Anton Rubinstein - operas

[Christopher]

Talking of Rubinstein's operas, I have a recording, taken from a 1940s Melodiya recording of excerpts from his Merchant Kalashnikov and more modern ones, both of unknown provenance, of his Paradise Lost and Christus (the latter lacking the Prologue scene). I'm not at home at present, but from memory the orchestral sonorities in Christus struck me as surprisingly modern, with some very spare and almost spiky sounds. Das verlorene Paradies, a very much earlier work, had less individuality than The Demon, but inhabits Rubinstein's familiar sound world, whilst the recording of Kalashnikov is so strident that it's difficult to draw many conclusions.

Apologies for the diversion from Moses.

This quote is taken from the discussion about Moses-related operas, I thought it would be good to start a new string.

I contacted http://premiereopera.net and they have re-activated their links to the two lesser-known Rubinstein operas which they have, namely Christus and Paradise Lost, as follows:

Christus
http://premiereopera.net/product/christus-by-rubinstein-moscow-2011/


Paradise Lost
http://premiereopera.net/product/das-verlorene-paradies-by-rubinstein-berlin-1975/


Mark - if you, or any other members, know of any sources where we could find Merchant Kalashnikov, there are many, I am sure, who would be very grateful!

Now, where's my credit card....

[Mark Thomas]

I am away from home at present, but when I return I'll ferret out how I got hold of The Merchant Kalashnikov.

[edurban]

"...I contacted http://premiereopera.net and they have re-activated their links to the two lesser-known Rubinstein operas which they have, namely Christus and Paradise Lost..."

Glad this worked out, they're a great company.  I think you'll be pleased with the Christus recording...

David

[JimL]

Does The Demon, or any of the other operas by Rubinstein have a free-standing overture?

[eschiss1]

Aside from his first opera Dmitri Donskoi, whose overture is all that remains, that is...

Most of the ones whose vocal scores I'm skimming on IMSLP have maybe a 2 or 3 page orchestral introduction though. However, the first section (prologue) of Christus Op.117 (sacred opera in prologue, 7 scenes and epilogue) has a longer introduction (not free-standing, but 11 pages of orchestral score in piano reduction out of 40 (+2 introductory material of another kind entirely ) of reduced score.)

Néron Act I (French version) does have a free-standing introduction (no idea if it was ever played as such), starting page 1 in D major and ending page 10 of the vocal score that I see in G-flat major with a full cadence, full stop and full pause before the action. (Other acts besides the opening acts of other operas of his may have separate preludes, have been looking at the first acts only or anything labeled as prelude/overture/vorspiel/Прелюдия/etc. before the first act.)

[JimL]

Thank you again for your service, Eric!  Just fishing around for some curtain raisers for my conductor pal!  Sure would like to see that Concert Overture get an airing!

[eschiss1]

RISM-online (as I keep being reminded, only a small portion of RISM itself) does list two orchestral arrangements of piano works of his, in score and parts, I think, but... hrm. Yes, it would be nice to see that overture also in score and parts somewheres.

[JimL]

You have it over at IMSLP, Eric!  I don't know about the parts, but you have the full score.

[eschiss1]

someone would have to extract the parts though, for a performance. (oh no, please no, don't be looking at me   (I'm not that good, anyway.) )

[Christopher]

I think I've mentioned it before, but here is a work of Rubinstein's for solo piano arranged for chorus and orchestra in the black-and-white von Sternberg movie The Scarlet Empress (1934) with Marlene Dietrich in the lead role as a young Catherine the Great.  Not for purists of course but I love it! (the original piano piece is his Rêve angélique No. 22, Op. 10 .)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srurhFxeZrg

[JimL]

I remember the Rêve angélique!  Ponti played it on the old 4th Concerto LP!

[saxtromba]

This could be very exciting news, but--

There is a youtube video of the opening of Christus which features a small orchestra (3 violoncellos, 1 bass, and an organ replacing the brass).  Is this the same ensemble which is heard in the recording listed here? ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPRAnWJ-zR4 ).  It's clearly a student ensemble, and while not at all bad also not very compelling.

More broadly, has anyone here actually heard these recordings?  Are they any good?  Are they worth 19 Euros?

[Alan Howe]

The recording available at Premiereopera...
http://premiereopera.net/product/christus-by-rubinstein-moscow-2011/
...features the same conductor as on the clips at YouTube.
I shan't be buying it (yet!) - I'm just not convinced of Rubinstein's ability to sustain this sort of thing, so I'd need some persuading first...

[Gareth Vaughan]

Can anyone comment on the quality of the 2012 production of The Demon listed on the PremierOpera site, please? I know nothing about it.  I like The Demon but have not yet encountered an ideal recording of it.