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2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Moravec vs. Rubinstein Mar 26, 2009
When I first heard the Moravec disk, my first reaction was like everyone else's - wow! But after repeated listenings, I began to realize that Moravec, while playing absolutely beautifully, was bringing out more than what Chopin put in, with sudden and uncalled for changes in tempo which go far beyond rubato. Rubinsten, by contrast, plays what is there, with tasteful and unobtrusive rubato, and produces music which is just as beautiful, but I think more of what Chopin intended.
I have the same issue with Claudio Arrau. Every grace note becomes a quarter note. Both of these fine pianists have somehow become composer as well as pianist, and I don't think this is the way to go about it.
Stick with Rubinstein. There's a reason why he is considered by most of us to be the best at Chopin - he plays the music the way it should be played, while producing an unmatched silky smooth sound.
1 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Exquisite Tone Flawed By Uneven Tempos Mar 14, 2009
Although Rubinstein's tone and articulation are exquisite, the sometimes excessive rubato and uneven tempos interfere with the natural flow of the music. Too often, he lingers over a note instead of moving on, or plays a staccato note instead of letting the sound resonate. The result can be a disjointed, halting effect that detracts from the rhythm.
Although many people feel Rubinstein's interpretation of the Nocturnes is similar to the way Chopin played them, the fact that Chopin always kept a metronome on his piano speaks for itself. Nevertheless, Rubinstein was one of the greatest pianists the world has ever known and is always worth listening to.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
definitive performances, but you might as well order 11 disc box for the same price Dec 18, 2008
Other reviews eloquently make the case for this recording. Just wanted customers to know that amazon offers the 11cd Rubinstein Chopin box for the same price. Includes a booklet with notes and 9 other fine CDs... an excellent bargain.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Epitome: Rubinstein plays Chopin Nocturnes Nov 02, 2008
No matter how many versions I hear of the magical Nocturnes of Chopin, none has equaled the readings of Arthur Rubinstein. Certainly there are individual performances of some nocturnes that eclipse Rubinstein's. But as a complete set, his is the epitome.
Take the three nocturnes of Op 9. Rubinstein is unsurpassed in the first in B-Flat Minor. His direct approach in the opening is brilliantly contrasted with a muted blurriness in the middle section. The melody seems to grow more and more distant before the transition back to the recapitulation. In the reprise passion is controlled, yet powerful.
The famous E-flat Major Nocturne, an evocation of purity and innocence, is played with an unparalleled grace. The last nocturne of Op 9 in B Major, a structurally complicated work, is rendered with an ease that allows the music to flow from carefree to agitated and finally to ecstasy in the coda.
The nocturnes of Op 27, two of Chopin's great masterpieces, display Rubinstein at his best. The first in C-Sharp Minor has a unique feature. Its main theme never reaches a resolution. Rubinstein savors this unrequited inclination to resolution and heightens the tension of the piece. The forceful, agitated middle section is played with fire and conviction. The recapitulation, where the tension to resolve melts into a coda of beautiful warmth and serenity, is executed infallibly. The second nocturne of Op 27, in D-Flat Major, is rendered over an original ostinato bass. It possesses one of the most glorious melodies ever composed. The two codas that end this work transport the listener to an empyreal place that exists only in the mind of the composer. Rubinstein is magnificent as our conveyance.
In the Nocturnes of Op 37, Rubinstein projects the noble lament of the G Minor Nocturne in a very unaffected manner. The middle section, marked religioso, is taken at a perfect pace. The final bar, where Chopin surprises us by ending the work in G Major, is delivered superbly. The second Nocturne of Op 37 in G Major is often taken too quickly. This foils the delicious harmonic nuances inherent in the unique mixture of thirds, fourths and sixths in the right hand. Rubinstein attacks the piece with a sobriety that allows the listener to enjoy the journey. The middle section, which rocks and sways, is well presented also.
Rubinstein shines in the two Nocturnes of Op 48. The first in C Minor is one of Chopin's most compelling and extroverted works. The exposition is flawless. The great sweep of broken chords in the middle section is brought to a stunning climax. In the recapitulation Rubinstein seems somewhat less impassioned than Arrau, Vasary or Engerer. Yet, it still works. The Nocturne Op 48 n 2 in F-Sharp minor is hypnotic in Rubinstein's hands.
The Nocturne Op 62 n 1 in B Major is one of Chopin's most sublime. Rubinstein's interpretation represents the apogee of recorded performances. If there is such a place as an aural paradise, then the seven bars that provide the transition from the middle section to the recapitulation, would define it. No other pianist approaches Rubinstein here.
Finally, the posthumous E Minor Nocturne, which was probably Chopin's first foray into the form, is a beautiful work. Why he chose to withhold it from publication is baffling.
Although the mystery of the opening section is alluring, the crux of the piece is the aspiring middle section, which is reprised in the tonic major to close the work. Rubinstein's refined reading is absolutely captivating.
If you want to explore Chopin's Nocturnes as a complete set, let Rubinstein be your guide.
2 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Improved Sound Quality Mar 07, 2008
After more than 40 years, Rubinstein's classic account of Nocturnes still sounds so fresh and affecting. This 1999 new remastering with 20 bit / Super CD Encoding has added more body and brilliance to the original, beautifully capturing subtlety and intricacy of his playing.
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