Rubinstein PC4 from Onyx

[Alan Howe]

It may be a shame that the coupling is Rach3, but any new recording of Rubinstein's PC4 is to be welcomed...
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Onyx/ONYX4089

[Mark Thomas]

Indeed, but I will admit to having a blind spot for the work. Somehow, it never engages me. I love Rubinstein's Third and Fifth but, although I have several recordings, the Fourth always leaves me cold.

[thalbergmad]

I guess every aspiring young pianist wishes to record the Rach 3, but despite it's greatness I would not cross the road to hear it again.

As for the Rubinstein 4, I fell in love with it after hearing Ponti and out of love after hearing Hamelin.

Think I will give this one a miss.

Thal

[Peter1953]

Any new release of any Rubinstein is very welcome... and in this case his Fourth which is for me the most beautiful PC by any unsung composer (followed by Röntgen 2 and Rubinstein 3).

However, I love the Ponti, dislike the Hamelin, and prefer the Banowetz. I think Banowetz is the perfect interpreter for Rubinstein's piano music (both solo and in concertos).

Rachmaninov's Third. A magical and utterly difficult, but such a wonderful piano part. For me the Ashkenazy with the LSO is still the best performance.

Three recordings are enough for me. I don't put this Onyx CD on my "have-to-buy-list".

[FBerwald]

..............I think Banowetz is the perfect interpreter for Rubinstein's piano music (both solo and in concertos).
...........

I quite agree. His kamenniy-ostrov set is nothing short of being Legen... "wait for it"....dary!!!

[Rob H]

How unsung is the Rubinstein now? With recordings by Hofmann, Ponti, Lewenthal, Hamelin, Wuhrer, Levant, Cherkassky, Ginsburg, Paremski, Marshev and Banowetz and now Moog (these are what I can think of off the top of my head) it has certainly not been neglected. A quick search found other recordings - Navarsardian and Ruskin (live on CD) and there are probably others.
I have 7 of the first list (plus a live Hamelin - love his playing) - abandoned the Wuhrer as boring and whilst I love Ginsburg's playing I find his Rubinstein undercharged.
Rob

[Alan Howe]

It's been recorded, but who's heard of it? We're hardly typical. If you said 'Rubinstein' to most classical  music fans, they'd think of Artur...

[eschiss1]

Even though the Rubinstein 4th concerto (and even moreso a few briefer works) are among the relative few works by composers spoken of reasonably often on this forum to have been recorded on well-known labels and by well-known pianists, I incline to agree that his music and name would not ring a bell. (I like the concerto or at least more than seems to be the consensus and average, I'd be lying if I said otherwise since the opening theme of its finale gets stuck in my head ... )

[Rob H]

Good points. It's a piece that I always think "hmmmm, it's ok but too four-square". Then I listen to it and really enjoy it - i still prefer number three though.
Rob

[Alan Howe]

I agree. No.3 is a gem.

[Mark Thomas]

Personally I prefer the craggy grandeur of No.5 to the more lyrical charms of No.3, but both would easily edge out No.4 in any cull of my collection. And Alan's correct, of course, the name Rubinstein does still resonate with many music lovers but 95% of the time it'll be because of some lasting memory of Artur Rubinstein, not Anton.