Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 41 [Original recording remastered]

Artur Rubinstein (Artist), Brahms (Artist), Henryk Szeryng (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 10, 2000)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000031WBS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,557 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Brahms Performances from Rubinstein and Szeryng, October 20, 2000

By 

Hank Drake (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 41 (Audio CD)

Arthur Rubinstein received his early training as a musician in a manner totally foreign to today's young students. His early teachers were Joseph Joachim (a friend of Brahms) and Heinrich Barth. He was permitted by his teachers to give occasional performances, required to attend concerts, and played through the chamber repertoire with his fellow students. This is in contrast to the current generation which is consigned to the practice rooms of crowded conservatories (virtuoso factories, actually) and bred to win competitions, often at the expense of true musical developement. As a result, Rubinstein was able to make the crossover between stunning virtuoso performances, and communicative chamber music appearances.

Henryk Szeryng first performed with Rubinstein in the 1950s. Immediately, their musical chemistry evolved into friendship, and it is this atmosphere which suffuses all of their recorded performances. There is a give-and-take in these performances which recalls the great chamber music recordings of Rachmaninoff and Kreisler. One never gets the sense that Rubinstein and Szeryng are trying to "one-up" each other. Everything is in perfect balance. Rubinstein loved Brahms, approached him as a living composer, and the result is performances which continue to inspire decades later.

The remastered sound is excellent in every respect, fully meeting the standards of the latest recordings.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Recording Worthy of any Library, March 4, 2003

By 

BLee "bpslee" (HK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 41 (Audio CD)

Rubinstein was the luckiest man indeed. Joachim did take him on musically when he was small. But we are also lucky in the sense that Rubinstein rediscovered Szeryng. That partly explains why there is such good collaboration between the two in this record.

There is a similiar version by Suk/Katchen. Suk is no less expressive but he is gloomier in tone, whereas Katchen is more robust and perhaps more intellectual than Rubinstein. The collaboration is surprisingly almost as good. Nonetheless, I prefer this one, as with Szeryng we have everything one could expect -- no wonder Perlman sounds a bit sour in his comments on Szeryng. What Szeryng has to offer is pure music: it's appealing, relaxing, it's irresistibe. One may not be always ready to go to Menuhin, not so with Szeryng. He is as charming as Kreisler albeit in a different way.

Rubinstein is equally relaxing but his music comes in a broader brush. One doesn't need to be able to appreciate the art of say, Egon Petri to be able to enjoy him, not at all. But it would help if one could go more often to Horszowski, then one would be able to enjoy him better. It's something quite different from Rudolf Serkin or Horowitz or Michelangeli, or indeed any modern pianist.

There is yet another version by Mutter. But it seems that it is essentially more to the taste of the younger generation, geared for surprises and excitement, wouldn't accept anything but the most excellent recorded sound. But as pointed out by some other reviewer, the recorded sound of this one is most excellent, so are the other two.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best and most listened to albums in my collection, January 12, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 41 (Audio CD)

As a violinist and pianist, there are few recordings I delight in more than this one. The interplay between Artur Rubinstein and Henryk Szeryng is just gorgeous. If for some reason, you are more of a lay person considering purchase of this, listen to the first track and imagine it being played at a gorgeous spring wedding. If you're looking for a gift that's not from the standard repertoire of overplayed classical selections, this is an awesome CD that will delight that picky classical listener. Otherwise, for musicians, this is simply a sublime set of sonatas played by the best in the business. The recording quality is intimate and excellent. We are lucky to have these sensitive and thoughtful sessions captured and available on CD. I find myself listening to and being inspired by this CD far more than I ever anticipated. This CD is going to the desert isle with me!