Artur Rubinstein: Saint-Saens; Franck

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
Composed by Camille Saint-Saens
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

2. Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
Composed by Camille Saint-Saens
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

3. Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano & orchestra, G. 49 At the Generalife
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

4. Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano & orchestra, G. 49 At the Generalife
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

5. Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano & orchestra, G. 49 Distant Dance
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

6. Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano & orchestra, G. 49 Distant Dance
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

7. Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano & orchestra, G. 49 In the Gardens of the Sierra de Córdoba
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

8. Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano & orchestra, G. 49 In the Gardens of the Sierra de Córdoba
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

9. Symphonic Variations, for piano & orchestra (also arr. for 2 pianos), M. 46
Composed by Cesar Franck
Performed by Symphony of the Air
Conducted by Alfred Wallenstein

10. Symphonic Variations, for piano & orchestra (also arr. for 2 pianos), M. 46
Composed by Cesar Franck
Performed by Symphony of the Air
Conducted by Alfred Wallenstein

11. The Love for Three Oranges, suite for orchestra, Op. 33 bis March
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev

Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

12. The Love for Three Oranges, suite for orchestra, Op. 33 bis March
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev

13. Ritual Fire Dance (from "El Amor brujo"), for orchestra and various arrangements Ritual Fire Dance
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by Artur Rubinstein
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

14. Ritual Fire Dance (from "El Amor brujo"), for orchestra and various arrangements Ritual Fire Dance
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Here's one of Rubinstein's finest collections. He was the sovereign master of these pieces, though all three seem to have lost some measure of their popularity in recent days. The reason is simple: none of them are particularly difficult to play, so virtuosos get bored playing them. The Falla, aside from being one of the most purely beautiful works in the history of the universe, commits the one unforgivable sin of concertdom: it ends quietly. But real musicians, like Rubinstein, always know that great music and technical difficulty are not the same, and that the best music always repays all the attention that a great artist lavishes on it. This is certainly some of the best music. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; Andante
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Allegretto vivace (Redbook Stereo) 9.
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; Andante sostenuto (2007 SACD
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; Allegro scherzando (2007 SACD
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; Presto (2007 SACD Remastered)
Symphonic Variations; Poco allegro (2007 SACD Remastered)
Symphonic Variations; Allegro non troppo (2007 SACD Remastered)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Allegro maestoso (2007 SACD Remastered)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Quasi adagio (2007 SACD Remastered)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Allegretto vivace (2007 SACD
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Allegro marziale animato (2007 SACD
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; Andante sostenuto (5.1
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; Allegro scherzando (5.1
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; Presto (5.1 Surround Mix)
Symphonic Variations; Poco allegro (5.1 Surround Mix)
Symphonic Variations; Allegro non troppo (5.1 Surround Mix)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Allegro maestoso (5.1 Surround Mix)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Quasi adagio (5.1 Surround Mix)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Allegretto vivace (5.1 Surround Mix)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat; Allegro marziale animato (5.1 Surround

Customer Reviews:

Ruby Does it Again.......2007-07-22

Sony/BMG continues their Living Stereo SACD reissue series with three Concerto recordings from the 1950s featuring pianist Arthur Rubinstein.

The Saint-Saëns Second Concerto was a great favorite of Rubinstein's. He made his American debut with this piece back in 1906. This recording was made in 1958 in collaboration with the Symphony of the Air (formerly the NBC Symphony Orchestra) under Alfred Wallenstein. There is slightly more forward motion here than in the 1969 version with Ormandy, and even more stunning virtuosity in the finale. However, the recording with Ormandy has the advantage of better orchestral playing, so the two versions balance each other out as my favorites. There is also an excellent filmed version on a Deutsche Grammophon DVD, with Andre Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra, made in 1975.

Rubinstein learned Cesar Frank's Symphonic Variations while traveling by train to a concert in Spain, practicing the passages in his lap. The man had an amazing memory. Here again, he is in top form, giving a performance of brio and élan, with Wallenstein and the orchestra providing a fine accompaniment.

The Liszt is less successful. I don't think Rubinstein ever loved Liszt the way he loved Chopin and Brahms, and as he grew older Liszt's music gradually began dropping out of his repertoire. (Rubinstein made no Liszt recordings after 1965.) Both of Rubinstein's recordings of the Liszt Concerto suffer from a great deal of technical bluffing and general sloppiness. Adding to the problem here is some crude microphone placement, with the infamous triangle passages spotlit beyond all reason. The remastering has not been able to solve this problem and the sound remains excessively dry, although the piano sound is more natural than in previous issues. Wallenstein and the RCA Victor Symphony (mostly made of members of the New York Philharmonic) do a reasonable job of accompaniment.

The Saint-Saëns and Franck are in three channel sound, which is much more dimensional and dynamic than the previous issues. The Liszt is in standard two channel stereo.

Rubinstein at his Best.......2007-07-13

Arthur Rubinstein had performed Saint-Saens Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22 many times throughout his concert career; in fact, this was one of the pieces on the program of his first public concert given in 1900. The style in which he plays it is simply captivating. It's not a serious concerto in the German-school, but rather a light-hearted and somewhat amusing concerto. This is probably the most famous recording of the composition, and it's no wonder why.

The Symphonic Variations of Cesar Franck are fantastic, full of energy, vitality and French-Romantic beauty.

Franz Liszt's First Piano Concerto is very well performed here by Rubinstein. I really cannot complain about it.

The reason I give this recording only four (4) stars is because of the sound. Having heard most of the recordings in RCA's newly released and remastered Living Stereo Hybrid-SACD collection, I can conclude that this has rather poor quality sound when compared to the others in the library. It is most noticeable in the Saint-Saens, just a background "hiss" that reminds the listener of just how old the recording is; not the intentions of the remasterers!

Overall, a great recording and well worth your money.

Saint-Saens: Concerto No. 2; Franck: Symphonic Variations; Liszt: Concerto No. 1

Average customer rating:

War-horses you want to know!
THE Recording of the Saint-Saens to Have

Saint-Saens: Concerto No. 2; Franck: Symphonic Variations; Liszt: Concerto No. 1

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Boston Tea Party

ASIN: B000003FEC
Release Date: 1993-03-09

Tracks:

Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 22: Andante sostenuto
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 22: Allegro scherzando
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 22: Presto
Symphonic variations: Poco allegro
Symphonic variations: Allegro non troppo
Concerto No. 1 In E Flat: Allegro maestoso
Concerto No. 1 In E Flat: Quasi adagio
Concerto No. 1 In E Flat: Allegretto vivace
Concerto No. 1 In E Flat: Allegro marziale animato

Customer Reviews:

War-horses you want to know!.......2002-07-04

These three pieces were war-horses for Rubenstein throughout his career and were very popular in his day. They were popular for good reason. They are wonderful pieces.

They aren't as popular with today's pianists, but I have heard some performances of them. The problem isn't technical, it is taste and style. Most pianists today don't have the heroic temperment or style of tone production that was the staple of the nineteenth century. And, frankly, pianos today are usually so bright in tone that they can sound harsh when used for this kind of music.

Technically, these pieces can be done by any number of pianists and orchestras. They don't present a huge challenge to simply play through them for today's virtuosi. However, it often sounds as if they are just going through the motions or that they are playing something in a foreign language. But the right pianist with the right instrument with the right orchestra and conductor can pull off these pieces and show them off for what they are.

Rubenstein was truly out of the nineteenth century and though he was a twentieth century pianist, he was from the earlier time and played in that way. This recording gives us a window into that time and style. Really, you should hear this. It is definitely worth owning.

THE Recording of the Saint-Saens to Have.......2001-04-01

It's a wonder no other pianist ever got it - ever got the idea that the second movement of the Saint-Saens should proceed at so rapid a clip. That the opening vamp in the left hand in the first movement should not be unduly emphasized. That in the third movement the piano at one point should sound reasonably like great crashing bells. Etc., etc. In all the many recordings that have come after it, no one has succeeded in coming close to this old 1958 recording. Rubinstein owns this concerto. Period. And what a great concerto it is!

The Franck Symphonic Variations that follow, well, some folks (like me) may quibble with some of the tempi Rubinstein chooses, but this is also a performance of great integrity and, most importantly, with a particularly joyous ending.

Those two works together made up the original LP, and even by the relaxed standards of the day for the LP it was always counted a slim volume. On the CD the editors have added a third work, the Liszt Piano Concerto # 1, from an even earlier (1956) RCA Living Stereo release, to make it a decent length. Even then the whole CD comes in at only 55 minutes.

No matter. Rubinstein is his usual great self in the Liszt. His choice of tempi would be challenging for a lesser pianist - for Rubinstein it is merely a vehicle for achieving his own sense of cohesiveness and drive. There are a couple of missed notes, and the RCA Victor Symphony plays a bit unsubtly in places (a fault perhaps of overbearing microphones in a venue not always kind to recording - Carnegie Hall), but it's still a remarkable performance.

Tracks:

Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 22, In G Minor: Andante sostenuto
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 22, In G Minor: Allegro scherzando
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 22, In G Minor: Presto
Nights in the Gardens of Spain: At The Generalife
Nights in the Gardens of Spain: Distant Dance
Nights in the Gardens of Spain: In The Gardens Of The Sierra de Cordoba
Symphonic variations: Poco allegro
Symphonic variations: Allegro non troppo
March (From The Love For Three Oranges)
Ritual Fire Dance

Amazon.com

Here's one of Rubinstein's finest collections. He was the sovereign master of these pieces, though all three seem to have lost some measure of their popularity in recent days. The reason is simple: none of them are particularly difficult to play, so virtuosos get bored playing them. The Falla, aside from being one of the most purely beautiful works in the history of the universe, commits the one unforgivable sin of concertdom: it ends quietly. But real musicians, like Rubinstein, always know that great music and technical difficulty are not the same, and that the best music always repays all the attention that a great artist lavishes on it. This is certainly some of the best music. --David Hurwitz

Average customer rating:

Rubinstein in Top Form

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 70

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 43
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ASIN: B00004TG7F
Release Date: 2000-08-08

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 22 In G Minor: Andante sostenuto
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 22 In G Minor: Allegro scherzando
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 22 In G Minor: Presto
Nights In The Garden Of Spain: En el Generalife
Danza lejana
En los jardines de la Sierra de Cordoba
Variations symphoniques
March, Op. 33: The Love For Three Oranges
Ritual Fire Dance

Customer Reviews:

Rubinstein in Top Form.......2000-08-27

Rubinstein loved these pieces and knew them well.

For his American debut in 1906, he performed the Saint Saens Concerto and earned rave reviews. Of the three official recordings available, this was the finest. The 82 year young pianist has all the brio of earlier days, along with the structural sense which came to him in his later years.

The Falla "Nights in the Gradens of Spain" was recorded at the same sessions as the Saint Saens and has the same attributes. Ormandy's collaboration with the Philadelpiha Orchestra is first rate. Unlike many "superstar" conductors, Ormandy was always a sought after and sympathetic accompanist--matching Rubinstein phrase-for-phrase and achieveing a unified conception. The sound during this portion of the album is first rate. Balance problems originating with the original LP issue in 1969 have been corrected, and the orchestra mix gives an excellent recreation of the Philadelphia Sound.

Rubinstein learned the Frank Symphonic Variations while traveling by train to a concert in Spain, drumming passages in his lap. The man had an amazing memory. Here again, he is in top form, with Wallenstein and the pickup orchestra providing a fine accompaniment (but not quite on the level of Ormandy's).

The Prokofiev March and Rubinsteins's own arrangement of Falla's Ritual Fire Dance were favorite encores, both for himself and his audiences. The Falla is slightly less fiery than in earlier recordings and live performances, but is still thrilling. The sound here reflects Rubinstein's tonal aesthetic--always velvety and never harsh even during fortes.

Highest recommendation.

Music Review: