Paganini Rhapsody (Rachmaninoff) - Arthur Rubinstein - (2/2)

[justinla26]

this is pretty incredible

[FingerMyFinger]

wow this is brilliant the style is so unique to what im used to hearing from rachmaninoff and well also from any composer before him. its incredible because this composition alone seems to have sparked the idea for big band music, jazz and even movie themes from the 50's and 60's.

[eclipse561]

From what I understand, some people think early Rachmaninoff is great, but his music became more controversial as he got older and made more. Can someone with a more educated opinion than I have explain this to me? I think this is pretty good, especially six minutes in.

[satyu131089]

@eclipse561 Rachmaninov is great without doubt... But there is always a tendency to criticise something Russian since the people who used to set standards were Germans.. Russian culture has a lot of fantasy and magic which is easy to criticise.. And Rach did not approximate his music to the trend of his times.. He was a romantic in the time of moderns like Stravinsky and Schoenberg..

[darkblueangel1956]

Si può quasi affermare che nel caso di questa interpretazione di Rubinstein, è il colore del suono che risalta e incita alla ritmica vibrante, esaltando ulteriormente l'entusiasmo esecutivo !!!! Splendido e indimenticabile !!!!

[73Adorno]

Surprisingly, AR really does quite a good job on this - let alone at that age. Of course he's cheating a bit, but that's what he always did ...

[MarlitaLinda77]

This piece is only one that shows Rachmaninoff's genius

[FREDV321]

@MarlitaLinda77 3rd piano concerto?

[MarlitaLinda77]

@FREDV321 My English is bad definitely ... Rachmaninoff was a genious, and he demostrated it in the majority of his work.

[fierydog]

@MarlitaLinda77 1,2,3 and 4 piano concertos? What about his piano trios? Or his many preludes? Or what about his 2nd symphony? And you say his Paganini variations, a melody he didn't even compose himself, is the only one that shows his genius? Laughable.

[MarlitaLinda77]

@fierydog Yes I agree with you, I did not mean that Paganini's Raphsody is only one piece when Rachmaninoff demostrates his masterly... I say Rachmaninoff was a genious in all work. I had a problem with my English because I don't speak English, this is a fact. I want to say Paganini Raphsody is one of this pieces that shows the Rachmaninoff's wealth.

[MarlitaLinda77]

@MarlitaLinda77 I love piano concerto 2, and 3 and almost Rachmaninoff pieces... i like so much Paganini's Rapshody... It's amazing too:(

[fierydog]

@MarlitaLinda77 That makes alot more sense. Sorry if I came across rude

[MarlitaLinda77]

@fierydog Don't worry I understand you. You can not imagine my surprise (negative) when I read my own comment.... because I think other thing about Rachmaninoff...

[SaveIdentity]

Wie er die elegischen Passagen hinhaucht-zum Weinen schön! Was für ein Timing-was für Geschwindigkeiten, was für eine Power! Manch ein Zwanzigjähriger wünscht sich vergeblich eine solche Power.

[siahang]

when he play this piece...he looks very old when he play this piece....but still like it...^^

[44032]

Love the Theme of Pagaini. Don't think much of Rachmaninoff's Rahpsody, a jittry piece that is nothing like the Theme and seems a poor vessel for it.

[godXofXpath]

@44032 Keep in mind that as this is Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini. Like Rachmaninoff, he rarely repeats the same melody twice, and beings spinning off wild variations upon variations almost as soon as the piece starts, and really only uses Paganini's theme as a starting point, and at times a hopping point between which are countless phrases of his own. Of course this a poor vessel for only Paganini's theme, Rachmaninoff wouldn't fit in the boat, lol.

[ultracoolhomies]

Var. 18 gets all the chicks.

[wienerfan]

@ultracoolhomies and it is just an inversion of the Paganini tune (that means, you play it backwards and slowly)

[LordCalvinHastings]

I don't think Rubinstein got the credit he deserved for being such a formidable virtuoso and an unparalleled musician at the same time.

[mmoynan]

I remember this was the very first thing of Rachmaninoff's I ever heard. It was on one of my Mom's old walkman, and I used to lull myself to sleep with it when I was about 12. I fell in love with it; thought it was the most beautiful piece of music to ever grace the planet. After about 9 months of listening to it almost every night, I decided I'd hunt for the composer. No luck. Finally, one day, it played on the radio.

Needless to say I have been a devoted Rach fan since.

[kaleidoscopio2006]

look at 9:04. he did the glissando in the right hand with his pinky finger.that should be painful.........love ruby

[miguale]

quelle magnifique interprétation... que de sensibilité et d'émotion !

[2kep]

he makes it look so easy

[zeroevilz]

I love this performance so much. so beautiful, so touching

[maxreger100]

Magical energy--a real performance in the early days of live television.

What a lovely glimpse into TV when it still had delusions of bettering its audience!

[Jazzanswer]

I have heard a recording of this rhapsody by the pianist Mieczyslaw Munz. It is on Americus Records. It is stunningly beautiful.

[usnhorn]

That, was really good. I wish I had something more profound to say about it, but I don't!

[JackSafferyRowe]

Played like the master he was.

[cleanears]

My goodness! I hope I can remember how to use the remote when I'm that age!!!!

[SalMessina1]

Splendida esecuzione/composizione al pari di un solenne, felice rapporto d'amore!

Grazie

Sal

[michelangeli23]

Amazing to think that Rubinstein is 70 years old already in this recording

[ipmoic]

Wallenstein was a terrific conductor. Much admired in his day. I agree with yapetz that this in and out light scheme is a bit cheesy. But these were the early days of television and experimentation. I don't think its being "Americano" has anything to do with it being tasteful or not.

[oblifan132]

Thank you!

[RUSSIANsweetGIRL]

очень понравилось....... нет слов

[eltachimetro]

i like when Rubinstein almost stands up from the piano when being very concentrated when playing climax's like on the 18th variation

[richyang1963]

Rubinstein speaks of the heart of Rachmaninoff. As I keep going back to 1:30 to feel the way that Rubinstein leads me into the 18th Var., I think its even more magical than Rachmaninoffs own interpretation on this part.

[ichauchberg]

Fantástico Dies Irae en 8:53

[Affwuh]

People these days just don't compose and play like Rachmaninov. Genius...and ole' A. Rubinstein does a damn good job.

[yapetz]

intollerabile l'orchestra che entra e esce dal buio. davvero molto americano come stile...

[shubus]

We should all see and here this difference and observe excitement that a great live performance can give which is so often lost on note-perfect studio recordings.

[aspacguy1]

I feel so lucky I grew up listening to Rubenstein's recording of this marvelous piece.. (Columbia/Sony?)

[shubus]

I, too, grew up hearing Rubenstein's recording of this piece. and agree with ArthurKreick that this is a better performance than his studio recording. It is spectacularly musical--he went for it and got it. A real please to SEE as well as HEAR this great performance.

[aspacguy1]

Well the recording sounded a lot better than this but its just the mp3 compression vs vinyl thing. Even up until as a young teenager I considered the performance like a very special candy.. I dont know why :))

[timfxf]

I think Rubinstein was a RCA performer.

[chbt1777]

i feel so romantic.....

[dragonkilla7]

A/S/L?

[arthurkrieck]

The performance is stupendous, better than the studio recording. Totally controlled, no mooning, swaying or looking dreamlily at the sky as too many contemporary artists do. It's all in the playing! And after the statement of the "Dies Irae" melody in the orchestra, he pushes the pedal all the way down, levitates from the bench, throws caution to the winds at the climax of the piece...and makes a total, delicious mess for a few seconds. Absolutely glorious!

[mdoub]

i love the cinematography

[febsot]

Cette version de Rubinstein est quand même plus propre que celle de Byron Janis malgré une magnifique faute à 8:59 (comme l'a judicieusement fait remarquer jewell11) que l'on pardonne au pianiste vu son âge.

[brtherjohn]

When was this film made? 1960-ish?

[SunnyKid975]

I believe the year is 1956. Rubinstein would have been age 69.

[pianogirl97]

Rubinstein once quipped that he dropped enough notes to write a whole other piece in some of his performances. We are so used to the "perfection" that comes out of the recording studios today that we forget what a wonderful thing it is to hear a live performance. I also like the recordings of this by Jon Nakamutsu and Horatio Guttierez.

[samtheman264]

@pianogirl97 Er, I think you're thinking of Anton Rubinstein.

[pianogirl97]

@samtheman264 No, the quote to which I am referring was by the pianist, not the composer. I think what he was trying to say was that he dropped enough notes in a performance that they could have made another piece, not that he would have composed one.

[samtheman264]

@pianogirl97 That's strange because Anton said the exact same thing, or at least Wikipedia says so

[samtheman264]

@samtheman264 Also Anton Rubinstein played piano

[jewell11]

Aside from this tremendously powerful piece of music, did Rubinstein make a huge mistake at the bottom of the register at 8:59?

[MarshalGZhukov]

Yep, he did! But isn't it great?

[peterlunow]

I never was a big Rubinstein fan,but this piece he plays like nobody else .His recording with Fritz Reiner is the best I ever heard

[paulostroff99]

Awesome! Bravo! TY.

[goldberg72]

The 18th Variation hit the pop charts back in 53...they called it "Story of 3 Loves" It was the theme song for a ....

[billyguns2]

Rubinstein always had a deep feeling for this music. This is great!

[ffurgy]

The 18th Variation hit the pop charts back in 53...they called it "Story of 3 Loves" It was the theme song for a movie by the same name. We kids just LOVED the song, right amidst Frankie Laine's best songs....the song was played by Jakob Gimpel.

[MountCashelTuck]

the greatest piece in the world goes out with a wimper

[ildivovaneildivovane]

the second part is...

i don't have words for it

[fanniandwads]

Inspirational!

[fanniandwads]

Inspirational!

[walikeheke]

i remember playing it with a pianist and its so gorgeous... oh my gosh.

it has such a monumental effect on me...

[horatiodreamt]

I'm glad the lights came on of the orchestra. I don't know how they can play in the dark.

Rubinstein's rendition is beautifully balanced.

[Boylonely]

lol, i don't think those talented ppl needed light to play, they didn't open their eyes most of the time.

[prorish1]

Brilliant--can go on listening again and again. Rubinstein was one of the greatest pianists of all time.Thank you for sharing.

[kajohada]

....when i studied piano we always had a classwork once a week and there were one student playing this famous variation ta ta ta ta taaaam!..and after some critical remarks my piano teacher professor said:"well....thats to be played very often in american brothels...;)))

the whole class were laughing!LOLL

[brianCIM]

my uncle was killed in a car accident when he was 20 and this was the one classical recording he owned. i cry every time i hear it. and rubinstein had one of the most hauntingly beautiful tones i have ever heard. makes me misty.

[EliderBentoPiano]

perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cholapat]

my eyes was full of tears...

[handyjake]

Thank you! So effortless.

[bortkievitch]

Master piece.Master composer.Master pianist.

[thunderandsnow86]

1:30 - 4:14.... the best....

[OorvakanSar]

Beautiful