Chopin Barcarolle Rubinstein Op 60 Rec 1928

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.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Chopin
• Barcarolle
• Rubinstein
• Op
• 60
• Rec
• 1928

[Pischnaholic]

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]

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

[themfromspace]

Goldsmith can shove it! Do you have any idea as to what happened to his beloved earlier Bacarolle? I hope it's still in existance somewhere!

[Beckmesser2]

Well, the problem is that they played the test recording back to Rubinstein immediately after he had recorded it in order to demonstrate to him how the new electrical recording system was far superior to the old acoustic method. In so doing, the original wax recording could not be used as a master matrix for metal stampers.. Whether HMV preserved this wax, I have no idea. . . . .

[Noshirm]

What a truly exquisite interpretation of the Barcarolle! I have long eschewed Rubinstein in Chopin...but this early take on the Op. 60 is more than worth listening to. BRAVO, Rubinstein. (:-0)

[veritas6960]

I discovered this recording years ago, as a 10-year-old spending evenings alone in the house, and fell under its spell. No other recording of this will ever sound right to me. I only wish I could play it one-tenth as well as Rubinstein! 

[veritas6960]

I discovered this recording years ago, as a 10-year-old spending evenings alone in the house, and fell under its spell. No other recording of this will ever sound right to me. I only wish I could play it one-tenth as well as Rubinstein!

[meredith21846]

I realise this piece was very close to Rubinsteins heart. For me however no one has ever come close to Lipattis combination of sheer romantic ardour and disciplined pianism.

[yosuezp]

nice¡¡¡¡¡

[Bruce88keys]

One must remember the conditions and time limitation these early recordings were under.

[billyguns2]

I've always felt that Rubinstein's 1957 recording of this marvelous piece was his finest hour; the tempo is simply too fast here to suggest a lazy ride on the water.

[paulostroff99]

Beautifully played. Bravo! TY.