Anton Rubinstein - Symphony No 5

[JimL]

On the other hand, when he was careful, he could be very well organized.  I find no quarrel with the structures or developmental skills in either the 4th or 5th PCs.

[FBerwald]

There is also the G major Violin concerto.. structurally quite intact for Rubinstein. And quite melodious too!!!

[Mark Thomas]

Personally I find the Violin Concerto one of his least memorable pieces, but all this talk of Rubinstein has led me to dig out several CDs of his music in the last week when I've been laid low with a virus. There's an immediate attraction in many of his works which I think comes from his knack of penning a memorable phrase and, in his orchestral works, the ruggedness and masculinity of his characteristic orchestral palette. I hadn't listened, for example, to the first two piano concertos for years and yet they grabbed me straight away. I don't think that either is great music, but they are attractive pieces. There were longeurs too - the Dramatic Symphony and the Erioca Fantasia stand out - but it has been good to reconnect with Rubinstein. Last week at least, he's provided "comfort food".

[JimL]

I find the VC quite memorable, but in this work my only problem seems to be the development in the first movement.  Rubi just seems to be toying around with a motive from the first subject without really developing much of anything.  Also, the phrase he's using is a pastoral little soundbite that contains little intrinsic excitement.  He never does anything to inject a little dramatic intensity into it.

[FBerwald]

I find the VC quite memorable, but in this work my only problem seems to be the development in the first movement.  Rubi just seems to be toying around with a motive from the first subject without really developing much of anything.  Also, the phrase he's using is a pastoral little soundbite that contains little intrinsic excitement.  He never does anything to inject a little dramatic intensity into it.

I know what you are talking about. It sometimes frustrates me to no end that he misses developing some critical sections and just mentions some absolutely gorgeous passages once only to forget them completely (in the final movement!)

[Alan Howe]

Today I came across Rubinstein 5 (on Naxos, formerly Marco Polo) in my collection and I must say that I was more impressed than I have been in the past by the piece. One thing is certain: it is extremely well done by the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra (Bucharest) under Horia Andreescu - there's no sense of routine in the playing and much is truly excellent. Indeed, I'd hazard that this is the best recording of a Rubinstein symphony on the market (not that there's much choice, really).

Anyway, rather than being bored, I felt that this was a thoroughly worthwhile work with some truly beautiful as well as exciting passages (try ca. 7 mins into the finale). All in all, an unexpectedly enjoyable listen - with a Slavonic-sounding earworm in that finale - lovely!

[eschiss1]

In this one work there is/has been competition, three different versions in all I think - at least Marco Polo/Naxos, Centaur (Kolman/Slovak Philharmonic), and Melodiia LP (Zverev, 1990). As recorded symphonies of Rubinstein go it's about as popular among conductors and record labels/studios as nos. 2 (I find two recordings, one several times reissued on a couple of labels?, of no.4, two recordings of no.3, two of no.6. Many of no.2, I think, so all these others come in distant whatevers, but still...)

[FBerwald]

What we need is a updated version of Piano Concerto No. 5 on a Good piano - The Naxos version, while amazing, interpretation wise - the Piano used in the recording left a lot to be desired. The upper register passages called to mind the honky-tonky sounds of a Period piano.

[Mark Thomas]

Today I came across Rubinstein 5 (on Naxos, formerly Marco Polo) in my collection and I must say that I was more impressed than I have been in the past by the piece.

That's a surprise! Well, I guess what you say, Alan, is as good a reason as any to dust off my copy and see if the passage of time provokes the same Pauline conversion...

[Alan Howe]

Well, there was no blinding light - more a warm glow. And you can't ask for much more...

[adriano]

Inspired by this forum I just re-listened to that Naxos issue of "Ocean Symphony". Of course it's a bit too long, and I am hearing a lot of Raff in there, not knowing whether there was an obvious influence, or just an adhering to the musical modes of that time in Weimar (?) Raff and Rubinstein had met in Weimar, as far as I remember having read somewhere.
The music is well-played. As far as the sound balance is concerned, I remember working at that time in Bratislava, the Marco Polo sound team used to call the products of the local team "Tomatophon" :-)

[Mark Thomas]

I doubt that there's much Raff in the Ocean Symphony, Adriano. The original four movements date from 1851, by which time Raff had written very little for orchestra and none of it had been performed. More likely, as you say, that they were both "adhering to the musical modes of that time in Weimar".