Search - Rubinstein, Liszt, Saint-Saens :: Saint-Saens: Concerto No. 2; Franck: Symphonic Variations; Liszt: Concerto No. 1

THE Recording of the Saint-Saens to Have

Eugene G. Barnes | Dunn Loring, VA USA | 03/31/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's a wonder no other pianist ever got it - ever got the idea that the second movement of the Saint-Saens should proceed at so rapid a clip. That the opening vamp in the left hand in the first movement should not be unduly emphasized. That in the third movement the piano at one point should sound reasonably like great crashing bells. Etc., etc. In all the many recordings that have come after it, no one has succeeded in coming close to this old 1958 recording. Rubinstein owns this concerto. Period. And what a great concerto it is!The Franck Symphonic Variations that follow, well, some folks (like me) may quibble with some of the tempi Rubinstein chooses, but this is also a performance of great integrity and, most importantly, with a particularly joyous ending.Those two works together made up the original LP, and even by the relaxed standards of the day for the LP it was always counted a slim volume. On the CD the editors have added a third work, the Liszt Piano Concerto # 1, from an even earlier (1956) RCA Living Stereo release, to make it a decent length. Even then the whole CD comes in at only 55 minutes.No matter. Rubinstein is his usual great self in the Liszt. His choice of tempi would be challenging for a lesser pianist - for Rubinstein it is merely a vehicle for achieving his own sense of cohesiveness and drive. There are a couple of missed notes, and the RCA Victor Symphony plays a bit unsubtly in places (a fault perhaps of overbearing microphones in a venue not always kind to recording - Carnegie Hall), but it's still a remarkable performance.[A technical note: At the time of this posting, Amazon lists two orchestras for the Saint-Saens. The correct one is the Symphony of the Air.]"

War-horses you want to know!

Craig Matteson | Ann Arbor, MI | 07/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These three pieces were war-horses for Rubenstein throughout his career and were very popular in his day. They were popular for good reason. They are wonderful pieces. They aren't as popular with today's pianists, but I have heard some performances of them. The problem isn't technical, it is taste and style. Most pianists today don't have the heroic temperment or style of tone production that was the staple of the nineteenth century. And, frankly, pianos today are usually so bright in tone that they can sound harsh when used for this kind of music. Technically, these pieces can be done by any number of pianists and orchestras. They don't present a huge challenge to simply play through them for today's virtuosi. However, it often sounds as if they are just going through the motions or that they are playing something in a foreign language. But the right pianist with the right instrument with the right orchestra and conductor can pull off these pieces and show them off for what they are.Rubenstein was truly out of the nineteenth century and though he was a twentieth century pianist, he was from the earlier time and played in that way. This recording gives us a window into that time and style. Really, you should hear this. It is definitely worth owning."