Rubinstein plays Albéniz "Navarra"

"Navarra"
by Isaac Albéniz

Played by Artur Rubinstein

Category:

Music

Tags:

• albeniz
• navarra
• rubinstein
• piano
• classical

[corgihound]

Rubinstein did indeed feel that he had the "license" to change portions of the original Albeniz score, feeling that while the composer was an extraordinary genius, he (Albeniz) never learned the art of musical construction and often belabored pieces to a point that made it exaggeratedly difficult. This upload sounds like Rubinstein's 1941 recording, which I have never heard before. I'm more familiar with his 1961 live recording at Carnegie Hall! Thank you!

[yekhaty]

yes, it is the recording from 1941

maybe I shouldn't attempt to untangle the logic of your expression that it 'sounds like the recording I have never heard' ;)

[Pushkin62]

Rubenstein's version of Navarra is very different from the original score and the version recorded by Alicia de Laroccha.

[yekhaty]

Yes, it is absolutely too different a performance to compare. Maybe he felt, because Navarra was unfinished, and very much like a transcription itself, he had this licence?

It is not urtext, but I am happy to have this version also for its unique character! :)

[yekhaty]

For another performance, which is urtext (!), but also very different from de Larrocha, see Arrau playing the Corpus Christi en Sevilla in my playlist.

[cynic150]

Whether this has been "changed" or not, it is totally compelling.

Anyway, preformers have been editing composers' works since Bach's time and playing it their own way. Good! You have to feel it your own way and do it the way you feel is best as a whole work. Todays' attitude of following the score religiously can become rather boring and make works become stale if it results in the same performance by everyone.

[demosj]

Corgihound, do you know whether Rubinstein ever published his own edition of Navarra?

[TikiFury]

well I like both De Larrocha's and Rubinstein's... I recomend you try La Vega also from Albeniz but totally diferent from his spanish taste, more melancolic and yet equally magical and extremely hard to play like his final works...

[corgihound]

Yeah, I noticed that contradiction AFTER I hit the send button. What I meant to say was that the sound quality was definitely pre-1950's/1960's. I knew that Rubinstein recorded Navarra three times (1929, 1941, and 1961), and that the sound was better than 1929, so, well, you get the idea! Anyways, long-winded explanations aside, I once again thank you for your upload! Jon

[paulostroff99]

Beautiful! Bravo! TY.

[ktuan2]

thx for posting this!! one of my favorite Albeniz pieces. this piece is pretty difficult to read through and play. i hope i can accomplish it one day.