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From: twotea22
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  • Realmente fantastico, espectacular

  • good, but i think horowitz version is better

  • Haha every time I see him perform I think first "I wish I played piano instead of classical guitar!" Then I think "I bet he got ALL the chicks!" XD

  • Comment removed

  • Sooooooooo beautiful!

  • Are you fucking kidding me, aesthetic approbation is virtually impossible but this is completely outstanding.

  • I just had to laugh out loud... I love the way he lifts his had up in the air! Amazing!

  • Magnificient! It would be a let down to hear someone else perform this Polonaise!

  • There are 7 people who don´t understand Chopin....

  • i want this song played in my funeral as im exiting the church

  • Just Perfect...!

  • When was this recorded?

  • @ErnstJohannes I think it is from the 1st October 1964 recital, he played 2nd Sonata, Polonaises op. 44 and 53, Impromptu n. 3, Nocturne in D flat op. 27 n. 2, Barcarolle, 4 Etudes (op. 10 nn. 4 & 5 and op. 25 nn. 1 & 5), Waltzes op. 34 nn. 1 & 2 by Chopin, Des Abends by Schumann, Ondine by Debussy and O Polichinelo by Villa Lobos!

  • I've listened to Chopin for 30 years and I have only just realised...I'd rather listen to a performance, with the occasional wrong note than a note perfect rendition with less soul.

  • little memory wander around 5:43 - nicely covered. :)

  • Frankly, I'm in shock. I sat here just staring at the screen when it was over. It was like being hit in the face by the heavy weight champion of the world. Reviews are superflous when you're clearly in the presence of greatness.

  • 貴重なルービンシュタインの素晴らしい演奏、有難うございます。

    何回も聴かせて頂きます。

  • beatiful

    

  • No other performance, not even among Rubinstein's many commercial recordings of the A-flat Polonaise, comes close to matching the power and nobility of this one. Endless thanks for posting it!

  • Now I know the name of God

  • E' stato veramente un grande, non solo pianista, ma musicista.

  • Nobody compares to rubinstein in pure talent. The other great that I have seen enough videos of to really compare is horowitz and his style could not be any more different. I know this is really obvious, but horowitz approaches the music differently, looking on the outside in, and with the masterpieces he plays that itself is a really impressive talent.

    Rubinstein knows where it all is, like he came out of the womb with a piano..as if he has peripheral nerves that are attached to the keys!

  • I have to say thank you god and you , Sanktus , benedictus& majestics honner grolias! When I was a chird I had gotten great impressions and I felt this your playing as

    like heavenly shining beautiful art god, in front of me.

    Do you remember ? I said you are the highest near your got or art got like an emperor of the art. Western have a god,but greeks or japanese have art god and art muse ,so I could study the cultuer diferences by this your music.

    Thank you best play again !

  • very great and passionate version...... simply perfect!!

  • неповторимая классическая музыка и великолепный исполнитель!спасибо!

  • This evening Arthur Rubinstein is the third artists i have listened to performing Chopin's Polonaise. Still i never get tired listening to this extra ordinary composition. Thanks, YouTube for giving me the opportunity to watch our talented perform on stage! God bless.

  • I love Rubinstein and all, and I've heard other recordings of him playing this piece that were amazing, but he seems to be a little heavy footed on the pedal in this, no? My first impression at least. Incredible power and emotion in his playing regardless.

  • The best pianists of today cannot compare to Rubinstein or Horowitz. They are truly world historic figures. The circumstances of their lives allowed them to bring the piano to life better than anyone else in history. They went through great turmoil personally, and it resulted in the best music ever recorded. 

  • Wibi Soerjadi is still the best. Followed by Chiffra. Followed by Rubinstein.

    They are all amazing.

  • es una gran maestro de la musica chopin, excelente pieza la adoro

  • The ending is so powerful.

  • Does someone hate's sony music entertainment for blocking A. Rubinstein performance on Bethoven Moonlight sonata - third movement.... ?

  • @vytioxaV I have that recording on vinyl, my grandfather gave it me when I was a young teen studying piano... one of the few vinyl records I will never part with.

  • @vytioxaV take Wilhelm Kempff´s interpretation. He is a real genius!

    

  • Arthur Rubinstein is and allways be the best piano performer, he's just blowing up the piano and get's out an impresion from the space arround him.

  • @vytioxaV excellent ...  marvelous verbal description

  • You would have to be Russian not to like this. 7 dislikes? Come on people.

  • The best pianist so far for this piece. So much belief, gusto and pride....

  • How old was he when he performed for this ?

  • It is amazing how much power and volume he gets with the appearance of so little effort.

  • rubinstein even exceeded himself:)

  • wow! one of the most energetic performances i've ever seen from rubinstein

  • I second what others have said, I believe this to be the best performance of the Polonaise out there! Certainly the best performance I have heard.

  • I LOVE ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN  !!!!

  • for sure an epic performance of rubinstein but i like hotowitz performance bit more i think he plays it with a little more passion

  • @dabozzcrg The passion is built into the piece, when a pianist tries to put in their own passion, it takes away from the passion the piece inherently has. Rubinstein leaves the piece to play itself.

  • I keep returning to this. Such effortless  tone production. Full throated but never harsh or forced in any way, But how? Is this a lost art? No one today can produce such a magisterial sound.

  • Sans dire que la meilleur interpretation soit celle de Cortot, je conseillerai à ceux qui veulent entendre une version, plus "Chopin", il y en a video sur youtube dont le titre est

    Cortot plays 'Heroic' polonaise by Chopin.

    C'est de la musique à un niveau supérieur.

  • Rubinstein todo un maestro dentro de las presentaciones que el hizo de esta Polonesa es la mas emotiva. Me recibí de Profesora rejecutando esta Obra. Me sltaron las lágrimas escuchandola en manos de este GRAN MAESTRO.

  • The video is obsolete; that old duke makes me think of a child on his chair !!

  • BRAVO MAESTRO!!!

  • This is really beautiful, but i like so much better Horowitz's style... I think that Rubinstein's interpretation is too "easy" and classic

  • It is the integrity of the music that Rubinstein gets. To the unitiated Chopin seems to explode all over the place - in the wrong hands he becomes fragmented and fractured - but in R's hands he melts into the original intention. I believe Chopin is the greatest composer ever. And Rubinstein the nearest he on earth.

  • Now Rubinstein is playing for God

  • @miliona1re Rubinstein ˇˇisˇˇGod! :-)

  • The variation in mood in this song is divinely close to vulgare. I like it.

  • Rubinstein is by far the greatest interpreter of Chopin

  • Is life worth living after this? I can die now...

  • @007captainobvious, This is an even greater reason to live!

  • immortal.

  • Yeah! I agree it´s the best performance of this piece!!

  • INSPIRATIONAL!!! My heart was jumping listening to this. I've always loved this song but this is the best i've ever heard it played.

  • He sure was a showman - as well as a brilliant perfomer.

  • thats our grandpa playing... ahoy old century!

  • is it just me but do the e-major chords which open the middle section (just before the left hand octaves) sound a bit oddly voiced? something's not sounding right there. is it the recorded sound or did he muddle up the notes? and it happens both times.

  • @markoserengeti he played dominant seventh chords instead, it could have been on purpose, but i guess we'll never know. most likely on purpose because i doubt he would do the same thing the second time :P

  • @busterdblade and @markoserengeti, I don't hear anything but the E major chord.

  • @busterdblade and @markoserengeti, I don't hear anything but the E major chord. If anything, there may have been a note struck slightly off -- the way his hands are flying, it wouldn't be out of the question. But I personally doubt it was on purpose. He was very respectful of the printed text, and careful to compare different editions.

  • @markoserengeti, Rubinstein adds fifths into the octaves at times, especially during the section you refer to, not that I have a problem with that. He said in an interview once that he prefers an inspired performance to anything else, regardless of the fact that he still adhered to the structure of the music. Robert Schumann once wrote of Chopin's music that one can find "guns buried in flowers". Well, I think in this performance Artur showed both his and Chopin's true spirit.

  • Very nice playing... wow.

  • I like the way he lifts himself off his stool at climatic points and throws his arms in the air for the bravura chord passages. He did the same thing when I watched him play the Brahm's second concerto around the same time as this recording. Amazing! Cziffra and Horowitz were often accused of showmanship but when fired up as here, Rubinstein could match them any time.

  • Everything is amazing here!

  • everything is amazing here!

  • Wow !!

  • Those hands... that touch, amazing.

  • In what year was it recorded?

  • @VinciLit i bet 1950s or 1960s, because he is in his mid 60s here i think.

  • Chopin - one of the best reasons to be proud of being POLISH.

  • his showmanship is amazing :)

  • Maravilhoso!

  • my g"d, I adore him so much!

    for me he is THE greatest pianist ever!

    and I do not think that there will be anyone who will be better than him!

  • @Carafulification then chopin or rubinstein::)?

  • @sauronek what do you mean Chopin or Rubinstein?

  • @sauronek Rubinstein ;)

  • This is the greatest performance for Polonaise that I`ve ever heard. Rubinstein rocks!!!

  • @starbrightjp spot on!  God speaks!!

  • This Polonaise was wrote for ME and this is how to play it , Fantastic the best recording i ever heard.

  • j adore! magnifique

  • i like Rubinstein playing this piece cause he is not sleeping over keyboard but compared with Horowitz, far away.

  • @bojajchris Not true..

  • Normally I love Horowitz, but WOW Rubinstein played the Polonaise SO well here! Incredible technique, power, grace, freedom, and he sits with such authority and plays with dominance. The true embodiment of the polonaise spirit is presented here. Thank you for uploading this treasure.

  • what key is this in?? i need to get the sheet music for it!!!

  • 1:53 In the air!

  • His nethod of tone production. A fascinating document. He's never static on the bench rising in order to get more weight into the keys. The complete freedom in the shoulder and arms. The free throwing about of weight in the attack. Just maevelous to see such perfectly directed freedom.

  • Anyone knows what year was this performance?

  • Man...Rubenstein just really came to life in his concert performances. I get none of this vitality and attack when I hear his staid and colorless studio recordings......this goes double for his 'Dance of the Living Dead' mazurka set.

  • @aardvaark069 If you can stomach the sound, try his mono recordings for a nice surprise.

  • the way Rubinstein plays is always noble and grand with that healthy and aristocratic sound that makes you succumb to your feet! what a maestro!

  • Nobody comes close to Rubinstein performing Chopin. Maybe Cziffra and Lisitsa.

  • @davkakach

    what? Cziffra and Lisitsa?

  • @davkakach Lisitsa..? Really now..? She's awesome, yeah , but..she's miles way..Literally...

  • @CSPlayerDamon it is. why rubinstein plays it faster it doesnt mean it plays better than Horowiz

  • @bojajchris Never said fast..But I just like his version more..Although I can easily say that Horowitz is one of my favourite pianists..I like his Polonaise more. Nevertheless, we are all entittled to our own opinions.

  • @CSPlayerDamon Now i agree. but we all have to know whats more quality and not to mix with what we like more, i didn't say i don't like this version.

  • @bojajchris It is interesting that you say that.

    I believe it is a very personal choice between these two giants genius. For my part, I enjoy more Rubinstein... Purely my heart talking.

  • @bojajchris

    Of course not, it is not the reason why one prefers one over the other.

    I know that in my case, my heart decides for itself.

  • he has SUCH amazing articulation =O

  • A pesar de ser un video, sugiero cerrar los ojos y solo escuchar. Fantástico.

  • Could anyone please please tell me where I can find this footage? Has it been released on DVD/VHS?? Thank You!

  • what power!

  • greatest chopin player ever

  • @ITO198

    chopin played the piano too!

  • so alt bin ich nicht

    

  • MITICO

  • You need to follow along with the score to realize how HARD this piece is.

  • Phew ... it's comforting to know that Rubinstein and I make the same mistakes. I had always thought my interpretation vastly inadequate ... now it's merely sub-par.

  • A piece just powerful, just played as it have to be played. Rubinstein : a true master !

  • best interpretation ever seen

    likeas piano is roaring and crying

  • This man is so good

  • pls, add recording date

  • Leaves you speechless. As Popeyethedoc says, I wish there were more stars. Out of ten stars, I would give him at least eleven. Thank you for posting this.

  • Regardless of the record quality and some little mistakes, the best performance I have ever heard. Not only Rubinstein virtuosity, but the patriotic Polish soul that emerges from him in front of the Russians. Country which invaded Poland during Chopin times and ironically inspired him to compose some of his best and patriotic music. Bravo Rubinstein, Bravo Chopin.!!!

  • a virtuoso piece played by a virtuoso - a delight to enjoy, and bugger the interpretation....!

  • you just don't get much better.

  • you just don't get much better

  • what an ending, so impressive

  • What a nobility...

  • I would give just about anything to see how Chopin would react to Rubinstein playing his music... that would be my idea of Heaven.

  • Прекрасное исполнение.Я очень люблю этот полонез.

  • I see five dislikes... that's five morons who don't know anything. This is the greatest performance of this piece I've ever heard. Likewise, Rubinstein is possibly the greatest pianist ever recorded.

  • Rara e linda apresentação de "Polonaise", com Arthur Rubinstein!!!...

  • @likraemer Apoiado!

  • mi polonesa favorita...neta ke no puedo dejar de eskucharla...

  • On Chopin's 200th anniversary how inspiring to see a great performance by a great pianist of one of his greatest pieces.

  • What a tremendous Pianist Arthur Rubenstein was...there will never be another...Jack Baker NYC

  • Superlative. I heard Rubinstein play live in Hull, an East Yorkshire fishing port. I was 14. It remains one of the highlights of my life.

  • This was just outstanding.

  • W;O;W

  • Pinotto.73.....I believe that Rubinstein's trip to Russia was in 1964. That would make him 78 at the time.

  • Absolutely phenomenal! If Chopin had to pick his champion I believe it would be Rubinstein. His interpretation has just the right balance of lyricism, power and passion. This particular performance is electrifying.

  • Staggering--best performance of this piece that I've ever seen:)

  • Does anybody know the date of this wanderful document?

  • best

  • Genial Artur Rubinstein!

  • I've watched at least four different videos of him playing this. But this if by far the most impressive I've ever seen out of any performance of this. Even in the one where he was 90, he still played like a champion. This is what real musicianship is all about. And this man has not only enormous technique, but titanic spirit and heart.

  • this is undescribeble...i will learn this as soon as possible and ill give my best!

  • Can´t stop crying watching this video. Rubinstein will never die. The best performer of Chopin ever.

  • totally agree!

  • den mporw na to pistepsw

  • Great Polonaise by Fryderyk Chopin! Hats off! As for the playing of this bon vivant, well, the noise is deafening, but it's no excuse to hail pan Rubinstein as the greatest pianist of his generation. He might well be a top ten, but nothing else than that. Happy bicentenary to the Poet of the Piano: Fryderyk Chopin!

  • It moves me to tears. Rubinstein seems to have been one of the greater if not the greatest Chopin interpreter

  • This piece is even more moving when you know the story behind it... *tears up* Poor Poland... It's not their fault that they're a power vacuum... Other countries just can't resist occupying them! But the nationalistic fervor in this piece... The pure love of ones country... That is what makes this piece moving.

  • Story or not Rubinstein still always make this piece moving.

  • with Szopen aka Chopin played by Rubinstein... my Grandma, was waking me up to school when i was sleeping @ her apt... over 17 years ago and I still I know it by heart... not only this opus...and mnay other concerts.

    KICK ASS....

  • @Jragir You brought tears to my eyes, friend. I love classical music, but what you said! Damn! What eloquence! I don't know if I spelt it right, but, I've always liked that word..I wish I could've said that..

  • @Jragir, You posted an absolutely SUPER comment.

  • @Jragir Yes, I agree with you. The story behind this piece is a realistic and tragic one... As they call this the "War Song"

  • oui équilibre extraordinaire ni trop passionné ni trop rapide et puis surtout héroïque

    sir Stéphane ROGER

  • @DelfosMX

    You Are Funny :D

  • That's absolutely amazing! This interpretation is so masterful, with passion but a controlled rubato, very glamorous. but at the same time very Polish. Makes one to feel the Horowitz's version slim in comparison.

    Thank you for uploading this. It deserves a hug.

  • Man, I wish there were more than 5 stars for rating. This was way good. He really outdone himself.

  • Moja wielka MILOSC to muzyka!

    Chopin w wykonaniu Rubinshtaina jest "perelka Swiata"

    dlaczego tak WSPANIALI LUDZIE musza odejsc od nas?

  • Quel talent extraordinaire que cet Arthur Rubinstein!

  • Ну да, взяли на прокат старую камеру у немцев, и сняли этот концерт. Не было у русских ни черно-белого кино, вообще... Это, порядка, лет 10 тому назад произошло.

  • wow were videos really like this in the past? crazy stuff man

    anyway +thumbs

  • *Smile*

    ...in those days there were no videos at all! This is a television coverage, at a time television wasn't in colour!

    Greetings

  • Rubinstein plays with energy and passion this Chopin Polonaise. He is  best player that Horowitz·s interpretation.

    Monderful music.

  • wow, this is a heck of a lot better than horowitz's interpretation. when i heard horowitz i had a bad impression of olden day pianists, and this is proof that some olden day pianists are/were miles better than modern day pianists.

  • good comment!

  • Unbelievable.../drools

  • wow!!! absolutely fantasic!

  • He is really fired up, must be the vodka.:) The funny thing even if that video looks very old its probably from the 60s. Russians didn't have color until the 80s almost. Video quality is like its from the moon. :)

  • Yes, fired, but for me, when playing this, vodka is good! How to play the piece if one is not really fired or a little drunk?

  • Comment removed

  • @rushwarp Rot in hell, deficente!

  • Maestro!!!!!!!!!!!