Artur Rubinstein Moscow concert
This Rubinstein DVD is a concert recorded in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory on October 1, 1964. Rubinstein was 77 years old when this was made, and his playing is a pleasure to watch. I had the privilege of hearing him at a concert in San Francisco many years ago. He came on stage, wearing a burgundy – colored evening coat that made him look really regal! And then he sat down to dazzle the concert attendees. This DVD brought back those memories. You will see that his control is amazing; one wonders how he can be so accurate in repeated chords, and in the intricate pianistic challenges of his performance.
The program was as follows:
Chopin:
Polonaise No. 5 in F sharp minor, Op. 44
Impromptu No. 3 in G flat major, Op. 51
Nocturne No. 8 in D flat major, Op. 27 No. 2
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 ‘Marche Funèbre’
Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60
Étude Op. 25 No. 1 in A flat major ‘Aeolian Harp’
Étude Op. 25 No. 5 in E minor
Étude Op. 10 No. 4 in C sharp minor
Étude Op. 10 No. 5 in G flat major ‘Black Key’
Waltz No. 3 in A minor ‘Grande Valse Brillante’, Op. 34 No. 2
Polonaise No. 6 in A flat major, Op. 53 ‘Héroïque’
Four encores follow the main program:
Des Abends (Evening) from Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Op. 12
Chopin’s Waltz in A major, Op. 34, No. 1
Debussy’s Ondine
Villa Lobos’s “O Polichinello”
If you love piano music, you’ll love this DVD! Marvelous playing, with sensitivity and musical feeling that is unsurpassed.
If you’d like to learn more, here’s a fascinating interview with Mr. Rubinstein:
Enjoy!