Customer Reviews

The Chopin Ballades & Scherzos [Hybrid SACD]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rubinstein was in his prime when these versions of the Chopin Ballades and Scherzos were recorded in 1959. Curiously, although this was his third version of the Scherzos, he had never before recorded the Ballades.

Rubinstein was temperamentally well suited to these works, moreso than in the Mazurkas and Preludes. The narrative aspect of the Ballades suited his intuitive sense of structure well. At this point in his career, Rubinstein had known these pieces for six decades. It is no wonder, therefore, that he performs them more convincingly than, say, Kissin does on his recent recording.

The Scherzos are outright virtuoso works. Rubinstein would occasionally perform all four in concert, back-to-back. Any other pianist would have been exhasted by the effort. Not Rubinstein, who posessed a seemingly inexaustable reserve of energy. The pianist is just as on top of these pieces, technically, as any of his colleagues, and much more attuned to them musically.

The sound, made from original three channel tapes produced by RCA's legendary Jack Pfeiffer, is spectacular in this new SACD edition--sounding every bit as lifelike as the best of today's digital recordings.

This is the one to get!

Highly recommended. Rubinstein's performances of the Ballades are lyrical, and the Scherzos exciting. The difference with previous issues is the SACD sound, which adds just that much more realism, the sense that the sound is "truer." A wonderful disc both artistically and sonically.

Rubinstein's respect for the score, controlled freedom, and unerring sense of proportion prove how sanity and inspiration are not mutually exclusive interpretive properties. A few examples will suffice. For instance, when the pianist lingers over the First Ballade's E-flat major subject, he still provides a strong rhythmic backbone in the left-hand accompaniment to anchor it. Many pianists blur the Second Scherzo's famous opening triplets; instead Rubinstein articulates them without compromising their spookiness.While the aforementioned Rubinstein Edition CD appears to be mastered at a higher level, with slightly more emphasis in the bass, the SACD's overall ambience wins the day, even when reproduced on a conventional two-channel CD player.

I listened to the recording this afternoon for the first time at what I would consider a realistic sound level; that is I was trying to imagine a 9 foot concert grand piano at the end of the room being played by a virtuoso pianist. I enjoy that little bit of make-believe and when the recording does its fair share to contribute to the illusion I'm always delighted.

This recording did more than its fair share and contributed a piano presence that did full justice to the music and its performance!

I have a number of CD recordings of Arthur Rubinstein playing Chopin and have found them a source of pleasure for many years. This SACD recording brings realism to the reproduction of the performances recorded on this disc that is dramatic and exciting.

I have loved the piano and piano music for years and have on occasion tried my hand at playing the piano but by no means consider myself to be a pianist; simply one who loves the instrument and its literature. I'm grateful to the RCA engineers for their careful work in preserving these performances by Mr. Rubinstein and found them a delight to hear on my system.

One of the advantages of the SACD format is its dynamic range; that feature is utilized to great advantage on these recordings. I really did get the feeling that a live piano was being played in my den; it was exciting to me to hear this beautiful music played so well with such audio fidelity!

If you enjoy the music of Chopin well performed with realistic piano presence then you should enjoy this recording!

This is my favorite all-round recording of the Ballades & Scherzos of Chopin. The playing seems so natural. The sound is very good too, especially for a 1959 recording. I believe this to be easily in the top 3 or 4 recordings of Chopin that Rubinstein ever produced. It is definitely worthy of being a "reference" recording for this great works.

INTRODUCTION: As previously concluded in my review of the good but less than great collection of Rubinstein's Chopin outings on RCA (The Chopin Collection), his tendency 'to play everything in a similarly smooth manner with an unfailing beauty of tone' creates results that are 'never less than comfortable', but seldom very profound or memorable. Sounds like Rubinstein's Ballades are not set to be a top contender on this reviewer's short list...--but what about the Scherzos then?

REFERENCES: Ballades--Demidenko (Chopin: Ballades; Third Sonata); Scherzos--Pogorelich (Chopin: Four Scherzi)

The chief reason for buying this disc is neither the Ballades nor the Super Audio remastering, but the Scherzos. Even though being recorded at the highly respective age of 72, and in spite of some occasional technical strain (notably in the Fourth), Rubinstein's third rendition of the four Scherzos stand up surprisingly well against such dexterously notorious rivals as Pogorelich, Pletnev and Ashkenazy. Particularly the Second and Third Scherzos find Rubinstein in startlingly dashing and powerful Indian summer form.

Alas, Rubinstein's Ballades are almost as non-profound and non-memorable as expected--with the exception of the First that for some reason coaxes the very best out of the late Rubinsteinian drama department. The Second and Third are merely average whereas the Fourth is indeed beautiful but shallow.

Should you already own this disc in its CD incarnation, which boasts very decent sound considering its age and source, the Super Audio remastering doesn't really warrant a replacement purchase. That money would be put to better use in the above-mentioned 11-disc collection, normally available at less than $30 on Amazon.

TIMINGS: Ballades--9:17, 6:38, 7:15, 10:41; Scherzos--9:02, 9:42, 7:12, 10:55

I recently bought an SACD player and thought this CD would be great to try it out. Because the recordig is old, 1959, it is improved via SACD to a 3 channel output (left, eight, center speakers). No surround. I guess I was expecting to be enveloped by sound. This did not happen because all the sound comes from teh front and being used to suround, it is noticeable. As a fan of Chopin, the music is naturally superb. Rubensteins rendition is classic. The clarity of the clarity of teh sound is noticeable and very refined. NO background hissing, feedback, or anyting else. It is completely pure piano.

If you enjoy piano music, you should have this CD.