Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra :: Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 14

Rubinstein & Toscanini let Beethoven down

Hank Drake | Cleveland, OH United States | 01/19/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Fans of both Arthur Rubinstein and Arturo Toscanini, unless they're blinded by hero worship, will be disappointed by the bulk of Volume 14 of RCA's complete Rubinstein Collection.



Although a conductor of the first-rank, Toscanini left much to be desired as an accompanist. It was no secret that he did not like to work with "stars," and preferred using his first-desk players and staff soloists whenever possible. In the few recordings he made with Horowitz and Heifetz, for example, there is a constant push-and-pull routine at work as the soloists try to assert themselves against Toscanini's unyielding will. This performance of the Beethoven Third Concerto with Rubinstein--the only time the Maestro worked with Rubinstein--is no exception. In Rubinstein's memoirs, the pianist recounts that Toscanini was at odds with the pianist on matters of tempo and phrasing during the rehearsal, but that everything miraculously came together during the performance. But the recorded evidence does not support Rubinstein's rose-tinted hindsight. Toscanini's conception of the work is poles apart from Rubinstein, and throughout the piece Toscanini seems to be pushing Rubinstein toward faster tempos than the pianist is prepared to accept. Things nearly fall apart during the section immediately following the first movement cadenza, where pianist and conductor are simply not together, and the orchestral ensemble is slipshod. That Rubinstein and Toscanini both consented to the release of this recording seems more a product of Rubinstein's desire to be associated with Toscanini than the actual merits of the performance.



Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata was a great favorite of Rubinstein's, who performed the work often in concert, and recorded it three times (there is a fourth, live recording of the work from 1975 on Volume 80, but Rubinstein did not authorize its release). Unfortunately, this performance, from 1946, is the least successful of Rubinstein's authorized recordings. Throughout the piece, Rubinstein ignores Beethoven's tempo and phrasing indications, and unnecessarily gussies-up the piano writing. Rubinstein's mentality in the performance seems to be to use Beethoven's Sonata for flashy and cheap effects, and in this he is certainly successful. Unfortunately this comes at the expense of the music's structural continuity, especially in the third movement (marked Allegro ma non troppo, in effect, "fast, but not TOO fast") where, in the mad dash to fit the finale onto one 78-RPM side, Rubinstein leaves out half the notes!



Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 31, No. 3 fares better. Like the Appassionata, Rubinstein performed this work often, including during his first and last American tours, in 1906 and 1976, respectively. Unlike the Appassionata, this work's essentially relaxed style suited the better angels of the pianist's personality. Although Rubinstein's last recording of the piece from 1976 (Volume 79) was his most successful performance, this 1946 recording captures much of the work's charm, and features an especially thrilling finale.



RCA has done a fine job of restoring the Sonatas for this, their first CD release. The sound in the Concerto, despite being recorded in NBC's notoriously dry studio 8-H (where Saturday Night Live is now performed), is fuller and warmer than on previous CD incarnations."

Rubinstein & Toscanini in only performance together

Peter Dietrich | Boston, MA United States | 03/15/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Rubinstein & Toscanini in only performance together of
the Beethoven C-minor Concerto, Op. 37
by Peter Dietrich, President, Chopin Society of New England, Inc.
Considering that the performance of the Beethoven C-minor Piano Concerto by Artur Rubinstein and Arturo Toscanini was their only collaboration and for Toscanini his first and only performance of the work in the United States; considering that this performance was a broadcast in 1944, which means in the era of 78 rpm recordings; and considering that at that time the record companies were only interested in recording the most popular and famous works and at that time the C-minor Concerto did not belong to this selected group of works, this performance is outstanding. Before I will go any further, let us read the facts as written by Mortimer H. Frank, Contributing Editor, Fanfare Stereophile. "One of the ill-conceived notions about Toscanini that gained currency during his career as a symphonic conductor was that he disdained collaborating with great soloists. But consider some of those with whom he worked: pianists Vladimir Horowitz, Rudolf Serkin, Artur Rubinstein, Myra Hess, Mieczyslaw Horszowski; violinists Eugene Ysaye, Jasha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin and Nathan Milstein; cellists Emanuel Feuermann and Gregor Piatigorsky." I would like to add the following great artists in opera, choral and sacred works all with the NBC Symphony Orchestra (1937-1954): sopranos Zinka Milanov, Helen Traubel, Rose Bampton, Licia Albanese, Eileen Farrell; tenors Lauritz Melchior, Jussi Bjorling, Jan Peerce, Richard Tucker, Giuseppe di Stefano; baritones Herbert Jansen, Robert Merrill and Leonard Warren; basses Alexander Kipnis, Cesare Siepi and Nicola Moscona, etc.
To quote M. Frank, "One might argue perhaps that in most cases these artists for all of their distinction were considerably younger than Toscanini and thus willing to accommodate themselves to his views. Nothing provides a better refutation of such a theory then Artur Rubinstein's recollection of the rehearsal for the performance of the Beethoven C-minor concerto heard here. As the pianist recalls it, Toscanini after the first run-through turned to him and asked, "Would you please kindly repeat the first movement?" Which had not gone well. A skeptical Rubinstein agreed- and "a miracle happened." The tempo was right this time and the tutti sounded with all the nuances required. I made my entrance with fresh hopes and ... Toscanini did not miss one tiny detail. He was right there and we finished every phrase beautifully together. He respected all my dynamics, held up the orchestra where I made the tiniest rubato, came in after the cadenza on the dot and we finished the movement with a flourish. The second movement went smoothly ... because its music is a wonderful dialogue between the piano and the orchestra. The third movement was worked out very professionally and with bravura by the Maestro. Two of Toscanini's not always acknowledged strength's as an accompanist stand out in Rubinstein's account: flexibility and a quickness in assimilating a soloist's conception. Clearly the Maestro was willing to bend, to depart from his own view, which initially was incompatible with the soloists. And this, let it be reiterated, from a conductor allegedly intolerant of conceptions that differed from his own.
"I must quite honestly", Rubinstein remembered of himself and Toscanini, "that we were both aroused."Certainly it was an inspired performance as the present recording attests.
Rubinstein biographer, Harvey Sachs, writes in his notes that Rubinstein was greatly satisfied that the concert was heard around the country on NBC's broadcast and Toscanini sent him a photograph inscribed, "To Artur Rubinstein in remembrance of the unforgettable date (October 29, 1944) of our first artistic meeting." From the inscribed autograph by the Maestro, you can say safely that he also was happy with the performance and was looking forward to more in the future.
When I asked my teacher, Alexander Borovsky, whether he ever performed with Toscanini, Mr. Borovsky's reply was "Who could perform with Toscanini?" This was really enough for me to hear such an answer from an excellent pianist and musician as my teacher was and at the same time it was clear to me that the only phenomenally gifted few could perform with Toscanini.
After the Beethoven C-minor piano concerto radio broadcast in the afternoon, Rubinstein had to hurry and perform a solo recital in the evening at Carnegie Hall - a great achievement unknown in the annals of piano performance.
The two Beethoven Sonatas on the CD Op 31, No 3 recorded in 1946 and the Appasionata Sonata, Op. 57 recorded in 1945 are also inspired performances. It is very interesting to compare them with Rubinstein's later recordings of these works, as they do not represent the best of Artur Rubinstein especially when one starts to make comparisons with the same works recorded in the 50's (vol. 33 and 36) and even more so with the stereo recordings released in the 60's (Sonata Op. 57, vol. 56) and the 70's (Sonata Op. 31, No. 3 vol. 79 of the Rubinstein collection).
To summarize these great artists' achievements with as little rehearsal time as possible for the concerto, their inspired performances deserve five stars, but the recordings without doubt the best for the time and digitally remastered for the best possible sound of today do not. The best I can do is give the CD 4 stars for overall presentation. Very highly recommended for admirers of Rubinstein and Toscanini and for every serious music lover."

A Respectful Correction

John Atherton | CINCINNATI, OHIO United States | 02/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mr. Dietrich, a previous reviewer, very considerately provides background regarding these performances, but he makes one error. Toscanini also recorded the Beethoven C minor concerto, in the United States, in 1946 with Myra Hess. The recording has been available for many years.

Dame Myra was as eager as Rubinstein to perform with Toscanini, but unlike Rubinstein she reportedly was somewhat distressed by the maestro's hard-driven approach. (On the other hand, the Toscanini idolator B.H. Haggin faulted the maestro for the extent that he did ease up for Hess!)

To my ears Rubinstein's virtuoso approach, particularly to the Appassionata, fails to evoke the spirit of Beethoven, but serious collectors will want this issue.

"