Chopin Barcarolle Rubinstein Op 60 Rec 1928

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Beckmesser2
November 22, 2008

In March of 1928, Fred Gaisberg the famous artistic director of the Gramophone Company (HMV) persuaded Rubinstein to make a few test recordings. None would be released without the pianist's permis...

In March of 1928, Fred Gaisberg the famous artistic director of the Gramophone Company (HMV) persuaded Rubinstein to make a few test recordings. None would be released without the pianist's permission. Those that did not have Rubinstein's approval would be destroyed. Rubinstein had serious misgivings about recording because he had heard piano recordings that were made using the acoustic process which he said made the piano sound like a banjo. (Perhaps Rubinstein was speaking from personal experience. Circa 1910, he had recorded two selections for the Polish label Farorit. This recording is extremely rare and has never been reissued. There is a tape). Gaisberg told him that the new electrical system captured the piano tone faithfully. Upon arriving at the studio, Rubinstein was disturbed to find that one of the pianos that he was to play, a Bluthner, was not a full size concert grand.. Gaisberg encouraged him to try it. Rubinstein writes, "Well, this Bluthner had the most beautiful singing tone I have ever found. I became quite enthusiastic and decided to play my beloved Barcarolle of Chopin. The piano inspired me. . I dont think I ever played better in my life. And then the miracle happened; they played it back to me and I must confess that I had tears in my eyes. It was the performance that I dreamed of and the sound reproduced faithfully the golden tone of the piano. Gaisberg had won." Rubinstein went on to record several other compositions, but for some reason the Barcarolle from the March session was not released. Of the compositions that he recorded that day, only the Chopin Waltz Op 34 No.1 (recorded on a full size Steinway concert grand that also was in the studio), and the Brahms Capriccio B minor Op.76 No. 2, were released. The following month, Rubinstein returned to Small Queens Hall, Studio C London, to re-record the Chopin Barcarolle on the Bluthner that had so inspired him. It is this recording that I have placed here. (Years ago I was trying out some pianos one of which was a Bluthner. It also had a gorgeous tone.)

In his biography "Rubinstein, A Life," Harvey Sachs writes that this recording of the Barcarolle is "amazing in its mixture of quiet intimacy, melodic splendor, mounting eroticism and dazzling explosions of joy. The 1962 recording, although beautiful, pales besides it." Harris Goldsmith, musicologist, critic, pianist, author and disciple of Artur Schnabel, disagrees. Too many rubatos, too self indulgent, too many textual inaccuracies, just too, too.

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Chopin Barcarolle Rubinstein Op 60 Rec 1928

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paulostroff99 (2 weeks ago) Show Hide

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Beautifully played. Bravo! TY.

TwelfthRoot2 (2 weeks ago) Show Hide

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Zimerman played this excellent. He was more expressive with his version (you may or may not like that), but it is very good.

billkazb (3 weeks ago) Show Hide

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makes me want to play the piano. craigslist has a bunch for free all the time.

Pischnaholic (1 month ago) Show Hide

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Fascinating glimpse of the standards that held sway in the 1920's. The tone is splendid! But, it would be difficult for me to get used to the wildly erratic tempo changes and exaggerated rubati throughout. He plays with control -- as though he is doing what he WANTS to do -- but for me it lurches forward suddenly every now and then and feels as though it's spinning out of control, then he jerks on the reins and everything slows down almost to a crawl.

His later work was much more tasteful

Beckmesser2 (1 month ago) Show Hide

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Who was it who said, Every day my taste improves, but I am losing my genius.

cattleman6420012000 (2 months ago) Show Hide

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This is so magical . His interpretation and sensitive musical feeling are out of this world.

espp87 (2 months ago) Show Hide

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3:31 min... maravilla

puchalaka (4 months ago) Show Hide

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nice picture

INTERNETVID (5 months ago) Show Hide

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.........................

codonauta (6 months ago) Show Hide

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Excellent the quality of the audio for a 1928 recording.

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Chopin Barcarolle Rubinstein Op 60 Rec 1928

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