoso – Poco più moderato (23:01)
02. II. Adagio (14:33)
03. III. Rondo (Allegro non troppo) (12:38)