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The Chopin Collection [Box Set]
Availability:
In Stock
Price:
$28.98
$15.12*
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| Part No: | B000026OW3 |
| Manufacturer: | RCA Victor Europe |
| MFG Part: | |
| Customer Rating: | 4.5 / 5.0 |
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11cd Box Set with the Legendary Rubinsetin Recordings of Chopin Works.
| Rubinstein's stereos were not his best playing | 2010-09-08 | 4 / 5 |
| Rubinstein made studio recordings of Chopin's piano works during three distinct periods: early recordings during 1928-1939, a more mature series of mono recordings from 1946 to 1958, and then a series of stereo retakes from 1959 to 1967. I largely agree with G Engler's review for the thoughtful comments on Rubinstein's playing at various phases in his career.
The more extensive and relatively complete sets of the named genres are dated as follows:
--Scherzos: 1932, 1949, and 1959;
--Polonaises: 1934-35, 1950-51, and 1964;
--Nocturnes: 1936-37, 1949-50, and 1965;
--Mazurkas: 1938-39, 1952-53, and 1965-66;
--Waltzes: 1953, and 1963; and
--Impromptus: 1953-54, and 1964.
(I'm aware of only the 1959 complete set of the Ballades.)
To some extent I can understand people's desire for the very best recording technology, but to me this is always of *much* less consequence than the playing itself. I'm willing to put up with some pretty mediocre audio quality for listening to musicianship that strikes me as sympathetically reflecting the composer's background, intent and mood, but I have no time for the best SACD renditions of many popular and acclaimed performers I can think of. Music is never just notes to be played, no matter how technically skillful the performer.
None of Rubinstein's different Chopin recordings can be considered "youthful" - he was already 40 years old when he began these earliest recordings. Nevertheless there are clearly many stylistic differences between his playing in the 1930s and that of the two later series. Unfortunately - and it is indeed unfortunate - by the time Rubinstein began re-recording much of his Chopin in stereo, to replace the largely suppressed monos that can now be difficult to find, his playing had become, as Engler says, careful, polished, and bland - perhaps even boring.
But I don't think this description is true of his second mono series. I find the earliest recordings from the 1930s to be both interesting and generally exciting, but if there's such a thing as "definitive" Rubinstein playing Chopin, it's the work he did from the mid-1940s to the mid-'50s. By then his style had settled down, and he knew how he wanted to approach the various pieces, but he still retained his verve and élan that tend to go missing in the later stereos, even though stylistically the two later sets are generally quite similar.
In a way we have Rubinstein to look to for our present sense of what Chopin should sound like. In their own times, Paderewski and then Cortot were held out to be the most Chopinesque of interpreters - but neither sounds much like the other, or much like Rubinstein, and both can seem foreign to our modern ears. Most Chopin that we now hear is directly descended from Rubinstein's pioneering interpretation and playing. |
| Great for a novice listener | 2010-09-07 | 5 / 5 |
| My daughter began practicing her first Chopin piece last week and it prompted me to buy this collection. I've always thought Chopin's compositions were some of the finest piano pieces ever written, not because I'm a pianist, but because I went to a concert years ago that celebrated some of his works and was moved.
It's only piano solos. There are no other instruments. All performed by Artur Rubinstein in the 1960's, which means he was in his 70's at the time of most of these recordings.
It's extensive. It's a wide collection and includes nocturnes, polonaises, mazurkas among other styles of compositions.
It's well recorded and reproduced. The recording engineers did a great job, especially given how old the recordings are.
I play this collection while at work at my art studio. I don't sit and listen to it critically. It's perfect for my needs. |
| Bargain but | 2010-05-24 | 3 / 5 |
| | At about 20 bucks this is well worth having. Especially with Chopin you want to hear multiple versions of the music. Rubinstein has a great reputation in Chopin, but I must say I think it undeserved: he lacks imagination and has a heavy hand. The sound is pretty typical early 60s: a bit dry and boxy but not worryingly so. |
| A great deal for such a low price | 2010-05-03 | 5 / 5 |
| | I must admit that I give 5-star rating for the value you get for such a low price. Arthur Rubinstein is one of the best, if not the best, performers of Chopin, and getting the entire box set for such a low price is a great bargain. Some reviewers mentioned about some sort of hiss when listening to the CDs. I personally did not hear anything. Anywise, even if you hear something, do not forget it is a remastered copy of old recordings. Not very old, but still. |
| Great music and performance | 2010-04-12 | 5 / 5 |
| Disclaimer: I am neither a musician, music student nor some classical music know-it-all (some). I am simply somebody who enjoys what sound good to my ears. Pheeww.....
Now to the product; As with my other reviews on music I will attempt not to compare this CD set (of 11) to anything. All said, I found the performance to be of great quality and I suppose so was the composition. I'm way too new to classical music but still found the CDs to be great to listen to at anytime. I did not yawn (LOL) as I normally do when I do not enjoy music. |
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