Villa-Lobos:Piano Music Vol.1

1. Valsa da dor (Waltz), for piano in D Major, A. 316
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
with Alma Petchersky

2. Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4, for piano & orchestra, A. 424
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
with Alma Petchersky

3. Ciclo brasileiro (4), suite for piano, A. 374
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
with Alma Petchersky

4. Chôros No. 5, for piano, "Alma brasiliera", A. 207
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
with Alma Petchersky

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Vocalise
Melancholy Rose
L'Heure Exquise
O Del Mio Dolce Ardor
Charmed By A Rose
In The City
Get Off My Land
Dite Oime
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5
Maria's Dream (Instrumental)
Bonus Track

Customer Reviews:

Breathtaking.......2006-12-17

I bought this CD before it was even well-known, though I wonder how many people even know about it right now. This is truly a gem of a find. The fusion of electronica and opera is amazing and the vocals are haunting and beautiful. I have had several friends listen to this CD and all of them fall in love with it, just like I did when I first heard it. I have since bought Operatica: Shine and the more recent Operatica: Christmas Classics and I can truly say I am just as pleased with both follow-up albums. I listen to a variety of music and have a large collection, and this is one of my favourite CDs! Bravo to the creators, composers, vocalist(s) and artists that brought this compilation together.

operatica "o".......2005-09-19

I have this album and think it is unusually beautiful, innovative, a woman with a lovely voice.

Why is she not mentioned or given the credit she deserves, it would appear she is some kind of a secret!

Maureen O'Flynn is only mentioned in the booklet of credits in the jewel case itself, why?
Enter her name in the search in CDNOW and it comes up blank! Why?

First few songs are good, the rest are???.......2004-02-13

First few songs are good, but the rest of the album is no good!

This is the pits. . . the absolute pits.......2003-08-23

Maureen O'Flynn is a perfectly good singer, but whoever thought this "marriage" of opera and pop was a good idea is the same guy that thinks John Tesh is a great composer. People have simply stopped listening seriously to music, and it is a real shame. This recording is for the scrap heap. The accompaniment is cheesier than a big wedge of provolone. There isn't a single live musician in the studio with this young lady. The people who think this is good music are the same ones that aren't bothered by the prospect of a canned sound track in a Broadway show or the "pop stylings" of Charlotte Church. Go out and find some REAL MUSIC, people! It's there if you look. As the great American composer Charles Ives wrote: "Open your ears!"

Adding To My List Of Vices: A Continuation.......2003-05-05

When coupling sounds from two opposing polarities into one another and blending them into the perfect texturization of harmonics, one has to have a few things that fit nicely together in order to succeed. One has to first have a musical stylization that works when placed into an arena that isn't normally associated with its feel, making sure that the seams that could be ripe for the picking aren't taken advantage of. Next, one has to make sure that the voice behind the work, if there is a vocal combination in the work at all, is something that will work smoothly and will not let the vehicle of sense assailment down. Otherwise, the end result is painful and the art, it is merely noise. This is especially true when one is trying to fit a glove on the hand that isn't accustomed to wearing it, making certain that the fit is right and that the end result isn't too rudimentary because something was overlooked.

With Operatica: "O" Volume 1, the components come together fabulously and the seams don't really show at all except on the rarest of occasions (two songs out of eleven by my count, and perhaps that's more beat than anything), throwing a mixture of motions into a vocally moving ocean that would, on many occasions, be seen as items that wouldn't fit together. Here, the beautiful voice of Maureen O'Flynn mixes the operatic sounds I had never truly experienced into a sea of electronic beats, ambient rhythms, speaking pianos, and other vessels to compose the perfect structure. This takes a classical form and introduces it to a world that paints new scenes that couldn't have been painted otherwise, letting its audience ingest a spectrum of thoughts that they wouldn't intake normally. I, myself, was stunned to find that I was instantly addicted to the release, listening to it over and over again and wondering where Opera had been all of my life. Honestly, being a child of electronic music that drifts into heavier organisms of feeling, I never thought I would ever think such thoughts.

Tracks:

Huapango
Sensemaya
Estrellita
Vals Poetico
El Trenecito (Bachiana Brasileira No. 2)
Malambo
Sobre Las Olas (On The Waves)
Festive Overture
Sarabande For Strings
Sones De Mariachi

Customer Reviews:

Latin-American maestros at their very best.......1999-09-09

This recording brings the music of great composers from Mexico,Brazil,and Argentina.The Huapango by Moncayo is played beautiful and a well performed solo for trumpet and trombone.Sensemaya is played with virtuosity."Estrllita" is the best known of all Mexican song here arrenged for strings is very charming.The "Trezinho do Caipira" by Villa-Lobos is performed here to great effect by the orchestra and its percussion section.The Obertura Festiva by Halfter is performed with grace.Galindo's "Sones Macriachi" is also a piece where a mariachi gorup is immitated also to great effect by the orchestra and I think that Mr.Galindo captured the spirit of Mexico very well here.Its a great recording.Thank you Naxos... Well done Mr. Batiz

Exquisite Performance.......1999-08-03

Batiz does a magnificent job, especially with respect to Huapango. The orchestra is full and vibrant. As a brass player (trumpet), I listen especially close to this section of the orchestra. I must say that the brass met my expectations: they have great volume and lose neither control nor focus on fortissimo passages. All instruments with solo parts do an excellent job of finding a balance between projecting their sound and maintaining musicality. The trumpets in particular possess that "sizzling" or vibrating quality which characterizes the better players.

beautiful mexican music.......1999-04-03

great music interpreted by a great director, maestro Batiz

Villa-Lobos: Piano Music Vol. 1 / Rubinsky

Average customer rating:

Rubinsky : a new reference in Villa Lobos
Lively Piano Music from Brazil
Charming Villa-Lobos pieces for children.
More, please!
Native?

Villa-Lobos: Piano Music Vol. 1 / Rubinsky
Sonia Rubinsky
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Villa-Lobos: Piano Music, Vol. 3
Villa-Lobos: A Prole do Bebe No. 2, Cirandinhas
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4
Villa-Lobos Piano Music: Guia Prático Nos. 1-9
Piano Music: "Prole Do Bebe" Vol. 1, "DanCas Caracteristicas Africanas" and Other Works

ASIN: B00000ICMZ
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

The Baby's Family: Little White Doll (The Porcelain Doll)
The Baby's Family: Little Brunette Doll (The Paste Doll)
The Baby's Family: Little Mestiza Doll (The Clay Doll)
The Baby's Family: Little Muhatta Doll (Rubber Doll)
The Baby's Family: Little Black Doll (The Wooden Doll)
The Baby's Family: The Poor Little Doll (The Rag Doll)
The Baby's Family: Punch
The Baby's Family: The Witch (The Cloth Doll)
Cirandas: Terezinha de Jesus
Cirandas: The Countess
Cirandas: Senhora dona sancha
Cirandas: The Carnation Fought With The Rose
Cirandas: Poor Blind Woman
Cirandas: Go Away, Go Away, Hawk
Cirandas: Shoo, Shoo, Little Bird
Cirandas: Let's Go To The Mountain, Calunga
Cirandas: I Went To Itororo
Cirandas: The Painter Of Canai
Cirandas: In This Street
Cirandas: Look At The Little Bird, Domine
Cirandas: Looking For A Needle
Cirandas: The Canoe Capsized
Cirandas: What Beautiful Eyes!
Cirandas: Chip, Chip, Chip
Hommage a Chopin: Noturno
Hommage a Chopin: A la balada

Amazon.com

At last, a replacement for Roberto Szidon's long-deleted recording of Cirandas! This is one of Villa-Lobos's most delightful works, a long piano suite (41:46 in this recording) of folk-flavored pieces that progress from one charming idea to another and never outlast their material. The Baby's Family, the first of two suites, is also charming music, made popular by Artur Rubinstein. The Chopin tribute is one of those crocks of musical dishwater Villa-Lobos stuck his hands into when his mind was on something else, but it's brief and comes at the end of the disc. Brazilian pianist Sonia Rubinsky plays with stylistic insight and gorgeous piano tone, very well captured by Naxos in a recording that sat in the can for almost five years before it was finally issued. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Rubinsky : a new reference in Villa Lobos.......2005-04-18

When Villa Lobos listened for the first time the works of Debussy and Stravinsky ( The Russian Ballets of Diaghlev danced in Rio de Janeiro in 1913 and 1917) he found the way to create something really adequate to involve Brazilian authentic tunes . The first important period of Villa Lobos as a composer involve two series of works: The Prole do Bebê ( No 1 and No 2) and the Choros. Prole do Bebê is full of Pentatonic and whole tone scales, and the Harmony of some of the pieces are deeply influenced by Stravinsky: The Polichinelo is a Brazilian brother of the Russian white/black harmony of Petrushka. For the first time one Brazilian composer was proud of our authentic songs and he placed these lovely melodies in the middle of a very sophisticated piano writing and with new harmonies that fitted wonderfully with his purposes. The Cirandas is also involved with the child's world. I would like to remember that The Cirandas are not important only as a wonderful composition, but I'm sure too that without this work a lot of authentic folkloric melodies would be lost ,as our childs don't play no more singing these melodies. Times of globalization...
The Prole No 1 and the Cirandas are among the most often played and recorded piano works of Heitor Villa Lobos. The references for the Prole do Bebe No 1 are of course Aline van Barentzen , that recorded the Prole 1 and 2 in Paris for EMI in the presence of the composer ( unfortunately the CD version of the album "Villa Lobos par lui meme" doesn't include this important recording, that was present in the LP version), Nelson Freire( unfortunately he recorded only the Prole 1) and Anna Stella Schic . For the Cirandas the references are again Anna Stella Schic ( the only pianist that recorded the complete works for piano by Villa Lobos), Roberto Szidon and Caio Pagano.
I'm profoundly satisfied with this first record of this important project ( It will be a series of 9 Cds, I believe). Sonia Rubinsky plays very well, and I would like to prize her attitude about the fidelity towards the printed score. As the Prole do Bebe No 1 includes some very often played compositions , they are normally played with some liberties and "traditions". As Mahler used to say, "Tradition is Schlamperei". I really prefer to listen these pieces as Sonia Rubinsky plays: as they are written. One can prefer the exceptional musicality of Nelson Freire in the Prole, or the analytical sound of Caio Pagano in the Cirandas. But Sonia is a first rate pianist too. She has a wonderful sonority .With her flawless musicality we can say that this integral began as a new reference in Villa Lobos discography .

Lively Piano Music from Brazil.......2003-05-20

Villa-Lobos, who is of course the great composer of Brazil, has a less secure place in the history of modern music of the West, so it is good that his art is getting a reappraisal, with various record labels committed to issuing cycles of his works-the symphonies and string quartets, for example. Villa-Lobos wrote a great deal of piano music that isn't heard as much as it used to be, so the present CD, the first in a two-volume series (maybe there will be more) from Naxos is welcome indeed.

If Ginastera is the Bartok of the pampas, Villa-Lobos, in his piano music at least, might be seen as early Prokofiev or Stravinsky transported to the Amazon. As with Ginastera, there is much of surface glitter and of grit, but the emotional depths that Ginastera plumbs in his more inward music seems sorely lacking in much of this piano music by Villa-Lobos. Maybe inwardness wasn't on the composer's agenda as he tried to recreate the world of childhood in these pieces. But I wish he had taken his cue from Schumann, whose "Kinderscenen" is great music primarily because it doesn't shy away from the truth that childhood isn't all fun and games, though the troubling dissonances that intrude on the surface serenity of Villa-Lobos' "The Countess" and "What Beautiful Eyes!" hint at this fact.

Anyway, there is certainly a place for brilliance and grit, which Villa-Lobos' music has in abundance, and especially if you don't listen to all these pieces at one sitting, you will appreciate the freshness and liveliness of Villa-Lobos' invention. I think you'll also find Villa-Lobos' brand of musical primitivism, which intelligently combines European modernism and native New World musical elements, intriguing. You'll probably be amused, too, by "Little Black Doll" and "Look at the Pretty Birdy," which start off as perfect Debussy knockoffs but quickly absorb Villa-Lobos' own Latin-tinged idiom. Certainly, it's easy to see why the Petrouchka-influenced "Punch" from "A Prole do Bebe" suite was at one time an encore favorite with pianists such as Villa-Lobos' champion Artur Rubinstein. Then there is the jazzy "In This Street" from "Cirandas," which illustrates Villa-Lobos' unique assimilation of European and Brazilian popular music.

Sonia Rubinsky brings the requisite pianistic chops to this recital. She has great technique and finds no hurdles she can't manage in Villa-Lobos' sometimes grueling keyboard writing. But she also brings delicacy, charm, and wit to her assignment as well, which breathes life and purpose into the quieter pieces like "What Beautiful Eyes!" A first-rate sound recording, too, from Fisher Hall in Santa Rosa, California. This disc is recommended without hesitation.

Charming Villa-Lobos pieces for children........2001-12-18

The move from the large-scale orchestra we may be more familiar with to the piano does not mean that the music of Villa-Lobos loses any of its energy, rhythm, colour or beauty. The two major works here, 'A Prole do Bebe' (the Baby's family) and 'Cirandas' (a Portuguese dance) evoke the world of childhood, and are said to belong to the traditon of Schumann and Tchaikovsky, but the warm colours and rich harmonies are more tropical than those chilly Europeans, with Villa-Lobos brilliantly incorporating and reworking Brazilian folk material. The first wittily depicts the personalities of a child's dolls; the set of dances push their good-natured skittishness into real emotion at times. The 'Homage a Chopin' give a famously restrained and reflective idiom some sunny and dramatic virtuosity. Brazilian pianist Sonia Rubinsky knows these pieces and their influences well, and responds to them with intelligence, empathy and humour.

More, please!.......2001-02-28

I have heard Villa-Lobos' A prole do Bebê in various interpretations, but I cannot remember it ever has impressed me more than in Sonia Rubinsky's recording of it, which is utterly virtuoso (I mean a natural virtuosity without bravado)and at the same time very warm and colorful. As in `A prole do Bebê' the `Cirandas', on the same record, show a surpring succesion of various moods, dreamy or exciting, tender or fiery and passionate. There is a continuous tension between strong rhythm and free flowing melody, and a sonority that is very well preserved in the excellent recording. She does not `hammer' the Cirandas as if they were written by Bartòk - a pitfall that seems not altogether imaginary. This is only the first of a series of discs on which Sonia Rubinsky will play Villa Lobos' complete piano works. I hope it won't take too long before we will be able to hear them all. In a broadcast by The Radio Suisse Romande I heard a marvelous sample of the net yet available second volume, which I am eagerly awaiting, as well as the other volumes.

Native?.......2000-10-25

The playing here is rather weak and one has to wonder if being a native of a particular country can be a benefit or a hindrence? As for fantasy, which is much needed in the music of Villa Lobos, I don't feel there is much> The quality of this recording seems o.k. I heard a performance of this pianists RUDEPOEMA and was equally unimpressed! As for the composer? Villa lobos is Fantastic! Interestingly enogh, the pianist Deborah Halasz has embarked on a interesting complete Villa lobos piano music set thet outshines the other competitors, including the mundane playing of Marc Andre Hamelin

Average customer rating:

Piano Music of Villa-Lobos, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Piano Music of Villa-Lobos, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00008ZZ3N
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Tracks:

Poema Singelo
No.1: A Baratinha De Papel
No.2: O Gatinho De Papelao
No.3: O Camundongo De Massa
No.4: O Cachorrinho De Borracha
No.5: O Cavalinho De Pau
No.8: O Boisinho De Chumbo
No.9: O Passarinho De Panno
No.8: O Ursozinho De Algodao
No.9: O Lobosinho De Vidrio
Idilio Na Rede
Uma Camponeza Cantadeira
Alegira Na Horta
No.1: Branquinha-A Boneca De Louca
No.2: Moreninha-A Boneca De Massa
No.3: Caboclinha-A Boneca De Barro
No.4: Mulatinha-A Boneca De Borracha
No.5: Negrinha-A Boneca De Trapo
No.6: A Pobresiinha-A Boneca De Trapo
No.7: O Polichinelo
No.8: Bruxa-A Boneca De Pano

Average customer rating:

An absolutely tiptop collection of piano miniatures

For Children

Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Children's Music | Imports | Stores | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000002ZIM
Release Date: 1993-05-17

Tracks:

Six Little Preludes: Prelude In E Major BWV 937
The Little Keyboard Book: Preambulum In G Minor, BWV930
Book of Harpsichord: Le Coucou (The Cuckoo)
Variations On 'Ah Vous Dirai-je Maman', K265
Fur Elise, Wo059
Wilder Reiter (Wild Rider)
Volksliedchen (Little Folk Song)
Album for the Young: Frohlicher Landsmann Von der Arbeit Zurrend (The Merry Peasant Returning From Work)
Nocturne In C Minor, Op Posth
Excercices dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs, G136: Etude No. 1,
Exdercices dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs, G136: Etude No. 2, G136
Jeux d'Enfants (children's games): La Toupie (The Top), Arr Lucien Garbon
Dolly: Berceuse (Cradle Song) Op 56, Arr Alfred Cortot
Album For The Young, Op.39: Maman
Album for the Young. Op.39: Tchaikovsky - Valse from op 39
Prole do bebe , Book 1 (The baby's Dolls): O Polichinello (Punch)
Prole do bebe, Book 1(The Baby's Dolls): A Pobresinha (The Rag Doll)
Prole do bebe, Book 1(The Baby's Dolls): Moreninha (The Paper Doll)
Chansons naives: Jolivet - Chansons naives No 1
Chansons naives: Jolivet - Chansons naives No 3
Music for Children: Waltz, from op 65
Children's Corner: Dr Gradus ad Parnassum
Children's Corner: The Little Shepherd
Le Petit Negre (The Little Black Boy)
Ten Easy Pieces: An Evening in the Country
For Children, Book 1: Andante
For Children, Book 1: Swineherd's Song
For Children, Book 1: Moderato
For Children, Book 1: Jest
Three Pieces: Danse Noble
Three Pieces: Nostalgie du pays (Homesickness)
Three Pieces: Chant des moissons (Song of the Harvests)
Minature Variations

Customer Reviews:

An absolutely tiptop collection of piano miniatures.......2000-02-25

It amazes me that Livia Rév is not better known. These are performances that are not showy, not virtuosic, but RIGHT. And the repertoire is, of course, dear to the hearts of most of us.

Average customer rating:

An artist at work
Vintage Early Rubinstein

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000031WBL
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Waltz No. 2, Op. 34, No. 1 In A-Flat Major
Waltz No. 7, Op. 64, No. 2 In C-Sharp Minor
Mazurka No. 23, Op. 33, No. 2 In D Major
Mazurka No. 35, Op. 63, No. 1 In B Major
Mazurka No. 39, Op. 63, No. 1 In B Major
Consolation No. 3 In D-Flat Major
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 In E Major
Liebestraum No. 3 In A-flat Major
Prelude, Op. 3 , No. 2 In C-Sharp Minor
Preludes, Book I: No. 10: La cathedrale engloutie
Pour le piano, No. 1: Prelude In A Minor
Le tombeau de Couperin: Forlane
Goyescas, No. 4: The Maiden And The Nightingale
El Amor Brujo: Dance Of Terror
El Amor Brujo: Ritual Fire Dance
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No. 2: Moreninha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No. 6: A pobrezinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No. 7: O Polichinelo

Customer Reviews:

An artist at work.......2001-09-13

When these recordings were made, hearing music coming from a rudimental display was probably considered a miracle; discs were made to amaze people, maybe to show off technical improvements, an above all to sell music: the quality of the recorded performance didn't matter too much, while the important thing was to have a Waltz by Chopin or a Prelude by Debussy on record. But Arthur Rubinstein always did concern about quality: he didn't make any mechanical piano recording, because he thought the piano sounded "like a banjo", and he accepted to get into a studio only after being sure the results were going to be worthy. While other musicians did anything to get immortalized into Concerto-for-banjo-like recordings, Ruby chose to wait until recorded music was a serious thing. Indeed, in this early selection of encores, we hear a great pianist, but an even greater artist, in whom we can easily recognise the main character of Rubinstein's beautiful autobiography.

Vintage Early Rubinstein.......2000-10-10

The recordings on this CD date from 1929-1937, and catch Rubinstein during his years as a devil-may-care virtuoso. Because of the limited playing time of 78rpm records, all of the pieces featured here are shorter works, which makes for a wonderful grab-bag of selections showcasing Rubinstein's wide pianistic culture. With two exceptions, all of the performances here show Rubinstein at his best.

One exception, Chopin's Waltz Op. 34, No. 1, suffers from some crudely banged out bass notes during the coda. Rubinstein transforms this piece from "Grande Valse Brilliante" into "Grand Valse Violente."

Of special importance here are Rubinstein's first official recordings of several pieces associated with him. Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 is irresistable in his hands, the friska being tossed off with flirtatious elan. (There is actually an earlier recording, from 1910, of the Rhapsody which was not included in this collection) The ever popular Consolation No. 3, on the other hand is rather strange: the left hand part suffers from some uneven fingerwork which makes the piece sound like a habanera, ruining the poetic atmosphere of the music.

Rubinstein's arrangements of Falla's Dance of Terror and Fire Dance were favorite encores which flatly contradict his criticism of Vladimir Horowitz' Carmen Variations as being in poor taste. As encores, both pianists' arrangements were marvelous pieces that brought audiences to their feet.

Concluding this volume are three selections from Villa-Lobos' Doll Suite. They are wonderful pieces of charming fluff that Rubinstein performed from time to time.

Tracks:

Prlds: Prld No.1 in e
Prlds: Prld No.2 in E
Prlds: Prld No.3 in a
Prlds: Prld No.4 in e
Prlds: Prld No.5 in D
Sextuor Mystique
Distribucao De Flores
Modinha
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5 (Aria)
Ste Populaire Bresilienne: 1 Mazuka - Choro
Ste Populaire Bresilienne: 2 Sschottish - Choro
Ste Populaire Bresilienne: 3 Valsa - Choro
Ste Populaire Bresilienne: 4 Gavota - Ghoro
Ste Populaire Bresilienne: 5 Chorinho
Choros No.1

Average customer rating:

Rubinstein at his peak
Bravo, Mr. Rubinstein, Bravo!
Rubinstein's Musical Gift to the World

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 42

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 43
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 68
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 8
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 18
Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 24

ASIN: B00005427H
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

Prlds, Book I. No.10: La Cathedrale Engloutie
Images, Book II. No.3: Poissons D'or
Images, Book II. No.2: Hommage A Rameau
Prlds, Book II. No.8: Ondine
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.1 Sostenuto: Molto Rubato
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.2 Allegramente: Poco Vivace
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.3 Moderato
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.6 Vivace (Junacko)
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Lentamente
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Andante
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Allegretto
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Assai Moderato
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Con Eleganza
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Pittoresco
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Ridicolosamente
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Con Vivacita
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Con Una Dolce Lentezza
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Allegretto Tranquillo
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Dolente
12 Visions Fugitives, Op.22: Feroce
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: Branquinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: Negrinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: Bruxa
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: Moreninha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: A Pobresinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: O Polichinelo
Arabeske in C, Op.18
Navarra (Completed By Severac)

Customer Reviews:

Rubinstein at his peak.......2006-02-20

In this collection, drawn from recitals presented at Carnegie Hall from 1960-61, the master sets a level of achievement for the piano recital, that would be hard to duplicate either previously or (most certainly) for those to follow. The Prokofieff "Visions Fugitives" are a model of rhythmic precision and poetry; the Debussy, marvelous examples of color; control of melodic line and nuance; the Villa-Lobos was always a greay favorite with audiences and is presented here in, perhaps, Rubinstein's most exciting and interesting performance. As a group, these pieces provide a stimulating and masterful example of Rubinstein's incredible versatility. Above all, the master's rich "fat" sound at the instrument has only been captured on one other recording as true to the original as this: the Saint-Saens g minor Piano concerto with Wallenstein. Highly recommended!

Bravo, Mr. Rubinstein, Bravo!.......2003-03-20

Rubinstein, unlike Richter, Horowitz, and other distinguished artists of his stature, only approved of a just a few public performances to be published. The works on this disc, Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto (Volume 14), and Schumann's Symphonic Etudes (Volume 39) are all we have to enjoy and remember. After listening to this recording, you will be truly grateful that Rubinstein allowed these little gems to be released.

Claude Debussy requested that when performers play his piano music, they should do it as if they had no bones in their fingers. Rubinstein was sort of in between "bony" and "not so bony", which is really a delightful mix. All four pieces are exquisitely performed with Rubinstein's fragile interpretation.

Rubinstien met Szymanowski when he was around seventeen or so and immediately began playing his friend's pieces. The Mazurkas have a nice "crisp" sound.

The twelve selections from Visions fugitives, Op. 22 are a lovely set. The performer plays them with much bio and character.

Rubinstein helped discover Heitor Villa-Lobos. This composer and his compositions were not at all welcome in his native country (Brazil) since he was expelled from the conservatory he had attended (I am unable to remember the name of it). After meeting him, Rubinstein performed some of Villa-Lobos's pieces while he was on one of his South American tours in the 1910's. Rubinstein was very well liked by the South Americans, but was booed when he played any of the compositions. When Rubinstein performed these new works after he returned to Europe, they were well accepted and much adored. Here, we have a spectacular presentation of six selections from the first Prole do bebe suite.

Schumann's Arabeske is performed with a perfect touch of melancholy. Absolutely extraordinary!

Albeniz's Navarra was quite possible Rubinstein's most effective encore. He gives here an utterly fantastic rendition.

It would have been grand if the entire ten-concert marathon had been published. This disc proves that those concerts must have been really something. The sound is great!

Rubinstein's Musical Gift to the World.......2002-02-16

In the Autumn of 1961, Arthur Rubinstein graced New York with an unprecedented demonstration of musical generosity. He performed ten solo piano recitals at Carnegie Hall, never programming the same work twice. What's more, he donated his entire proceeds to several charities, including the Musicians' Emergency Fund, Big Brother, and the NAACP. RCA recorded all of the concerts, and Rubinstein (who was uncomfortable with live recordings) consented to the release of a small portion of the music, which is mostly geared toward 20th Century music.

Rubinstein was playing Debussy's music when it was hot off the press, and as often as not, being booed for playing such "abstract" modern music. Rubinstein never cared for the "piano without hammers" approach of such Debussy specialists as Gieseking--he wanted more "meat" in his Debussy. However, he doesn't treat the French composer as some sort of 20th Century Chopin. Rubinstein generally uses softer "sound colors" here than he does in Chopin's work. His approach here is analogous to that of a painter substituting watercolors for oil paint.

Karol Szymanowski was a close friend of Rubinstein's, and the Mazurkas heard here were dedicated to the pianist. Rubinstein recorded some of these miniatures during the 78RPM era, and comparison with those recordings shows this later performance to more elegant and urbane than the rustic earlier version.

Rubinstein knew Prokofiev in Paris before the composer returned to Soviet Russia. The pianist performed less of this composer's music than that of his other contemporaries, perhaps because he did not feel at home with Prokofiev's percussive use of the keyboard. These 12 excerpts from the composer's 20 Visions fugitives are, along with the March from The Love for Three Oranges on Volume 70, Rubinstein's entire recorded Prokofiev output. Rubinstein's performance never crosses the line from percussive into ugly.

Rubinstein was an early champion of Villa-Lobos' piano music, and the composer's Rudepoema is said to be a musical portrait of the pianist. One of Rubinstein's favorite works was the Prole do bebe (The Baby's Children), and he often performed excerpts of the work in concert, usually altering the running order of the individual pieces. It's a pity that the pianist never recorded the entire cycle, as his approach to coloration and phrasing suits the work perfectly.

Schumann's Arabesque is the only 19th Century work on this disc. Rubinstein's utterly natural performance suits the music perfectly.

Albeniz' Navarra was one of Rubinstein's favorite encores, and the performance here is a demonstration of how the pianist, who understood that virtuosity meant more than mere technique, could bring down the house and leave the audience begging for more.

Tracks:

Pno Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Les Adieux: Adagio; Allegro
Pno Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': L'absence: Andante Expressivo
Pno Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Le Retour: Vivacissimamente
Pno Son No.18 in E flat, Op.31 No.3: III. Menuetto: Moderato E Grazioso
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Prld
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Chorale
Prld, Chorale & Fugue: Fugue
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.2. Moreninha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.6. A Pobrezinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.7. O Polichinelo
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.8. Bruxa
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.5. Negrinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.3. Caboclinha
Prole Do Bebe, Book I: No.1. Branquinha
Alegria Na Horta (Ste Floral, Op.97 No.3)
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.1. Sostenuto. Molto Rubato
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.2. Scherzo: Allegramente. Poco Vivace
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.3: Moderato
4 Mazurkas, Op.50: No.4: Allegramente, Risoluto
Saudades Do Brasil: No.5. Ipanema
Saudades Do Brasil: No.9. Sumare
Saudades Do Brasil: No.11. Larenjeiras
Prld No.2
Valse Oubliee No.1

Customer Reviews:

Around the World with Arthur Rubinstein.......2001-05-15

There is something for nearly everyone in Volume 11 of RCA's complete Arthur Rubinstein collection. More than any other volume in the collection, these mono performances, originally recorded on 78RPM discs from 1940-1946 demonstrate Rubinstein's incredible diversity and breadth or repertoire.

Beethoven's "Les adieux" Sonata, Op. 81a, was a great favorite of Rubinstein's. In addition to the 1940 performance featured here, there is a stereo recording from 1962 (Volume 56). The earlier performance is somewhat more freewheeling and sectionalized than the later more architecturally minded version. But there is a beauty to Rubinstein's sound (which comes through even on these old mono recordings) and a natural rise-and-fall to his phrasing which silences all criticism--even of the brief tangling of fingers in the transition from slow movement to finale. The 1945 performance of the slow movement from Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 31, No. 3, was originally recorded as a filler for the Appassionata Sonata Rubinstein recorded that same year.

Rubinstein recorded Franck's Prelude, Chorale & Fugue three times, this one being the earliest version. The pianist must have pulled some strings to record this work, which despite its excellent quality has never been a repertoire staple. Rubinstein makes an excellent case for the work here, as he does in his other recordings (the 1970 version is the best of the three versions).

Heitor Villa-Lobos was a close friend of Rubinstein's, and the pianist performed that composer's Prole do bebe ("The Baby's Dolls," roughly translated) from 1920 until his retirement. Unfortunately, he never made a complete recording of the suite--and for some reason decided to perform the pieces out of order in this recording. Nevertheless, this and the Allegria da horta from Villa-Lobos' Flower Suite are a joy to hear.

Rubinstein was also a close friend with his fellow Pole Karol Szymanowski. The four Mazurkas Rubinstein plays here were dedicated to the pianist. This 1946 performance is more rustic than the suave, aristocratic version of the Mazurkas Rubinstein recorded live in Carnegie Hall in 1961--reminding us that the Mazurka is a Polish peasant dance.

Though Rubinstein was also associated with Darius Milhaud, this version of the Saudades do Brasil is the only recording the pianist made of the French composer's music. He captures the underlying savagery and modernity of the pieces without ever sounding ugly.

Despite being an American citizen from the 1940s onward, the only American work Rubinstein performed publicly was Gershwin's Second Prelude. If this is an example of Rubinstein's approach to American music, it's probably for the best he avoided it. The performance is completely unidiomatic: both tempo and phrasing are inappropriate; and he even tampers with Gershwin's harmonic scheme, eliminating the blues chord at the end! This performance is the only failure on the CD.

Liszt's Valse Oubliee is a satisfying encore to an effective recital.

The mono sound is mostly good, if dry. However there is occasional surface noise, especially during the Beethoven Sonata and toward the end of the Szymanowski and Milhaud pieces.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

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